Phil Sheridan: Fallen on hard times, a Philly boxer seeks to rise again

"Anyone can fall down," Saad Muhammad said. "The important thing is whether you can get back up. You have to show you're serious. You have to make commitments and do the right thing. I fully believe that if a person sticks his heart on something, he's going to be successful."

Jose Espinosa befriended Saad Muhammad at the center. Espinosa wrote a moving piece about the former champion for One Step Away, a monthly newspaper produced and sold by the homeless. The message is the one Saad Muhammad stressed during our interview: Adversity can happen to anyone, and it can be overcome.

And frankly, Saad Muhammad hopes telling his story will help him get back on his feet. He would like to be an actor - one of his regrets is turning down the role of Clubber Lang in the Rocky films - or a boxing commentator. His own story practically begs to be made into a movie.

Meanwhile, he remains the same gentle soul as ever.

"He's very humble," Canady said. "He's humble at all times. I expected him to be angry or frustrated or disappointed. But he's not. There's a peace and calm about him. He gives the other men here a sense of worth. He follows the rules and does his chores, and they all see that."

"I want to let them know their life is not over," Saad Muhammad said. "You can become something. If you fall down, you can get back up. Rise to whatever it is you're capable of."

Saad Muhammad has risen once, reaching the greatest heights from the humblest beginnings. He was truly a miracle from the streets.

And now, back on those same streets, he is working to rise again.

Contact columnist Phil Sheridan at 215-854-2844 or psheridan@phillynews.com.

Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/philsheridan.