Chennai man who got rly job after bout with Ali, retires

Chennai: A minute in the boxing ring with the legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali when he visited the city and a few words of appreciation from Ali after the boot helped Chennai man Rocky Brass land a job with the Indian Railways in 1980 as a Khalasi. Thirty-seven years and seven promotions later, Rocky Brass (60) retired as an Express guard on Saturday.

His family joined him on his last day of work at the Central railway station and a grand farewell was held at Holy cross church in Erambur railway institute to commemorate Rocky’s retirement.  

Rocky Brass who was born Rochester Cloves Brass describes his teenage years to be wayward with phases of alcoholism and says the exhibition bout with Ali changed his life. It is one story he is never tired of sharing. He remembers the date very well - January 31, 1980. “Wake me up and mention Muhammad Ali, I would recall the date and utter the words, Life’s achievement. Achievement, Isn’t it?” Rocky asks.

Before one could answer him, he says, when an amateur boxer like me gets in the ring for a bout with the best in the world and come out alive, it is indeed an achievement. 

The events that led to the bout is what makes one believe in destiny or according to Rocky, ‘Mama’s blessings’. Then, a state bantamweight champion, Rocky was slated to fight Jimmy Ellis, Ali’s opponent, before the actual fight. However, MGR (then CM) came and things had to be rushed and the organisers went ahead with the main draw of the evening.

“The spirit of boxing got to me and I asked Ali himself for a bout. He was generous enough to accept and we played a round,” the Anglo-Indian reminisced. Rocky Brass managed to evade Ali’s punch— a feat the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier and George Foreman couldn’t achieve.  

After the bout, Ali mentioned Rocky as one of the ‘promising boxers’ in India. Three months later, he landed a job in the Railways— as a Khalasi at Loco Works, Perambur, on sports quota for boxing. That’s another date he remembers— April 7, 1980.  Ever since, Rocky has got promotions as a ticket collector, goods guard and finally retired as a Mail express guard. He had also won two awards for safety in his stint in the railways.  

October 28 is another date Rocky added to his list of glory days as his career comes to an end. For a man who owes his career to Muhammad Ali, Rocky is cheeky enough to admit that his favourite boxer was Sugar Ray Leonard.