Joe Frazier Statue Soon to Be Bronzed

Newsworks reports that the finishing touches are being put on a new statue of former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier.  Sculptor Stephen Layne will soon have the nine-foot-tall creation bronzed, in anticipation of an April installation at the sports complex in South Philadelphia

Its pose is inspired by the one Frazier struck after knocking Muhammad Ali down to the canvas with a powerful left hook in 1971’s “Fight of the Century I.”

Its purpose, after being bronzed downstairs at the same location for four months starting in a few weeks, will ultimately provide the city with a long-overdue statue honoring Philadelphia’s non-fictional, legendary champion of the world.

What’s left to do now is “dessert work,” or final touches; making sure aspects of the statue are the right height or width and “pulling out the beautiful facets.”

The statue’s price tag is $150,000, paid mostly through donations — including one from boxer Bernard Hopkins.