ALI'S EX MANAGER DIES AFTER HEART SURGERY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 27 Aug 2008
The longtime manager of former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali - Jabir Herbert Muhammad - has died after heart surgery. He was 79.
Muhammad's son, Elijah Muhammad III said in Chicago that Jabir had died on Monday at the University of Illinois Medical Centre.
Muhammad managed Ali's boxing career from 1966 until 1981 and his post-fighting career for another ten years.
We recall meeting Herbert Muhammad briefly in the then Manila Hilton suite of Ali when we were assigned as the heavyweight champion's Liaison Officer during the "Thrilla in Manila" which to this day is considered one of the greatest heavyweight title fights of all-time.
Herbert Muhammad was in Manila for the fight between Ali and Joe Frazier on October 1, 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum. He was here along with promoters Don King and Bob Arum.
After ending his business relationship with Ali, Muhammad later went on to a career in business.
He was the son of the late Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. He served as the Nation of Islam's chief business manager and established the Nation's weekly newspaper.
A Muslim prayer service will be held Thursday (Manila Time) with a memorial service on Saturday.
Herbert Muhammad is survived by his wife, Amenah Antonia Muhammad, and 14 children.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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