When I was first asked if I wanted to do an interview with Gene Kilroy, the legendary and long-time business manager of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, I didn’t think twice. He was in Manila to witness the “Thrilla In Manila 2” event organized by the group of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao in partnership with the IBA Pro, set to take place on October 25 at the Araneta Mall.

Before actually meeting Kilroy, I was informed by David Serero, the director and producer of the film, “The Facilitator” about the life of Gene Kilroy, that the legendary manager was a very passionate and outspoken person.

That clearly showed when our conversation started. Gene was accommodating and warm-hearted, assuring me that I was in for a great interview.

Before I actually got to ask the questions, Kilroy wasted no time sharing legendary stories about him and Ali. He started with the things that happened in the original “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975, sharing how he strategically used ice to make sure “The Greatest” could handle the humid weather back then.

“I asked Angelo Dundee, ‘Do you have the ice boxes?’ He said, ‘No.’ There was a little guy there, so I gave him $100 to go get some ice. Angelo said he won’t be back. I said he’ll be back. And here he comes showing up with the two buckets of ice. I said, ‘Thank God. We just got the edge on the fight,’” Kilroy said in an exclusive interview.

“So we put so much ice on Ali between the rounds, he almost froze to death. Joe Frazier didn’t have any ice. All that heat on him,” he added.

That was a huge difference-maker in the fight, and the reason why the fight had to be stopped after the 14th round, handing the victory to Ali.

“In the last round, Eddie Futch said to Frazier, ‘How many fingers are up?’ He [Joe] said, ‘You’re not holding any.’ Eddie stopped the fight,” Kilroy recalled.

“The big thing was the ice. Without that, the fight would have been over. Ali might have got beaten. That guy who brought the ice pack—that was the guy who saved the day, not me. I could have given that money to somebody else and they wouldn’t have come back. But he came back and I said, ‘Thank God, we are home-free now,’” he added.

Kilroy admitted that the Philippines had a special place in his heart, particularly because the country had a role in Ali’s greatness. The legendary manager shared how Jorge Araneta and the Marcoses contributed significantly to this.

“Jorge Araneta, who was a good guy… He named a shopping center after him, Ali Mall. So that extended Ali’s legacy. The Irish people have a saying, ‘You’re never dead as long as your name is remembered.’ So his name is going to be remembered,” Gene said.

Kilroy went on to share how he first met then-Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his family.

“When I was here, I met with the First Lady, I met with President Marcos. Their daughter Imee and little Bongbong. Little Bongbong, I wanted to take home with me. He was nice and all. Now he is the president here. I’m glad I didn’t take him home. He might have been the president back there. But he is the president, and he is respected by all the presidents all over the world. So he’s doing a great job,” Kilroy shared.

Back in Manila after 50 years, Kilroy lauded Pacquiao for putting together “Thrilla in Manila 2.” He admitted that it shows how the Filipino boxing icon truly loves the sport and continues to give back—not only to the sport but also to his country.

“What can you say about a man who loves his country? He is very charitable. Look at what he did in the little village he lived in. He’s a remarkable man. It’s not about the money. When the great scorer comes to mark your name, he marks not the winning-loss but the way you play the game. He does it right. He has a lot of good people around him,” Kilroy expressed.

Beyond these, there were lots of other tales that Kilroy shared about his journey. But one thing that was evident is that the 90-year-old undeniably loves the Philippines—a chapter in his life that he will never forget.