Throwback Thursday: Civic Center Memories

While going through an old book, my mom happened upon a ticket stub that was my Dad's. Not thinking he'll want it back, it has ended up in my collection of old Civic Center memorabilia.

Long before my first concert at the famed Lansing venue in 1982, my dad was watching Muhammad Ali take on 'Smokin' Joe Frazier via closed circuit at the Civic Center.

This would be deemed the "Fight of the Century" or just known as "The Fight!" WBA/WBC Heavyweight Champion Frazier with a record of 26 - 0 (23 KO's) and Ali, a Champion of sorts but stripped of his titles in 1964 with a record of 31 - 0 (25 KO's). The squared circle of Madison Square Garden the venue would be piped in via closed circuit television for a mere $12.00 a ticket. In 2016 money, that's about 70 bucks!

What would follow is a pounding of two goliath's of the sweet science and a win by unanimous decision for Smokin' Joe Frazier as he downed Ali in the 15th round.The pair would come to blows two more times in their history with Ali ultimately the victor.

So many years later and we have not seen such sights in boxing. I'm hoping someday that the sport will be brought back to life as it was then.