Hello all...
I am curious to know more about Dr P. How did he
get involved in Ali's camp ? what other boxers had
Dr as a part of their team ?
I know of some athletes that have their own Dr,
mostly runners and cyclists they have them to
monitor O2 levels etc leading up to a comp, especially
when they are using PE's or have been doping.
I do not like him as a commentator, and I am curious
to know how he got to be one...?
Thanks again
Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Wasn't Pacheco a friend of Dundee? I have no idea what he contributed to the Ali team. Pacheco as a commentator has shown he knows little about boxing. Maybe he contributed his medical knowledge?
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
If I recall correctly, Pacheco was involved in boxing at a young age, and after finishing medical school, he set up a private practice in Miami and at the same time hooked up with Angelo Dundee to help train fighters. When Dundee got Ali, Pacheco became his personal physician.
I never much cared for Pacheco, but he and Marv Albert bring back memories. They were the boxing commentating team on NBC Sportsworld back in the eighties.
I never much cared for Pacheco, but he and Marv Albert bring back memories. They were the boxing commentating team on NBC Sportsworld back in the eighties.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Marv Albert seemd to be an ok commentator.
What was Pacheco doing in the Ali camp ? what was
his role ? Was it neccessary to have a Dr on hand?
What was Pacheco doing in the Ali camp ? what was
his role ? Was it neccessary to have a Dr on hand?
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allworld80
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 3468
- Joined: 09 Dec 2006, 20:12
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
good ole ferdie
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Collins2000
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4175
- Joined: 06 May 2002, 06:13
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
He was just part of the "entourage" like Bundini. I doubt he was there to do anything more than stroke Ali's ego and perhaps amuse him with some of his 'stories'.Robinson wrote:Marv Albert seemd to be an ok commentator.
What was Pacheco doing in the Ali camp ? what was
his role ? Was it neccessary to have a Dr on hand?
Sugar Ray had a midget when he went on his Euro tour. I wonder what his role was...
Athletes like familiar figures around when they travel the world. I recall when Paul Gascoigne went to play in Italy he had it written into his contract that his best mate and drinking buddy Jimmy Four Bellies had to be on the payroll. Or maybe that was just a story The Sun made up.
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TheOneIsHere2008
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1181
- Joined: 01 Jul 2008, 12:09
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
I believe he helped deliver Hana or Laila...
He also had clinics in predominately African American Overton and in a predominately African American section of Miami...
He also had clinics in predominately African American Overton and in a predominately African American section of Miami...
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
I want a pet midget :(Collins2000 wrote:He was just part of the "entourage" like Bundini. I doubt he was there to do anything more than stroke Ali's ego and perhaps amuse him with some of his 'stories'.Robinson wrote:Marv Albert seemd to be an ok commentator.
What was Pacheco doing in the Ali camp ? what was
his role ? Was it neccessary to have a Dr on hand?
Sugar Ray had a midget when he went on his Euro tour. I wonder what his role was...
Athletes like familiar figures around when they travel the world. I recall when Paul Gascoigne went to play in Italy he had it written into his contract that his best mate and drinking buddy Jimmy Four Bellies had to be on the payroll. Or maybe that was just a story The Sun made up.
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I Feel Fine
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 2097
- Joined: 10 Apr 2007, 16:48
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Well Pacheco was just that; Ali's doctor. Towards the end of Ali's career he asked Ali to retire. He apparently did tests on Ali and said that Ali's brain and kidneys were damaged, and he left Ali's team when Ali wouldn't retire.
As for Pacheco as a commentator, I didn't like him very much, though I guess I dislike a lot of boxing commentators. I hate listening to Pacheco drool all over Chavez when commentating on Chavez's fights.
As for Pacheco as a commentator, I didn't like him very much, though I guess I dislike a lot of boxing commentators. I hate listening to Pacheco drool all over Chavez when commentating on Chavez's fights.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Ferdie is one of my very good friends.
He was a boxing fan since his days as a child in Tampa. He hung out at the Fifth Street Gym and began working corners as a lark and it was good for Angelo to have a doctor in the corner.
Ferdie had a very good medical practice and he gave back to the community by opening up two offices in Little Havana and Overtown, giving free medical care to the needy.
Although he was a member of Ali's entourage, he was not on the payroll. For years he worked with fighters for free. Other fighters he worked with included Luis Rodriguez, Willie Pastrano, Florentino Fernandez and Frankie Otero.
