Joe Frazier Statue to Move to Art Museum Steps in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Art Commission approved a proposal to relocate the statue of the legendary boxer to the base of the iconic steps.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Philadelphia Art Commission has voted to move the statue of legendary boxer Joe Frazier to the base of the Art Museum steps, where the Rocky statue currently resides. The decision comes after the commission previously voted to move the Rocky statue inside the museum for an exhibit before permanently placing it atop the steps. The Frazier statue, which has been located outside Stateside Live! since 2015, will be relocated to increase public visibility and create a "respectful dialogue" between the two iconic Philadelphia figures.

Why it matters

The relocation of the Joe Frazier statue to the Art Museum steps will help cement the boxer's legacy as a true Philadelphia icon, on par with the fictional Rocky Balboa. Frazier, who was known as "Smokin' Joe," was a real-life champion who embodied the city's hard-working, blue-collar spirit, in contrast to the aspirational story of Rocky.

The details

The Philadelphia Art Commission approved a proposal from the city's Office of Arts and Culture to move the Joe Frazier statue to the base of the Art Museum steps. The only adjustment needed would be to add interpretive panels to explain Frazier's deep ties to the city. The $150,000 relocation project will take place sometime this spring.

  • The Philadelphia Art Commission voted to approve the proposal on Wednesday.
  • The Rocky statue will be temporarily moved inside the Art Museum from April to August before being placed atop the steps permanently.

The players

Joe Frazier

A legendary heavyweight boxing champion who was known as "Smokin' Joe" and won a gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Frazier had 27 knockouts and was 32-4-1 in his professional career, including a famous knockout victory over Muhammad Ali in the "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Frazier moved to Philadelphia as a teenager and adopted the city as his home, founding Joe Frazier's Gym on North Broad Street where he mentored the city's youth and local boxers for 40 years.

Katherine Liss

The Art Director for the Philadelphia Art Commission, who argued that moving the Joe Frazier statue to the Art Museum steps would "increase public visibility for the statue, deepen educational opportunities and create a respectful dialogue between two complementary representations of Philadelphia's spirit: Rocky Balboa as a symbol of hard work and aspiration, and Joe Frazier as the embodiment of those values lived out in real life."

Creative Philadelphia

The city's office of arts and culture, which proposed the relocation of the Joe Frazier statue to the base of the Art Museum steps.

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What they’re saying

“Moving the Joe Frazier statue to the Art Museum steps will increase public visibility for the statue, deepen educational opportunities and create a respectful dialogue between two complementary representations of Philadelphia's spirit: Rocky Balboa as a symbol of hard work and aspiration, and Joe Frazier as the embodiment of those values lived out in real life.”

— Katherine Liss, Art Director, Philadelphia Art Commission (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The $150,000 relocation project will take place sometime this spring, with the statue being moved to the base of the Art Museum steps.

The takeaway

The relocation of the Joe Frazier statue to the iconic Art Museum steps in Philadelphia will help cement the boxer's legacy as a true local hero, on par with the fictional Rocky Balboa. By placing the statues of these two champions side-by-side, the city is honoring the real-life embodiment of the city's hard-working, blue-collar spirit in Frazier alongside the aspirational story of Rocky.