Glyn Rhodes shares Muhammad Ali tribute with boxing great
For Glyn Rhodes it was another memorable moment on his eighth visit to Fighter’s Heaven
A Sheffield boxing coach and a former world heavyweight champion joined forces to celebrate the enduring legacy of Muhammad Ali – with Glyn Rhodes over the moon to see his own words take their place in a unique artistic tribute to 'The Greatest.'
Rhodes teamed up with “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon at the unveiling of Fighter’s Heaven in Art and Literature in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, with the pair pictured together holding Glyn’s contribution to the exhibition.
For the 66-year-old Sheffield Boxing Centre stalwart, it was another memorable moment on his eighth visit to Fighter’s Heaven, the legendary training camp where Ali prepared for some of the defining fights of his career.
And Witherspoon was no ordinary companion for the occasion.
The American heavyweight was a two-time world champion, winning the WBC title in 1984 and the WBA crown in 1986. He famously stopped Britain’s Frank Bruno in the 11th round at Wembley in 1986 to retain his WBA title.
He also has a strong connection with Sheffield, having worked with local hero Clinton Woods during the light-heavyweight’s world-title campaign.
Tim's own connection with Ali was deeply personal. Witherspoon was among the heavyweight fighters who sparred with the former champion in preparation for his ill-fated 1980 comeback against Larry Holmes.
Witherspoon later recalled his concerns about Ali’s condition during those sessions, saying he had been reluctant to hit him hard to the head because he sensed something was wrong.
Ali’s corner stopped the Holmes fight after ten rounds, adding a poignant chapter to the final years of the former world champion’s career.
For Rhodes, whose admiration for Ali has shaped much of his life in boxing, sharing the occasion with Witherspoon added another memorable dimension to his latest trip to Fighter’s Heaven.
He described the whole experience as "an amazing trip."
The exhibition features 12 mixed-media paintings created by British artist Mark Dickens in collaboration with Ali’s daughter Khaliah, and photographer Jeff Julian, incorporating 45 handwritten quotations from prominent figures in boxing, including the Stannington father-of-two.