Friends and fans remember boxing legend Muhammad Ali across NYC

When Muhammad Ali visited New York City, he sometimes visited Gleason’s Gym, believed to be the oldest active boxing gym in the country.

The first time Ali stepped foot in the gym was 1964 — before he became one of the most famous athletes in the world and the gym moved from the Bronx to its current location, its third, in Brooklyn.

Photos of Ali — standing victorious over Sonny Liston, swinging a punch at George Foreman in Zaire — hang on the walls that surround the young boxers who train at this city institution.

In his office on Sunday morning, longtime owner Bruce Silverglade told PBS NewsHour about his encounters with Ali over the years.

He first met Ali in the late 1970s, and said it was the boxing legend’s charisma that stood out to him even more than his athletic prowess.

Gleason’s Gym owner Bruce Silverglade remembers his 40-year friendship with Muhammad Ali in Brooklyn, New York, on June 5, 2016. Photo by Andi Wang/NewsHour Weekend

“He was able to win the hearts and minds of most people in the world because of what he did in the ring,” Silverglade said. “He used that platform to become a spokesman for his race and his religion.”

Ali made huge contributions to the sport, a point Silverglade said cannot be overstated. “When kids come into my gym today, they say, ‘I want to fight like Muhammad Ali. I want Muhammad Ali’s style,’” he said.

Still, Silverglade said people don’t need a sophisticated understanding of boxing to draw on lessons from Ali’s life.

“Muhammad Ali, a kid from a low socioeconomic area, a kid coming out of Louisville, Kentucky — this young man has changed the world,” Silverglade said. “If he can rise to fame, why can’t I? If he can make a statement, why can’t I? He’s an inspiration to a lot of people. You don’t have to know him to understand and enjoy that inspiration.”

Posters hang at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, NY. Photo by Andi Wang/NewsHour Weekend

Elsewhere across New York this weekend, friends and fans paid tribute to the life of the famed boxer, who died Friday at age 74.

Near Times Square on Saturday night, patrons remembered Ali at Jimmy’s Corner, a 44-year-old bar owned by Jimmy Glenn, a respected boxing coach who was an occasional trainer and friend to Ali. 

“He was a king among men,” Glenn told the New York Times. “A fighter, a poet, a politician — he was everything.”

Among photos of boxing greats past and present above the counter, a snapshot of Glenn and Ali together stands out in the Midtown shrine to the sport.

“I learned about Muhammad Ali’s passing last night, and decided to come to Jimmy’s Corner — have a drink and honor him,” said patron Charles Camacho, who described himself as a longtime boxing fan.

Camacho remembered how as a child, he would listen to his dad cheer on Ali during fights. “He’s somebody who transcends the sport. He’s somebody who made boxing a household name,” he said. “He stood up for what he believed in. He stood up for his own rights. ”

Photos of Muhammad Ali adorn the wall at Jimmy’s Corner bar in New York, on June 5, 2016. Photo by Andi Wang/NewsHour Weekend

In the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn on Saturday morning, quiet crowds gathered at a brightly-colored mural of the boxing legend.

New York-based illustrator and street artist known as BROLGA, painted the mural last December, according to a post on his Instagram page.

“I painted this mural about the life and times of Ali,” he wrote. “While painting, I was approached by people of all ethnicities and genders. It was amazing to see the diverse scope of Ali’s popularity and the respect the people hold for him.”

The painting — one of many in this artsy neighborhood — took on new meaning as people slowed at the intersection to memorialize a legend.

In December last year, I painted this mural about the life and times of Ali. While painting, I was approached by people of all ethnicities and gender. It was amazing to see the diverse scope of Ali's popularity and the respect the people hold for him. Boxer, philanthropist & word-smith, he'll be missed. #streetart #muhammadali #ali #brolga

A post shared by Brolga (@brolga) on Jun 4, 2016 at 6:42am PDT

Fans placed candles and a bouquet of white flowers in front of the mural, marking it as a site of unofficial mourning. Between the waves of weekend foot traffic typical of this north Brooklyn neighborhood, individuals and couples paused at the corner, snapping photos or simply taking in the art for a few breaths.

“My brother was a fighter, and so was my dad,” said Emili Bondar, a resident of Los Angeles who stopped to take a photograph. “I grew up in that culture — around boxing. And I know Muhammad Ali was a great symbol to them.”

Hetal Bhatt, 31, in town from the Bay area, said Ali was special to so many because he was a celebrity who stayed true to himself.

“He taught me to never dilute yourself for anybody,” Bhatt said.