Ama resident Glenn Singleton smiled as he fondly called being in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome nearly 30 years ago to watch his idol, Muhammed Ali, topple Leon Spinks to become the first-ever three-time world heavyweight champion in the boxing world. Singleton was part of Ali’s entourage and spent time at Ali’s camp as the all-time great prepared to face Spinks.
“The champ invited me to be part of his training camp when he fought Leon Spinks in the Superdome, Sept. 15, 1978,” Singleton said. “That experience was once in a lifetime, one I’ll never forget. It was historic. So many people wish they could have been around the champ, and I can say I was.. He has a tremendous effect on people. For him to make it possible for me to be part of that, part of his entourage on that night, it’s just a special, special thing.”
Singleton is well known for being among the biggest Ali enthusiasts in the world. He’s built an “Ali Showroom” in his home, full of pictures of Ali’s conquests and a few more of Ali with Singleton and his family, to stand as a museum for the younger generation to appreciate a man who was a hero to Singleton.
“He was my hero. When most kids had fictional heros, like Superman and Batman, mine was Muhammed Ali, aka Cassius Clay,” Singleton said. “Years later, I showed him this picture he took with my children, and he was so excited that we were part of that night. He took my photo album and signed it, ‘To my best fan, Glenn Singleton.’ I thought, how can I prove that I’m worthy of that statement? This was our children’s playroom, and I turned it into a Muhammed Ali museum. This showroom, is a gift to generation of kids today … when they hear about The Ali Showroom, they come here and see what he was all about.”
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