One of the pier's regulars is Jody Ballard, a one-time heavyweight boxing contender. Today, Ballard, a former heavyweight boxing contender, is baiting hooks on the Perth Amboy waterfront. Ballard was among a half-dozen fishermen spread out along the scenic waterfront. The historic Perth Amboy Municipal Marina is a stone's throw over the southern Arthur Kill from Staten Island, which looks lush with overgrown green vegetation. Fishing on the waterfront is a solitary pursuit.
Anglers usually speak to each other only to borrow equipment and trade bait and lures.
When the tide gets right, I do a little fishing. Speaking of big fish, Ballard was part of a pack of heavyweight upstarts who were intent on taking on the aging Muhammad Ali in the mid-1970s. Ballard had Larry Holmes as his sparring partner at the time. But a championship fight wasn't in the cards for Ballard, and he went on to become a sparring partner for Ali and Holmes. These days, Ballard manages local fighters on a part-time basis, and he's still friendly with some of the champions he's known.