Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, Muhammad Ali’s Personal Physician and Cornerman, Dies at 89
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Dr. Ferdie Pacheco, Muhammad Ali’s personal physician and cornerman from his beginning as Cassius Clay, to his end after defending his world title against Earnie Shavers, has died at age 89. Pacheco was also a self-taught artist, and a television boxing analyst commentator for NBC, Univision and Showtime from the early 1980s to the late 1990s.
A New York State Athletic Commission report showed Ali’s kidneys were falling apart. He advised Ali to retire, but Ali fought on four more times, losing three, and sustaining great cumulative damage from punches, contributing to his Parkinson’s and other health issues.
“You was right,” Ali later told Pacheco.
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