He was not one of the ego strokers. His rift with Ali came when he stated publicly that Ali should retire before he wound up damaqed goods. Ali didn't like it but Ferdie was right.
As a commentator he used his power to make the presence of ambulances mandatory at every TV event and later pushed to make tham mandatory in the state of Florida.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago but has recouped and is very actively painting and writing more books.
Some might not like him because he has a reputation for telling people off if they bug him, but I know him well and I think he's a very intelectual man, a gifted painter and has a great sense of humor.
He was a boxing fan since his days as a child in Tampa. He hung out at the Fifth Street Gym and began working corners as a lark and it was good for Angelo to have a doctor in the corner.
Ferdie had a very good medical practice and he gave back to the community by opening up two offices in Little Havana and Overtown, giving free medical care to the needy.
Although he was a member of Ali's entourage, he was not on the payroll. For years he worked with fighters for free. Other fighters he worked with included Luis Rodriguez, Willie Pastrano, Florentino Fernandez and Frankie Otero.
He was not one of the ego strokers. His rift with Ali came when he stated publicly that Ali should retire before he wound up damaqed goods. Ali didn't like it but Ferdie was right.
As a commentator he used his power to make the presence of ambulances mandatory at every TV event and later pushed to make tham mandatory in the state of Florida.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago but has recouped and is very actively painting and writing more books.
Some might not like him because he has a reputation for telling people off if they bug him, but I know him well and I think he's a very intelectual man, a gifted painter and has a great sense of humor.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
enrique
thank you for that. I hope Ferdie is well and the stroke does
not happen again.
thank you for that. I hope Ferdie is well and the stroke does
not happen again.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
You should check out the book Ferdie Pacheco wrote in 1992,
MUHAMMAD ALI:A View From The Corner.
(217 pp.)
MUHAMMAD ALI:A View From The Corner.
(217 pp.)
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Ferdie was well-read and an informed man on worldly matters.
But man, did he suck at analyzing a fight... :(
But man, did he suck at analyzing a fight... :(
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
[quote="enrique"]Ferdie is one of my very good friends.
He was a boxing fan since his days as a child in Tampa. He hung out at the Fifth Street Gym and began working corners as a lark and it was good for Angelo to have a doctor in the corner.
Ferdie had a very good medical practice and he gave back to the community by opening up two offices in Little Havana and Overtown, giving free medical care to the needy.
Although he was a member of Ali's entourage, he was not on the payroll. For years he worked with fighters for free. Other fighters he worked with included Luis Rodriguez, Willie Pastrano, Florentino Fernandez and Frankie Otero.
He was not one of the ego strokers. His rift with Ali came when he stated publicly that Ali should retire before he wound up damaqed goods. Ali didn't like it but Ferdie was right.
As a commentator he used his power to make the presence of ambulances mandatory at every TV event and later pushed to make tham mandatory in the state of Florida.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago but has recouped and is very actively painting and writing more books.
Some might not like him because he has a reputation for telling people off if they bug him, but I know him well and I think he's a very intelectual man, a gifted painter and has a great sense of humor.[/quote]
It sounds like he is a wonderful human being and very generous when he practiced medicine as a younger man. I wish him all the best!!
However, I don't think he had enough real knowledge of boxing to be a good color analyst and didn't enjoy or respect the work he did as a color analyst.
He was a boxing fan since his days as a child in Tampa. He hung out at the Fifth Street Gym and began working corners as a lark and it was good for Angelo to have a doctor in the corner.
Ferdie had a very good medical practice and he gave back to the community by opening up two offices in Little Havana and Overtown, giving free medical care to the needy.
Although he was a member of Ali's entourage, he was not on the payroll. For years he worked with fighters for free. Other fighters he worked with included Luis Rodriguez, Willie Pastrano, Florentino Fernandez and Frankie Otero.
He was not one of the ego strokers. His rift with Ali came when he stated publicly that Ali should retire before he wound up damaqed goods. Ali didn't like it but Ferdie was right.
As a commentator he used his power to make the presence of ambulances mandatory at every TV event and later pushed to make tham mandatory in the state of Florida.
He had a stroke a couple of years ago but has recouped and is very actively painting and writing more books.
