Mailbag: Sparring with Muhammad Ali

Entertainer Steve Allen needed some time off from his TV show. Whenever he was planning time off, we would tape two shows a day for a week. Hanging around between shows during one of those weeks was tedious, so I would pace outside the theater, drinking coffee. I was doing that when a cab pulled up in front of the theater at 1313 N. Vine St.

Muhammad Ali, alone, stepped out and made his way over to me. He was a guest on the second show and he arrived about an hour early. He introduced himself to me as if I did not know who he was. I walked him inside and we began to chat. He had a hundred questions about the show and about Steve, and I tried my best to answer them all.

I was impressed with how upbeat he was about everything. Nothing seemed to bother him. He was at the height of his glory and was really enjoying life. I told him Steve was an easy-going, intelligent man and would not be out to “get” him. Steve never was that kind of man, and he certainly was not going to try and put down the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

In the middle of our conversation, he asked me if I knew anything about boxing. No, I told him, I was a street kid from South Philadelphia. That set him off, as Sonny Liston was from Philadelphia. And he started to go through all his moves remembering how he handled Liston in the ring. We started to spar right there in the hallway outside of the theater, and a part of me could not believe what was happening, I was sparring with Muhammad Ali and loving every second. He was laughing the whole time!

Over the years he always remembered me and when I went to ABC he knew about it and would call me, wanting tickets to our shows for his friends. I was deeply saddened when the news broke about his medical condition, he would still call and it was tough to talk with him at times! However, I never once forgot that afternoon when I actually sparred with Muhammad Ali.

Joseph Di Sante
Burbank