The Champ's Camp: A Closer Look at Fighter's Heaven
Muhammad Ali and Bernie Pollack sitting together in the boxing ring at Fighter's Heaven.
Photographer unknown.
Pollack and the Poconos
While visiting the Pocono Mountains, Gene Kilroy introduced Muhammad Ali to an acquaintance of his by the name of Bernard 'Bernie' Pollack, who owned several acres of land near Deer Lake, Pennsylvania.
Bernie Pollack was a big boxing fan, as well as a promoter of boxing matches throughout the region. His mink farm doubled as a training camp for his fighters, complete with an outdoor boxing ring and trees for chopping. In fact, one of Muhammad Ali's former opponents, Ernie Terrell, trained at Pollack's farm before their fight in 1967. This area was no stranger to boxing.
Muhammad decided to train on Pollack's farm for his second fight against George Chuvalo, and in June of 1972, he purchased five acres of land from Pollack for $5,000. This is where Muhammad Ali would begin building his training camp.