Some might not like him because he has a reputation for telling people off if they bug him, but I know him well and I think he's a very intelectual man, a gifted painter and has a great sense of humor.[/quote]
It sounds like he is a wonderful human being and very generous when he practiced medicine as a younger man. I wish him all the best!!
However, I don't think he had enough real knowledge of boxing to be a good color analyst and didn't enjoy or respect the work he did as a color analyst.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
I know a lot of guys don't like Ferdie's comments on TV. As one who has done color commentary in both English and Spanish cable, I can tell you it's not as easy as it looks and you never please everyone.
You are dealing with egos. Not just the egos of your fellow broadcasters but also with the ego of the corporate suits who medle.
I remember a suit that suggested that a certain alphabet champion be pumped up more enthusiastically because in the suit's words -This is the greatest fighter of all time.
Ferdie went balistic on the guy -Do you know what you are saying? -he said -Do you have any f***** idea what a great fighter looks like?
This kind of friction does not make a job easier.
And you have to be diplomatic. Even if you are not objective- and no one is- you have to be careful of your wording while not stepping on someone's lines and interrupting, breaking flow..
And sometimes when the fight is boring you have to dig for some bullshit anecdotes to keep the viewer from going to sleep.
Anyone can do the job once but doing it many times can become repetive and you begin askiing yourself- how can I say this different? How many times can you explain how to fight a southpaw?
And then there's other details the public is not aware of. Try working with a co anchor who snorted white before going on the air. Or the thousand aggravations of travel, jet lag, meals on the road that don't sit well, etc added on.... these are some examples.
I remember years ago when Ferdie was over at my house one night and we played a tape of a fight he did which he had not seen on tape. In one of those rounds he turned to me and said in Spanish -Mira que hable mierda- which translates to -Boy, did I talk shit.
He and I have talked about doing commentary and we both believe that you can't please everyone. I like Sean O'Grady and others don't. Ferdie is my friend so I am biased. Much of what he says in the air is similar to much of our conversation.
But Ferdie does know boxing. He's not great at dates or cronological details but he knows how to work a corner, motivate a fighter, study a style, implement a strategy. He was not only Ali's doctor and corner. He also worked with Luis Rodriguez, Florentino Fernandez, Jimmy Ellis, Frankie Otero and Willie Pastrano.
And he is a real intellectual. Author, painter, lecturer, doctor, etc. with a real good sense of humor.
You are dealing with egos. Not just the egos of your fellow broadcasters but also with the ego of the corporate suits who medle.
I remember a suit that suggested that a certain alphabet champion be pumped up more enthusiastically because in the suit's words -This is the greatest fighter of all time.
Ferdie went balistic on the guy -Do you know what you are saying? -he said -Do you have any f***** idea what a great fighter looks like?
This kind of friction does not make a job easier.
And you have to be diplomatic. Even if you are not objective- and no one is- you have to be careful of your wording while not stepping on someone's lines and interrupting, breaking flow..
And sometimes when the fight is boring you have to dig for some bullshit anecdotes to keep the viewer from going to sleep.
Anyone can do the job once but doing it many times can become repetive and you begin askiing yourself- how can I say this different? How many times can you explain how to fight a southpaw?
And then there's other details the public is not aware of. Try working with a co anchor who snorted white before going on the air. Or the thousand aggravations of travel, jet lag, meals on the road that don't sit well, etc added on.... these are some examples.
I remember years ago when Ferdie was over at my house one night and we played a tape of a fight he did which he had not seen on tape. In one of those rounds he turned to me and said in Spanish -Mira que hable mierda- which translates to -Boy, did I talk shit.
He and I have talked about doing commentary and we both believe that you can't please everyone. I like Sean O'Grady and others don't. Ferdie is my friend so I am biased. Much of what he says in the air is similar to much of our conversation.
But Ferdie does know boxing. He's not great at dates or cronological details but he knows how to work a corner, motivate a fighter, study a style, implement a strategy. He was not only Ali's doctor and corner. He also worked with Luis Rodriguez, Florentino Fernandez, Jimmy Ellis, Frankie Otero and Willie Pastrano.
And he is a real intellectual. Author, painter, lecturer, doctor, etc. with a real good sense of humor.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Well, again, he sounds like a really great guy, a wonderful person.
And, I understand a little bit about how being on TV can be a lot more difficult than it seems. I once met a sports newscaster in New York City. His mother had just died and he was broken up about it. Still, he went on the air and performed basically as he normally did. Maybe he was 95%, not 100%. But, no one watching would have known that he was devastated inside.
