The week Muhammad Ali became the toast of Tyneside

BRITISH actor Nicholas Pinnock (inset below) — whose career has included playing leon in Top Boy and Nelson Mandela — will be taking to the ring as Muhammad Ali in forthcoming film A God Amongst Men.

Pinnock, 48, will play Ali in the true story of the boxing legend’s four-day visit to Tyneside in 1977 (pictured above). He was invited by painter and decorator Johnny Walker, who asked for his help in raising money for a local boxing club. Walker will be played by Christopher eccleston.

The visit, at the peak of Ali’s fame, caused a sensation, with the 35-year-old superstar touring the streets in an opentopped bus, cheered on by throngs of fans. He visited Pendower Hall special school in Newcastle and the Grainger Park Boy’s club, sparring with local children and former professionals.

He also attended South Shields Al-Azhar Mosque with his wife to have his wedding blessed by the imam, as a crowd of 7,000 waited outside.

Ali challenged — and defeated — a darts exhibition champion at the Gypsies Green Stadium in South Shields, and received an illuminated scroll of honour from the Mayor of South Tyneside.

The boxer said at the time: ‘To think I have so many friends in South Shields. I am going to tell them in America!’

Production on the Studio Pictures film will start at the end of this summer.

Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and was also famed for his political views. Walker, who idolised him, had travelled to America to persuade him to visit.

Ali told an audience at a banquet in Newcastle’s Mayfair Ballroom that the trip’s organising committee had sent him 14 return air tickets. ‘When I’m in a big fight, I accept air tickets and accommodation because the promoters are making a lot of money. But this is for charity, so I can’t accept all this. I am giving back the money for the tickets, and that is around £7,000. I just want to do all I can for your youngsters.’