The Story Of Muram Muhammad Ali Center Birmingham, Filled With Bird Manure Because It Was Not Taken Care Of

Illustration of Muhammad Ali Center. (Photo: alicenter.org)

JAKARTA - A sad story hit Muhammad Ali Center, which is located in Birmingham, England. The place is now completely abandoned and is starting to fill with bird droppings.

Muhammad Ali Center opened directly to the legendary boxer in 1983. He fulfilled his promise to come to the place without receiving money for his trip.

At that time, the late boxer who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease was picked up from Heathrow with Rolls Royce belonging to a Birmingham entrepreneur and attended by a famous chef during Rustie Lee's time at a Handsworth restaurant.

Muhammad Ali Center was built with the aim that local young people could use it for various activities such as karate classes and music performances. The place was also opened a bar and provided a billiard table.

"I'm not just boasting by saying I was the greatest. We were the greatest," Ali told the audience as he officially opened the place as reported by The Sun.

According to the latest photos published by The Sun, Muhammad Ali Center is currently completely unmanaged. The roof in some parts looks gaping and the inner wall is filled with graffiti.

Meanwhile, things were much sadder when the windows were broken. From the outside, some graffiti were also seen attached to the building with the brown wall.

The stage where this iconic boxer was standing was filled with bird droppings and the bar area was completely destroyed. A number of billiards tables overturned between the remains of charred chairs and garbage piled up outside.

A fire forced the place to close in 2002 before it was owned by local organization Kajans Women's Enterprise over the past seven years.

"He is very interested in the community and the people he calls 'brothers' at Handsworth are very meaningful," said Gary Newbon, a television reporter covering Ali inaugurating the building.

"Opening the place was a big thing for him. So, it was a scandal of how the building was damaged and destroyed," he added.