Joe Frazier statue gets approval to move to base of art museum steps in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's statue of late heavyweight boxing champion "Smokin" Joe Frazier will soon have a new home.
The Philadelphia Art Commission on Wednesday approved a proposal from Creative Philadelphia — the city's office of arts and culture — to move the statue of Frazier to the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, where the Rocky statue currently lives. The only adjustment needed would be to add interpretive panels to explain Frazier's ties to the city.
The decision comes after the art commission voted last month to move the Rocky statue to the top of the art museum steps. The Rocky statue will temporarily go inside the museum for an exhibit from April to August before being placed atop the steps permanently.
In the proposal, Creative Philadelphia Public Art Director Marguerite Anglin argued moving the Joe Frazier statue from outside Stateside Live! to the art museum would "increase public visibility for the statue, deepen educational opportunities and create a respectful dialogue between two complementary representations of Philadelphia's spirit: Rocky Balboa as a symbol of hard work and aspiration, and Joe Frazier as the embodiment of those values lived out in real life."
The Frazier statue was installed outside the South Philly sports bar and entertainment venue in 2015.
The statue, designed by artist Stephen Layne, depicts Frazier at the height of his career after he delivered a knockout blow to Muhammad Ali in the "Fight of the Century" in 1971.
Frazier had 27 knockouts and was 32-4-1 in his professional boxing career and won a gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Frazier moved to Philadelphia when he was 15 and adopted the city as his home. He began boxing at the Police Athletic League and later founded Joe Frazier's Gym on North Broad in 1968. For 40 years, Frazier mentored the city's youth and local boxers at the gym.
Friends and family of the legendary boxer consider Frazier the real Rocky of Philadelphia, not the fictional Rocky Balboa, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone. Frazier died in 2011 at 67 years old.
"He was the authentic, real deal, and that's been the argument all along," Layne told CBS News Philadelphia. "Where this piece will now be placed is wonderful. It's ground level, it's the level of all of us here as citizens, and everyone will have immediate access to the piece, and it will be the first piece you come into contact with when you're coming up to the art museum."
Son-in-law supports move
Pete Lyde, Frazier's son-in-law and CEO of the Smokin' Joe Frazier Championship Foundation, told CBS News Philadelphia he's grateful for this move and believes it's long overdue.
"I just have no words," Lyde said. "We're so happy with this move."
Lyde said Frazier had opportunities to move away but never left the city he loved.
"He would constantly say, Philly is my hometown, Philly is where I live, this is where I stay," Lyde said.
The Smokin' Joe Frazier Championship Foundation is hosting a special event at Stateside Live! on March 8 from 2 to 5 p.m. to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Frazier retaining his title as heavyweight champion of the world.
Art museum visitors who spoke with CBS News Philadelphia on Wednesday said they were pleased to see the Frazier statue being relocated to the museum.
"It makes sense to have Joe Frazier's statue here because it's a real person," Dario Rey, who was visiting the art museum, said. "Even though the movie changed the history of the city, it does make sense to have the statue of a real person here."
According to the proposal, moving the Frazier statue would cost $150,000 and a new base and foundation will be provided. The statue will move to the art museum steps sometime in the spring.
A Philadelphia Museum of Art spokesperson said in a statement that the museum supports the city's decision to "recognize Joe Frazier and its continued commitment to public art."
