Dr. Ferdie Pacheco (born December 8, 1927) is the former personal physician and cornerman for world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, as well as numerous other boxing champions. Beginning in the late 1970s, Pacheco was a TV boxing analyst for several television networks, most notably Showtime. Pacheco is also a prolific author and painter and currently resides in Miami, Florida with his wife Luisita. His nickname is the "Fight Doctor."
Early life
Ferdie Pacheco was born in the immigrant community of Ybor City in Tampa, Florida, of Spaniard and Cuban descent. Boxing was a popular sport in Ybor City, and Pacheco took an early interest. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, and his medical degree from the University of Miami. After graduation, he set up practice in the Little Havana community of Miami and began working with boxers alongside Angelo Dundee at the 5th Street Gym.
Career
In 1962, Pacheco began working with Muhammad Ali when the then-Cassius Clay was training in Miami. Pacheco became Ali's cornerman and physician and would remain so until the latter parts of Ali's career. In 1977, Pacheco was concerned about potential liver and kidney damage and noticed that Ali's reflexes were slowing down. He recommended that Ali retire, but Ali continued to fight. Due to this difference of opinion, Pacheco left Ali's camp. Despite this disagreement, he and Ali are still friends to this day.
Monday mornin' got my work boots on My checkbook tells me that my money is gone Gotta little honey dependin' on me To take her to town at the end of the week We'll find a parkin' spot so we can reconnect As soon as I get my Friday paycheck We'll get a chili cheese dog at the bowlin' lane I'm still a workin' on that perfect game Maybe catch a movie when my arm goes numb Wrap it around her when the good part comes I may look like an old redneck But I'm a high-roller with a Friday paycheck Everybody knows I like to have a good time I just gotta stay above that poverty line Food on the table, roof over head Leave somethin' to my young 'uns when I wind up dead You never know what life will throw at you next I'm countin' down the days 'til my Friday paycheck Wish I could tell the foreman when I'm under the gun Take this job and shove it son I keep it to myself 'cause I've gotta get paid And dance with my baby at the end of the day I'm a yellin' at the band when they're doin' sound check Why don't you give me some Cash with my P-P-Paycheck [Johnny that is] Everybody knows I like to have a good time I just gotta stay above that poverty line Food on the table, roof over head Leave somethin' to my young 'uns when I wind up dead You never know what life will throw at you next I'm countin' down the days 'til my Friday paycheck 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 You never know what life will throw at you next I'm countin' down the days 'til my Friday paycheck
Happy Eighth of December to all who celebrate. What, you don’t think there’s anything special about Dec. 8?. Easy to assume that ... 1872 ... 1931 ... 1941 ... 7. 1955 ... Ferdie Pacheco, the fight doctor, the man who stood in Muhammad Ali’s corner alongside Angelo Dundee.
When Muhammad Ali first bounded into his surgery in Overtown, Miami, Dr Ferdie Pacheco reckoned the mouthy 19-year-old prospect was the finest physical specimen he’d ever seen, and he subsequently ...
His former ring doctor, Ferdie Pacheco — who had warned him to quit several years earlier if he “wanted any shot at a normal life” — said afterward that those involved in staging this fight “should have been arrested.” ... According to Frum ... ....
... which is also one of his big strengths, the chemistry that he had with his analysts through the years — whether it was John Andariese or Sal Messina or Mike Fratello or Ferdie Pacheco in boxing.
. EXCLUSIVE ...
... “Round 14 was the closest I've seen somebody come to killing somebody,” said Ali’s fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco, recalling the beating his man administered to Frazier, who was effectively fighting blind by that point ... .
The Chargers must have had the “FightDoctor” Ferdie Pacheco (Muhammad Ali’s legendary “cut man”) in their corner during the break because they recovered from being knocked down to their knees to ...
Carl Weathers never won an Academy Award for acting ... All were shut out ... He didn’t look 76 ... “All the people involved in this fight should’ve been arrested,” said Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s former ringer doctor who did not work the fight, one which he opposed.
Ferdie Pacheco had Randall one point ahead going into round eleven and said, “[The scoring] depends on how much consideration the judges give Chavez because he's a champion going for 100 (wins)” Bottom line.
There is nothing much new in this world ... Breezily, he asked ... ‘Money back, money back.’ Even Ali’s celebrity corner men – fabled trainer Angelo Dundee, his guru Drew Bundini Brown and fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco – declared themselves ‘embarrassed.’ ... .
Larry Merchant, the venerable sportswriter and TV commentator recently observed, at the age of 92, that “it’s easy getting into your 80s but hard to get out of them.” ... Muhammad Ali’s longtime physician Ferdie Pacheco once suggested ...Thomas Hauser ... .
TAMPA — Jack Harris is using his hiatus from morning radio to cross off a few bucket list items ... From the sports world, New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner lived here, and Muhammad Ali ringside doctor Ferdie Pacheco was born and raised here.
Muhammad Ali moves in with a series of smashes to the face of challenger Floyd Patterson in the sixth round of their title fight at Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 22, 1965... 25, 1966 ... 22, 1965 ... Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s physician, thought so and said so ... .
The women want to ball him, and the men want to do battle with him; some people want to do both ... I’m not saying he’s stupid ... “Ali ... ... He didn’t ... Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s former doctor, whose book FightDoctor annoyed Ali ... .
