Muhammad Ali's Training Camp or "Fighter's Heaven" was a compound and training facility in

Deer Lake, Pennsylvania Deer Lake is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The population was 670 at the 2020 census. The mayor of the borough is Larry Kozlowski. History The community was founded as a resort community serving coal bar ...

built by former

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

and heavyweight champion,

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

. Ali trained in the facility preparing for numerous fights, such as

Rumble in the Jungle George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as ''The Rumble in the Jungle'', was a heavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), between undefeated ...

in 1974, and

Thrilla in Manila Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III, billed as the ''Thrilla in Manila'', was the third and final professional boxing match between undisputed champion Muhammad Ali, and former champion Joe Frazier, for the heavyweight championship of the world. ...

in 1975.

History

1980s-90s

After Ali's retirement from the ring, he sold the camp to

George Dillman George Dillman (born November 23, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a controversial American martial arts instructor, who popularized the use of techniques such as pressure points (also known in Japan as kyūsho jutsu (急所術)) among the ...

in 1997.

Present day

Following Ali's death on June 3, 2016, Dillman reopened the compound to the public, including the gym, kitchen, and the cabins. It was then sold to Mike Madden, the son of

John Madden John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American professional football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, leading them ...

, in July 2016.

Inside the compound

After Ali bought the land in 1972, he began to build the cabins by cutting down trees, and getting logs. The compound included a visitors cabin, a gym, a dining hall, a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

, and his family house. It also included a five stall barn for his horses and donkey. The compound included boulders that showed the painted names of boxing legends, friends, and opponents such as

Sonny Liston Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( – December 30, 1970), nicknamed "the Big Bear", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1962 after k ...

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...

, Ali's trainer

Angelo Dundee Angelo Dundee (born Angelo Mirena; August 30, 1921February 1, 2012) was an American boxing manager, boxing promoter, boxing trainer and cornerman. Internationally known for his work with Muhammad Ali (1960–1981), he also worked with 15 other w ...

, and

Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

would visit the training camp as well.{{cite news, url=https://www.boxingnews24.com/2023/04/muhammad-ali-talks-about-his-relationship-with-elvis/, title=Muhammad Ali Talks About His Relationship With Elvis!, publisher=Boxing News 24, date=2023-04-21, accessdate=2024-04-08

References

Boxing gyms and clubs in the United States Historic sites in Pennsylvania