Room 2549 at the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan is called the Muhammad Ali Room given the heavyweight champion stayed in this room at the hotel after the Fight of the Century in 1971.
Muhammad Ali’s Fight of the Century was a highly anticipated boxing match that took place on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The fight was between Muhammad Ali, who was the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, and Joe Frazier, who was the current heavyweight champion. The match was dubbed as the “Fight of the Century” because it was the first time that two undefeated heavyweight champions had faced each other in a boxing ring. What is lesser known about this fight is that Muhammad Ali actually spent the night after the fight at the New Yorker Hotel next to Penn Station, and there is actually a Muhammad Ali Room in his honor at the hotel even today.
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier
The Fight of the Century is the boxing match that took place on March 8, 1971, between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden. It was called the “Fight of the Century” because it was the first time that two undefeated heavyweight champions had faced each other in a boxing ring. It was one of the most significant sporting events of the 20th century from a sports and cultural perspecitive given the times.
The fight itself was a grueling battle that lasted for 15 rounds. Frazier won the fight by a unanimous decision, but both fighters suffered injuries during the match. Despite the loss, Ali’s performance was impressive and showed that he was still one of the best boxers in the world.
Muhammad Ali Room at the New Yorker Hotel
The New Yorker Hotel is a historic landmark in New York City built in 1929 during the Jazz Age. It has an intriguing history with many notable guests, such as the famous inventor Nikola Tesla who spent the last 10 years of his life here, and Muhammad Ali who was a guest at the hotel as well.
Room 2549 is named the Muhammad Ali Room at the New Yorker Hotel as he spent the night there after his big fight with Joe Frazier at MSG in 1971. A plaque on the room pays tribute to Muhammad Ali, and has pictures of him in bed after his big loss to Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden, which is just a couple of blocks away from New Yorker Hotel.
Here is what his suite is like from the inside today –
The room is a suite with a living room, and pays tribute to Muhammad Ali with pictures of him outside the hotel, and in the boxing ring –
The room actually has a picture of a very somber Muhammad Ali in his bed after losing in a grueling battle that lasted 15 rounds, though Joe Frazier is spelt Joe Fraisier in it –
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier Exhibit at Madison Square Garden
I was at Madison Square Garden soon after my visit to the Muhammad Ali Room at the New Yorker Hotel, and I chanced upon a whole display of the Fight of the Century between Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier. The exhibit has actual memoribilia from the actual fight, including a pair of gloves that were worn. Although Joe Frazier won against an unbeaten Muhammad Ali, the exhibit explains that Ali actually went on to win the next two boxing matches against Joe Frazier to come out ahead in the end after all.
It really is amazing to be able to tie both these pieces of history together, and to actually visit the Muhammad Ali Room at the New Yorker Hotel.
