Delaware Valley remembers Muhammad Ali

NORTHERN LIBERTIES (WPVI) -- Boxers young and old honored Muhammad Ali Saturday with a 10 count and a moment of silence at Joe Hand Boxing Gym in Northern Liberties.

"When you think about boxing, the first thing you think about - Muhammad Ali," said Calogero Paglione of Mantua, New Jersey.

The nonprofit boxing facility for kids just happened to hold its Community Day one day after the legend passed, bringing fighters and community members together to remember the heavyweight champion.

"Because of the things he'd done out of the ring, to me was more of a game changer in life and a game changer in my life because I learned that I can speak," said Bernard Hopkins, professional boxer.

"He was the greatest fighter to ever live," said Joe Hand Sr., Joe Hand Promotions.

Hand was part of Joe Frazier's management team. He now runs a closed-circuit TV distributor in Feasterville.

He described negotiating the first Ali/Frazier fight a Madison Square Garden as the most important moment in his career, but also fondly remembers taking his son to Ali's training camp in Schuylkill County in 1972.

"All these people were just people who came in off the street. And he fed them all. They all stayed for lunch. And then he sat down on the end of the ring and he talked to them," said Hand.

Ali briefly lived in Philadelphia's Overbrook section and moved into a five-bedroom house in Cherry Hill in 1971.

Folks stopped by to remember Ali's time here.

"To know that he was in a local area like this tucked away in Cherry Hill is just pretty cool," said Vince O'Hearn of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.