Ferdie Pacheco was born in Tampa, Florida, in 1927 and began training for a career in medicine at the age of fourteen. During course of his medical career, he worked as a doctor and cornerman for twelve boxing world champions, including seventeen years with Muhammad Ali. He also served as boxing commentator on NBC, Showtime, and Univision, during which time Pacheco took home two Emmy Awards. After twenty-five years on-air, Pacheco retired from broadcasting. He continues to write, paint, and consult.
