The Neutral Corner

Jabir Herbert Muhammad, the man who managed the greatest heavyweight in boxing history, died after heart surgery in Chicago at the age of 79.

Muhammad took over as Muhammad Ali's manager in 1966, when the fighter was already heavyweight champion of the world and a star in the sport of boxing.

Ali was a man who really didn't need a manager. But Herbert Muhammad was the son of Elijiah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam and was basically appointed Ali's manager by his father. Whether Herbert's role was more spiritual advisor than financial adviser, only Ali can answer. Spirituality cannot be measured in dollars.

But the question has always been, who benefitted more from the relationship?

Thomas Hauser, one of boxing's premier journalists, wrote the definitive biography on Ali and it was published in 1991. Here are what some people in the book had to say about Herbert Muhammad and his relationship with Ali. These quotes can be found beginning on page 376 of Hauser's book:

Muhammad Ali: "I know there are people who don't like Herbert, but I love and respect him. Make sure the world knows, I love and respect Herbert Muhammad."

Belinda Ali, the fighter's second wife: "He was a great manipulator."

Jeremiah Shabazz: "Herbert is smart when it comes to the religion. We don't always see eye-to-eye about it, but with the religion, he's very smart. But business is another matter. That's one place where Herbert leaves a lot to be desired. I don't think it was maliciousness on Herbert's part. I think it was ignorance, but Ali still suffered."

Harold Conrad: "After [the second Liston fight] we came back to New York for a black tie dinner. Ali didn't own a tuxedo, so I took them to a clothing place called After Six... they were happy to give him a tuxedo. They gave Herbert one too, for free. And that was when Herbert found out he could get something for free wth Ali. It started him off and he never stopped. Before you knew it, he was a silent partner in Ali's promotions. I think he made more money out of some of those fights than Ali. Arum and King both cut him into the promotions, and I doubt he shared that money with Ali."

Gene Dibble: "I think Herbert was interested first and foremost in Herbert. And I also think Herbert just didn't know much about business. He thought he was a good negotiator, and he wasn't. Instead of getting first-rate lawyers, he listened to a lot of bad advice."

Teddy Brenner: "One thing Herbert did very well was the way he played Don King. He read King right. He brought the dollars out of King and got bigger paydays from King than anybody else."

Ferdie Pacheco: "People say, and it's true, that Herbert made a fortune off Ali. And it's also true that Ali might not be as well off financially as he could be today. But the bottom line is, if Herbert had never taken a penny, if he'd worked for twenty years for free and brought in every dollar possible for Ali, Ali would have given it all away.... when Ali was fighting, Herbert didn't want the entourage, Ali wanted it."

No matter what the quotes say, good, bad or indifferent, to me, the bottom line with all the members of Ali's camp, is that they led him into the ring in 1980 for an unnecessary beating against Larry Holmes. It didn't matter what kind of business acumen Herbert Muhammad had, everyone knew Ali should not have been inside that ring. The only longtime member who walked away before the fight was Pacheco.

-- CASSIDY