Michael Gaffney - The Champ: My Year with Muhammad Ali

In the summer of August 1977 Elvis Presley died. As a Photojournalist I had always wanted to photograph this iconic legend of rock and roll. I missed the chance.

I was reading the NY Times and there was an article about Muhammad Ali at his training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania. Muhammad had already established himself as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time with his incredible fights with Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman. He had captured worldwide attention and was the worlds most recognized person. This was one person I was not going to miss photographing.

I called my photo agency in New York, Gamma-Liaison, and asked if theyd be interested in Muhammad Ali photos. He was in training for his next fight with Earnie Shavers. They agreed and said they could move the photos, so I threw my Nikons into my Volkswagen and drove to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Camp.

When I arrived, I showed my photo credentials to Gene Kilroy, Muhammads Manager. He led me into the locker room. I met Muhammad Ali and explained that I was on assignment for Gamma-Liaison, an international photo agency. He welcomed me and said shoot whatever you want. I quickly understood why he was the worlds most photographed person. There was something rare about his openness, accessibility and honesty that I knew would make for great pictures of this famous sports figure.

After a few days on the assignment I asked the Champ if I could run with him and photograph him running. Ali agreed, and at dawn we met and drove down the mountain to Deer Lake, where he ran. We ran for two miles, and while driving back to the camp Muhammad said, No man alive has run up my mountain.

The Boxing Camp sat on the very top of a mountain that was two miles long and very steep. We were at the base of the mountain and Ali said again, No man alive has run up my mountain. Since I was the only one in the car in running shoes, I realized he must be talking to me.

I said to his cornerman Bundini Brown, who was driving, Bundini, stop the car. It was still dark so I ran in front of the car with the headlights lighting the way. I got half way up and was dying. Recognizing how ridiculous it was that Muhammad Ali was lighting the way for me to run up his mountain, I was bound and determined not to let the Champ down. I made it to the top exhausted and nearly barfed but had met the Champs challenge. He was the first one out of the car to congratulate me while yelling out, Youre the only man alive to run up my mountain! It was their way of breaking up the drudgery of the training camp, and Muhammads way of having some fun. Little did I know that by taking this dare, the Champ would see in me some of the same determination to go the distance that has always been in him.

After two weeks on the assignment, I went into Muhammads office to tell him I was leaving to go back home. Ali said, Mike you cant leave, I need you to be my personal photographer. I said, Champ, you have Howard, you dont need me too. Howard Bingham was Alis personal photographer and his best friend. Ali said, Howards running for Congress in Los Angeles and I need a personal photographer for a year. I said, Champ, I already have a job as chief photographer on a newspaper. Then Ali said in his best Marlon Brando Godfather voice, Ill make you offer you cant refuse. I laughed and said, Ive got to talk with my wife.

I left, got halfway home and called Debby. I told her the Champ had offered me a job as his personal photographer. She asked me, What does that mean? I told her it would mean traveling with Muhammad all over the world and covering all his fights. She said, We need to talk. When I walked into the house, Debby said, If you dont do this, youll regret it for the rest of your life. It is the opportunity of a lifetime.

The rest is history. I traveled around the world, covered three fights, made 8,000 photographs and to this day am honored to have been Muhammad Alis Personal Photographer for one shining year. Debby passed away in 1999. Her wisdom in recognizing the opportunity of my lifetime continues to guide me today.

My year with Ali is a collection of photos and stories made during his transitional period, as the fastest, most brilliant fighter in heavyweight history was now being challenged to change styles and adjust to younger, quicker fighters. It is important to recount Muhammad Alis impact in the glory years of the golden era of heavyweight fights with Frazier, Norton and Foreman to fully value his legend. He captured world recognition for more than the exciting skills he brought to the fight game by always putting everything on the linepure and true Ali. It was this honest access that Muhammad gave me that reveals compelling photojournalism and brings the good stuff found on these pages of THE CHAMP. This story became a perfect trilogy: a tough win against Earnie Shavers, a devastating loss to Leon Spinks and a glorious, redemptive win against Spinks to recapture the Heavyweight Championship for an unprecedented third time.