Watching the Michael Dokes:Evanader Holyfield fight recently (I just did a post on Michael Dokes) gave a good example, in my opinion of Ferdie doing a poor job.
Specifically, he kept going on and on about the low blows delivered by Dokes. His comments, I have to admit were not terribly unusual for analysts but, make little sense to me. Sometimes, but not often enough in my opinion, I referee will notice that a fighter has his trunks up high and the referee will basically say, hitting here is OK. Take a fighter with black trunks and a white waist band (which if I remember correctly was the case with Holyfield). Sometimes the ref will indicate the a blow to the waistband will not be considered a low blow.
Dokes was trying to attach Holyfields body. During the fight, Holyfield kept pulling his trunks up, just slightly. Many of Dokes body shots hit Holyfield on the waistband. These shots really weren't low blows, although technically you could suggest they were marginal. But, I felt, somewhat to make the fight more interesting and to have something to say, Ferdie many times pointed out the low blows of Dokes, as if Dokes was doing something inappropriate to get an unfair advantage (this is the way it came across to me anyway). In reality, Dokes blows weren't low (about belly button level) and he certainly wasn't doing anything more than trying to attach Holyfield's body - he definitely wasn't trying to intentionally go low for an unfair advantage.
I felt like Ferdie was doing somewhat of a Howard Cosell routine, looking for a story line.
Now, Ferdie wasn't exteme in this, he wasn't terrible. But, the blows weren't really low and certainly there was no intent on the part of Dokes to do anything illegal, just attach the body.
I don't think Ferdie was a terrible color analyst, just not very good.
And, I understand a little bit about how being on TV can be a lot more difficult than it seems. I once met a sports newscaster in New York City. His mother had just died and he was broken up about it. Still, he went on the air and performed basically as he normally did. Maybe he was 95%, not 100%. But, no one watching would have known that he was devastated inside.
Watching the Michael Dokes:Evanader Holyfield fight recently (I just did a post on Michael Dokes) gave a good example, in my opinion of Ferdie doing a poor job.
Specifically, he kept going on and on about the low blows delivered by Dokes. His comments, I have to admit were not terribly unusual for analysts but, make little sense to me. Sometimes, but not often enough in my opinion, I referee will notice that a fighter has his trunks up high and the referee will basically say, hitting here is OK. Take a fighter with black trunks and a white waist band (which if I remember correctly was the case with Holyfield). Sometimes the ref will indicate the a blow to the waistband will not be considered a low blow.
Dokes was trying to attach Holyfields body. During the fight, Holyfield kept pulling his trunks up, just slightly. Many of Dokes body shots hit Holyfield on the waistband. These shots really weren't low blows, although technically you could suggest they were marginal. But, I felt, somewhat to make the fight more interesting and to have something to say, Ferdie many times pointed out the low blows of Dokes, as if Dokes was doing something inappropriate to get an unfair advantage (this is the way it came across to me anyway). In reality, Dokes blows weren't low (about belly button level) and he certainly wasn't doing anything more than trying to attach Holyfield's body - he definitely wasn't trying to intentionally go low for an unfair advantage.
I felt like Ferdie was doing somewhat of a Howard Cosell routine, looking for a story line.
Now, Ferdie wasn't exteme in this, he wasn't terrible. But, the blows weren't really low and certainly there was no intent on the part of Dokes to do anything illegal, just attach the body.
I don't think Ferdie was a terrible color analyst, just not very good.
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Robert in NYC
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 51
- Joined: 17 Feb 2008, 22:05
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
Pacheco's bio is called " Blood InMy Coffee" and is very good. Pacheco is a bona fide boxing man.
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
He has several books- Fight Doctor, Blood in my Cofee etc.
In a few months he will publish Tales of the Fifth Street Gym -I am one of the guest writers doing a chapter on Luis Sarria.
In a few months he will publish Tales of the Fifth Street Gym -I am one of the guest writers doing a chapter on Luis Sarria.
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Robert in NYC
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 51
- Joined: 17 Feb 2008, 22:05
Re: Dr Ferdie Pacheco
I've been looking forward to Tales From The Fith Street Gym for a few years;I am sure it will be great! Anything you add to the book, Enrique, will be fantastic-no doubt.