Keep Memory Alive’s 16th annual Power of Love Gala on Saturday, February 18, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas brought out some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to celebrate Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday and raise funds for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center.
Highlights of the evening included a heartfelt “Happy Birthday” serenade by Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg leading the crowd in chanting “Ali” during his performance of “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” and famed boxers Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield and Tommy “Hitman” Hearns joining LL Cool J on stage for “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Stars like Sean Combs, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard and David Beckham gave personal remarks and remembrances about “The Greatest” while Lenny Kravitz, Cee Lo Green and Kelly Rowland performed for Ali and the sold-out crowd of about 2,000.
In keeping with its 16-year history, the Power of Love Gala showcased a celebrity-chef-packed dinner featuring creations by Tom Colicchio, Scott Conant, Michael Mina and Wolfgang Puck. Guests were treated to a Dom Perignon reception and were able to bid on one-of-a-kind live and silent auction items, including Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves he wore to defeat Floyd Patterson in Las Vegas in 1965 and an extravagant vacation of a lifetime for two couples on David Copperfield’s private island in the Bahamas.
The gala’s celebration for Ali aligns with the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s recent launch of a landmark study examining the long-term brain health of professional fighters. Aiming to improve the safety and health of fighters, the study will help determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, along with other tests, can detect subtle changes in brain health that correlate with impaired thinking and functioning. Researchers hope the information uncovered by this research will eventually result in better ways to prevent permanent brain injury in not only fighters, but also in others who may suffer from brain trauma.
The once-in-a-lifetime birthday celebration, “Ali 70th From Las Vegas,” will air nationally on ESPN2 on Saturday, February 25, at 10 p.m. local time in all markets. For a sneak peek of the Gala, check out the video!
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