On December 11, 1981 when Muhammad Ali clashed with Trevor Berbick, the event resulted in several milestones. First of all, it was the final bout in the legendary career of the man most think of as the greatest individual to ever lace them up and sling leather in the ring.
Also, despite the fact that the hype around the event fell short in getting the kind of global attention that resulted from the 'Thriller in Manila' and the 'Rumble in the Jungle', the 'Drama in Bahama' nevertheless was a sports tourism bonanza for the country.
Right in the mix for much of the promotional campaign, although in the background, was a certain Don King. Sports International (Bahamas) Limited, headed by American James C. Cornelius and Bahamian businessmen Franklyn Wilson and Cyril Ijeoma, had the event.
However, King who had emerged by the 1980s as the greatest boxing promoter in world history, remained in contact with Berbick. Reportedly, he had the Jamaican fighter under contract and wanted some kind of a financial understanding. One of the sound ideas that came from Sports International during the promoting of the 'Drama in Bahama' was the decision to leave Muhammad Ali with a base in New Providence and move the Berbick camp to Freeport, Grand Bahama.
The shift of Berbick actually made it a bit more difficult for Don King to maintain contact. The Sports International team charged with the responsibility to monitor and keep Berbick comfortable in Freeport did an excellent job of isolating the fighter.
His training, his meals, his relaxation times were observed. Those who wanted to see Berbick were carefully screened and a solid network of intelligence was established throughout the island. Accordingly, when Don King actually landed at the international airport in Freeport several days prior to the fight, the message was relayed immediately to the Sports International camp at the Princess Tower.
By the time King took a taxi to Princess Tower and walked through the lobby to check-in, the network to "disarm his agenda" was well in place. In just a matter of hours the episode was finished.
King was greeted unceremoniously in one of the hotel rooms and persuaded to return to the lobby, check out and leave the country. A disheveled King, his electric afro going in all directions, was escorted through the process of departing the hotel, then to the airport, onto an airplane and out of The Bahamas. It was a near-call for the organizers of 'Drama in Bahama' but with King finally out of the way, the fight would go on.
I recall Berbick, now deceased, being wide-eyed at the time.

"Man, this is one hell of a place. I thought you guys were small time. Man, Don King came in and he thought he had his program together. He wanted to do his thing, but look what happened to him. Man... you people don't fool around in this place. I just want to go to Nassau and fight Ali and get out of here," said the visibly shocked Berbick.
As it turned out, his bout with Ali was kind of anti-climatic to the events in Freeport that surrounding the visit and quick departure of Don King.
(The final part to this series continues on Tuesday. To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at frobertsturrup@gmail.com).

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