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Joe Frazier statue moving? Everything we know
The Joe Frazier statue will move from South Philadelphia to the base of the Art Museum steps in the spring after The Philadelphia Art Commission unanimously voted in favor of it.
PHILADELPHIA - The Joe Frazier statue in South Philadelphia is set to move to the base of the Art Museum steps after a unanimous vote by the Philadelphia Art Commission.
Plans for the Joe Frazier statue and the Rocky Statue
What we know:
The Philadelphia Art Commission voted unanimously to move the Joe Frazier statue to the base of the Art Museum steps. The statue will remain the same except for a new base to fit its new location.
In January, the Commission voted to move the original Rocky Statue to the top of the steps, which leaves an empty space at the base for the Frazier statue.
The Rocky Statue will move inside the Art Museum in the spring before being temporarily placed on top of the steps. The statue currently at the top of the steps will be given to Sylvester Stallone.
The Joe Frazier statue will be relocated when the Rocky Statue moves in the spring. The plan is to add a QR code or informational component to help the international crowd learn the history of Smokin Joe.
Joe Frazier’s legacy and community impact
Joe Frazier, also known as Smokin' Joe, was the undisputed heavyweight champion and the first to defeat boxing legend Muhammad Ali. He mentored Philadelphia youth for nearly 40 years.
Joe Frazier’s daughter and former boxer Jacqueline Frazier-Lyde attended the vote.
She, along with the art commission, hopes this move will help educate more people about the real-life boxing icon.
Frazier-Lyde said, "My father ran the Art Museum steps training, we come from great Philadelphia boxing tradition and sports tradition, just really happy to celebrate the real for real, so that inspirational truth can really just inspire everyday people."
Alex Taylor from Australia said, "Oh great, great to have another part of legacy there, obviously the Rocky statue is not going anywhere it’s still going to be here and Joe Frazier, real life legend, it’s going to be amazing."
The move aims to let the world appreciate both Rocky and the real-world legend who helped inspire the creation of the fictional character.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear exactly when the Joe Frazier statue will be moved or what the final informational component will look like.
The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Art Commission.