Muhammad Ali's ringside physician
Born: December 8, 1927;
Died: November 16, 2017
FERNANDO "Ferdie" Pacheco, who has died aged 89, was a doctor who for many years was Muhammad Ali's ringside physician. He was one of many members of Ali's colourful entourage, travelling the world with the heavyweight champion as he fought the biggest fights of his career. Pacheco got a title out of it - "The Fight Doctor" - but he would later say he never got a penny for his efforts. Later he also struggled with his involvement, as a doctor, in such a violent sport.
Born in Tampa the son of a Spanish-born father who had come to America from Cuba, Pacheco graduated in medicine from the University of Miami and always had an interest in boxing.
He met Cassius Clay, who would later become Muhammad Ali, in 1960 when the fighter began training with Angelo Dundee at the 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach and Pacheco started providing free medical advice for the fighters and their families.
He worked as Ali's cornerman from 1962-1977, which included three successful title bouts but he began to be concerned about the effect boxing was having on Ali. He said Ali had the most perfect body he had ever seen but became alarmed at the blows it was taking.
Pacheco said he tried to persuade Ali to stop boxing after the brutal Thrilla in Manila fight against Joe Frazier in 1975, but finally left Ali's camp two years later after Ali signed to fight Earnie Shavers. Pacheco would later say that he told Ali he would stick around if he fought boxers who could not hurt him, but Shavers was known as a vicious puncher and he feared for Ali's safety. Ali fought four more matches after Pacheco gave him his ultimatum, losing three.
"When Ali wouldn't quit the world of boxing, I did," said Pacheco. "If a national treasure like Ali could not be saved, at least I didn't have to be part of his undoing."
Pacheco also struggled to come to terms with his involvement in boxing. "Why was I, an ethical physician with a large charity practice, part of a sport that allowed death? I never found a suitable answer."
His association with Ali did pay off with a gig as a commentator in network TV fights in the 1980s. By then Ali had been diagnosed with Parkinson's.
Pacheco was also a painter, creating caricatures for magazine to help pay for his college tuition, and wrote several books about his life and work, including Fight Doctor in 1977 and Ybor City Chronicles in 1995.
Pacheco's daughter, Tina Louise Pacheco, said her father died at his Miami home after a prolonged illness. He is survived by his wife and four children.
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