Muhammad Ali visits Toronto for David Foster Gala – certainly not the autographs or fanfare that accompanied The Champs last visit to city 8 years ago [VIDEO]
November 21, 2010 by Richard Budman ·
photo courtesy Richard Budman / shot7.com
The Champ is here!
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali returned to Toronto, Canada for the first time in almost a decade on November 19th. The Champ was making the single night visit to the city for an appearance at an annual David Foster Foundation benefit Gala.
It was a much quieter return to Toronto for Ali considering the fanfare that accompanied his last visit during 2002, when Ali appeared at Toronto’s Skydome for an Argos football game and press conference (with fellow boxing champions Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, & George Chuvalo!)
From the first time meeting Ali during an appearance in Detroit during 1996, HoundsTV has had the pleasure of seeing The Greatest a few times over the years and witness him autograph some very beautiful pieces of memorabilia for the autograph Hounds.
RELATED: Muhummad Ali autographed boxing glove. Signed “aka Cassius Clay” from Cleveland National.
But on Muhammad’s latest visit to Toronto towards the end of 2010, it’s evident the Parkinson’s disease Ali was diagnosed with many years ago has now slowed his body considerably. On arrival to his downtown Toronto hotel a few hours before his scheduled appearance at the David Foster hosted benefit – Muhammad had to be helped from the car into the hotel by wife Yolanda and another person supporting him on each side.
When Ali last visited Toronto in late 2002 – it was very public and many cameras captured that special scene. But Muhammad Ali’s 2010 visit was private and low-key. And unlike last time, very few photographers even managed to capture a shot of Ali in the city. The Champ didn’t appear before photographers assembled for the red carpet arrivals at the David Foster fundrasier and it was asked repeatedly by representatives accompanying Ali at the event that people who approach Ali – please don’t ask for autographs.
YouTube: It was a much more public appearance for Muhammad Ali on his last visit to Toronto during late 2002. Ali arrived to great fanfare, and signed autographs for the collectors.
RELATED: Muhummad Ali autographed boxing glove. Signed “aka Cassius Clay” from Cleveland National.
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