The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
How Don gave Cassius a knockout soubriquet
Mr Boxing at last throws in the towel and retires after 77 years in fight game
A Red Lichtie who christened Muhammad Ali “The Greatest” has at last thrown in the towel on his boxing career – after 77 years.
“Dandy Don” Fraser, 91, whose father Ernest was from Arbroath, has been involved in nearly every aspect of professional boxing as a promoter, matchmaker, manager, publicist, writer, executive and corner man.
He was honoured in a special “Salute to Don Fraser” sell-out event in Los Angeles by the National Boxing Hall of Fame after announcing he is retiring to enjoy time with his daughters and greatgrandchildren.
Many champions and fighters were there to support him – including the Ruelas Brothers, Paul Banke, Ruben Castillo, Herman Montes, Danny ‘Little Red’ Lopez, Armando Muniz and Arturo Frias.
There was a special moment during the ceremony in Studio City where the fighters gathered together and Mr Fraser was crowned the “Honorary WBC Champion”.
He grabbed his hat and put it on with pride following the message from WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman confirming the accolade.
Boxing historian David Martinez said: “I consider Don Fraser to be the ‘Mr Boxing’ of my era.
“His involvement in boxing ranges from that of a promoter, to matchmaker, publicist, writer, corner man and executive officer for the California Athletic Commission.
“In addition, Don recently retired as president and founder of the California Boxing Hall of Fame.
“He truly is a wealth of boxing information.
“With many awards already on his resume, such as being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005, he can now add the National Boxing Hall of Fame to the list of honours he has received.”
New Jersey Hall Of Fame as well as the International Boxing Hall Of Fame sent gifts to Mr Fraser.
Dandy Don was a master publicist, responsible for promoting many fights, including the 1973 rematch between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton.
He also promoted bouts featuring Hall-of-Famers Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruben Olivares and George Foreman.
Most memorably, he gave Ali, then Cassius Clay, the soubriquet of The Greatest.
He pinned a notice, with this title, to Clay’s chest at a function, and Clay took to it.
Mr Fraser is part of the famous Fraser family which manufactured jute-soled shoes called alpargatas in Argentina – which led to other factories being established in Uruguay and Brazil and Europe.
His father, Ernest, left Angus and, after marrying a woman with a British Army background while working in India, he settled in LA after the First World War, where Mr Fraser was born.
He pinned it on to Clay’s chest at a function