Checking in with Smokin' Joe to thank him for his dignity

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 05/16/2009 | Michael Smerconish

[Kid Shelleen]

--snip-- the two rivals had once been friends. Or that Frazier gave Ali money when the latter's boxing license was revoked in the late 1960s, and that Smokin' Joe lobbied President Richard Nixon in support of Ali's reinstatement.

Ali's return to the ring, however, brought a change of attitude. He mocked Frazier in public. He called him stupid and ugly. He race-baited for the cameras, calling Frazier an Uncle Tom and a tool of his white backers. "He's the other type of Negro," Ali asserted. He riffed about Frazier as a gorilla and sparred with a man in a gorilla suit - all as the cameras rolled

[Kid Shelleen]

still smoking after all these years..

[MuttTheHoople]

Islam turns people into ungrateful bastards. Joe Frazier helped restore Cassius Clay's career, and then Clay just stabbed Mr. Frazier in he back.

Mr. "Standing up for the little guy" Clay was actually raised in a upper middle class household, while Mr. Frazier had to sharecrop as a little boy. Mr. Frazier had to literally fight his way to the top, while Clay had his skids greased all the way until he became champion.

Funny how, when he was young and vital, Cassius Clay had nothing but venom and anger towards people. Now that he's an old and feeble man, he wants us to "come together". Save it for the families of the 60,000 troops who died in Vietnam while you were sponging off Mr. Frazier.

[Dr. Thorne]

Larry Holmes demolished Ali in October 1980.

Ali could not answer the bell for Round 11.

Ali may be a revered figure, but his enjoyment of life is limited by his affliction.

Joe Frazier was asked about Ali's Parkinson's disease. His response?

"He ain't got Parkinson's. He got left-hook-itis, and I gave it to him!"

[SlapHappyPappy]

I’m not going to defend Ali because he showed zero class, but I’ve seen many interviews with Frazier, and he behaves with anything but dignity. Even his son, who is very close to Joe, has expressed disappointment in Joe’s behavior and public comments. Frankly neither of them has any class.

[tflabo]

Ali hung on to boxing way too long. I suspect that brutal beating he got from Larry Holmes contributed hastening of his declining physical well being.