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grittyfanboi t1_j64f4wy wrote

Love WHYY and the pod! 2 questions for you!

- Not sure if you get into this in the most recent episode of The Statue, I haven't listend to it yet unfortunately, but are there any efforts being made to open up a boxing gym at Joe Fraziers old gym? There is some development going on in North Philly so curious if this is on the table.

- Any idea why boxing is such a big part of Philly? Was this solely because of Rocky or did it predate Rocky? I feel like it's such a huge part of Philly history.

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Can't wait to hear more!

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PaulFarber OP t1_j64i1j5 wrote

-Thanks for your question. Episode 3 (which was released this week) dives into the story of Joe Frazier, in and out of the Rocky films. We looked at his cameo in Rocky I, told the story of how he was almost cast as the co-star in Rocky III, and then spent time looking at places he is remembered in the city.
The gym is an important place. We spoke to Brent Leggs from the National Trust, who was behind the building getting its historic designation. You can also check out a companion doc from WHYY Digital Studios on Frazier.
-Boxing in Philly runs deep! The Rocky story tapped that backstory and expanded it. One of the best places to learn about boxing in the city is Boxers' Trail in Fairmount Park.

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