By Doug Dickson
Communications Committee
Desert Ridge Community Association
The biggest names in Hollywood joined Muhammad Ali at the JW Marriott in Desert Ridge for Celebrity Fight Night XIX. The red carpet was filled with local and national celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Mario Lopez, Bo Derek, Reba McEntire and Jerry Colangelo.
Held March 23rd, the annual black-tie fundraising event attracts celebrities, sports stars and philanthropists to raise money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
Country-music singer Reba McEntire emceed the event for the eighth year and David Foster, a Grammy Award-winner, was the musical director for his 14th year. Star performers included Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Crystal and Billy Rae Cyrus. Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez and philanthropist Dennis Washington, owner of the Washington Companies, received Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Awards honoring their humanitarian efforts.
Last year, the gala saw a record 1,300 people in attendance and raised more than $9.1 million. Over its history, the event night has raised $80 million. Individual tickets ranged from $1,500 to $5,000, and tables for 10 ranged from $15,000 to $100,000 each.
Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1994, a degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system.
