Joe Frazier Statue to Replace Rocky at Philadelphia Museum Steps

The Philadelphia Art Commission has approved plans to relocate a monument to the real-life boxer to the iconic location.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Philadelphia Art Commission has officially approved plans to replace a beloved statue of the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa at the bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps with a monument to the real-life boxer Joe Frazier. The Frazier statue, currently located outside the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia, will be moved to the prominent civic and cultural space to increase public visibility and create a "respectful dialogue" between the two representations of Philadelphia's spirit.

Why it matters

The decision to replace the Rocky statue with one honoring the accomplished boxer Joe Frazier has sparked debate, with some arguing that elevating a fictional character over a real-life Philadelphian who defeated Muhammad Ali is problematic. The move aims to balance the city's celebration of Rocky's underdog story with recognition of Frazier's actual athletic achievements.

The details

The Philadelphia Art Commission formally approved the plan on Wednesday to relocate the Joe Frazier statue to the bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps, where the Rocky statue had previously been located. City officials argued the move could offer greater visibility for Frazier and create educational opportunities to explore the complementary legacies of Rocky as a symbol of aspiration and Frazier as the embodiment of those values in real life.

  • The Philadelphia Art Commission approved the plan on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The Joe Frazier statue has been exhibited outside the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia since 2015.

The players

Joe Frazier

A real-life boxer from Philadelphia who was the first to defeat Muhammad Ali.

Rocky Balboa

A fictional boxer character created for the Rocky film series, who has become a symbol of Philadelphia's underdog spirit.

Marguerite Anglin

The public art director of Creative Philadelphia, who wrote a proposal to move the Joe Frazier statue to the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps.

Stephanie Farr

A columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer who argued that placing the Frazier statue below the Rocky statue would be "a bigger smack in the face than a sucker punch in the ring."

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What they’re saying

“Relocating the Joe Frazier statue to this prominent civic and cultural space 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.”

— Marguerite Anglin, Public Art Director, Creative Philadelphia (Proposal to the Philadelphia Art Commission)

“At this time, we should not be elevating fiction in Philadelphia as the federal government is attempting to erase our facts.”

— Stephanie Farr, Columnist (Philadelphia Inquirer)

What’s next

The Joe Frazier statue is expected to be installed at the bottom of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps in the coming months.

The takeaway

The decision to replace the iconic Rocky statue with one honoring the accomplished boxer Joe Frazier reflects an effort to balance Philadelphia's celebration of fictional underdog stories with recognition of the real-life athletic achievements of its residents. The move aims to expand the narrative about the city's spirit and identity.