Clay Seeks College Training Camp, Would Come to Harvard if Allowed

Heavyweight boxing champion Cassius Clay would spend three weeks in May training, at Harvard if Bob Nilon, copromoter of the coming Liston-Clay fight, could get his way.

Clay expressed interest in using college facilities for his pre-fight training during a recent visit to Boston for a check-up on his hernia.

But University officials are uninterested in the prospect of having Muhammad All, as Clay prefers to be called, utilize Harvard's athletic facilities.

"Harvard men everywhere should be interested in this," Nilon said last night. "It certainly would be wonderful for the game to be associated with Harvard in any way."

"Harvard was interested in the champion before," Nilon added, "if they are now we would be delighted." He was apparently referring to an award which the Lampoon presented to Clay last October. The 'Poonies named Clay to the "Order of the Jesters," for "adding humor to the world."

The contract for Clay's title-defense fight against Sonny iLston on May 25 contains an unusual clause which requires him to spend the last three weeks of his pre-fight training in Massachusetts.

Clay used the Boston Arena Annex for his training last October, but was dissatisfied with its small seating capacity. He said he wanted a larger training site for this fight "so the people can see the heavyweight champion of the world in action."

Harvard is unimpressed with Nilon's idea. "A training camp is like a carnival grounds, and is hardly conducive to an educational environment," Henry N. Lamar, past coach of Harvard's now defunct boxing team, said last night.

Muhammad All was attending a Black Muslim convention in Chicago last night and was unavailable for comment.