Jeff Stokes, Bo Derek, Shane Ratliff
PHOENIX, AZ (March 25, 2012) – On Saturday, March 24, 2012 stars and athletes from around the country converged on the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona for Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night XVIII. With Muhammad Ali on stage, NFL Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, Starkey Labs CEO and Founder Bill Austin, and the founders of Discount Tire Diane & Bruce Halle were honored at the 2012 Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Awards.
The black tie event featured a silent auction, an elegant dinner, and an exciting live auction which included one-of-a-kind luxury items. Jeff Stokes of Stokes Auction Group, located in Edgewood, WA, led the live auction with the assistance of colleague Shane Ratliff, an auctioneer from Chicago, IL. The live auction featured items such as a dinner at Reba McEntire’s Beverly Hills home with special guests, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, which sold for $600,000. The same package was then sold to both back up bidders. In total raising $1,800,000 with just one item. The following item was a vacation in Tuscany with a dinner and intimate concert with Andrea Bocelli which sold for $1,400,000. Another highlight item was a dinner with Billy Crystal and Robin Williams, which fetched $400,000.
Each year dozens of celebrity guests attend the event that has raised nearly $80 million dollars over the last 18 years. According to Stokes the $1,400,000 dinner with Bocelli was a highlight he will not soon forget. “The spirit of giving with joy and passion is part of our core values at Stokes Auction Group and Celebrity Fight Night epitomizes our mission statement to the fullest”, Stokes said. “To be a part of raising $4.9 Million during the live auction is an honor and I have been blessed to help the Champ, the many who will benefit, and to be an auctioneer.”
Following the live auction guests were treated to a host of performances under the direction of multiple GRAMMY® Award winning musical director David Foster including GRAMMY® Award winning country group Rascal Flatts, who performed songs including “Fast Cars and Freedom,” “Banjo,” and “Life is a Highway,” Miley Cyrus who sang a cover of Bob Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” as well as Rita Wilson who sang songs from her new album AM/FM “Come See About Me” and “All I Have To Do Is Dream.” Additional performances included former American Idol finalist Michael Johns and 11-year old “America’s Got Talent” contestant Jackie Evancho. Comedian Sinbad also entertained the crowd with jokes and an impromptu performance. GRAMMY® Award winning recording artist Lionel
Richie closed the evening with hits including “Brick House,” “All Night Long” “Hello” and “Dancing on the Ceiling” in which Rascal Flatts joined Richie on stage. The evening concluded with a special cake presentation from “Cake Boss” for Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday.
About Celebrity Fight Night
Celebrity Fight Night Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1994 by Jimmy Walker and supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, as well as several other worthy charities. www.celebrityfightnight.org