Phoenix Muhammad Ali's seventh annual Celebrity Fight Night netted more than $1 million in charitable donations tonight for Valley and national charities including the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix and Crisis Nursery.
The star-studded event was attended by Hollywood stars and sports celebrities including Larry King, Jake Plummer, Barry Bonds, Bo Derek, Kurt Warner, Verne Troyer and Michael J. Fox. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, was honored with the "Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award" for his crusade against the disease.
Grammy award-winning music producer David Foster, 18-time Grand Slam tennis champion Chris Evert and three-time Cy Young winner and Arizona Diamondback's pitcher Randy Johnson also were honored for their continued support.
For the evening's playful main event, actor Steven Segal and Evander Holyfield slipped on oversized boxing gloves before stepping into the ring for a friendly and humorous match.
The evening's musical line up included performances by The Village People, Hootie and the Blowfish, Brian McKnight, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Kenny G. and Sister Sledge who ended the evening with their hit "We Are Family."
The evening also featured a silent auction that included items such as a baseball bat signed by Ken Griffey Jr., a Shaquille O'Neal autographed authentic jersey, a dinner for two with Robin Williams and a legends-of-music package that included autographed guitars and music memorabilia from Huey Lewis, Glenn Frey, Clint Black, B.B. King, Ricky Martin and Neil Diamond.
The Celebrity Fight Night VII is a benefit sponsored by Phoenix-based Fight Night Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that has netted nearly $4 million for charity in seven years.
The 501(c)(3) organization was established to promote on-going efforts to eliminate sickness and poverty by contributing to research aimed at finding a cure for catastrophic disease and providing funding for non-profit organizations that create opportunities for youth and their families living in threatening and vulnerable neighborhoods.
The Fight Night Foundation is committed to supporting programs designed to provide children a safe place to enjoy childhood and to fully develop into contributing members of our community. For additional information, visit www.fightnightfoundation.org.