Posted on 11/08/2011 1:42:03 AM PST by markomalley
Joe Frazier needed the night of his career to knock down "The Greatest."
Frazier knocked Muhammad Ali down in the 15th round and became the first man to beat him in the Fight of the Century at Madison Square Garden in March 1971, the first in a trilogy of bouts that have gone down as boxing's most fabled fights.
"That was the greatest thing that ever happened in my life," Frazier said.
It was his biggest night, one that would never come again.
The relentless, undersized heavyweight ruled the division as champion, then spent a lifetime trying to fight his way out of Ali's shadow.
Frazier, who died Monday night after a brief battle with liver cancer at the age of 67, will forever be associated with Ali. No one in boxing would ever dream of anointing Ali as The Greatest unless he, too, was linked to Smokin' Joe.
"I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration," Ali said in a statement. "My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Joe now teaching boxing to angels.
Frazier
Ali
Foreman
I acquired an appreciation for boxing from these men.
R I P Mr. Frazier.
RIP Joe. You were always one of my favorites. Say hi to Rocky Marciano for me.
A great HBO documentary on Frazier a while back revealed he was almost totally blind in one eye. If it had been known, he would not have been allowed to box.
But that’s why he always bobbed his head from side to side, to avoid the punches he couldn’t see coming at him. Incredible warrior.
A truly beautiful tribute to Joe.
Was that the one about the "Thrilla in Manilla"? That was an amazing piece of work. I never realized that Frazier and Ali had developed a true hatred for each other. Smokin' Joe finally got fed up with Ali's taunting and insulting remarks and simply decided to go into the ring and bash his brains in. It was hinted in the movie that in fact, Ali's dementia may have had its origins in that fight -- it was truly brutal.
Frasier had a great response before their first fight, when Ali said something like he was God; Fraiser said God was going to get his ass beat tonight, and he got Ali good.
While Ali won the next two, Frasier won the one that mattered: they were both undefeated heavyweight champions (Ali had his belt stripped earlier because of the draft opposition).
It may have been, I can’t recall the title. But it had to be the best documentary made on Frazier, with a fairly recent scene of him watching a video of Thrilla In Manila at home with his comments. He always wanted one more fight with Ali.
I got to see the Ali-Frasier fight live, only it was the two daughters fighting LOL. The Ali daughter was pretty good BTW.
A generation continues to pass before our eyes.
Rest in Peace Smokin’ Joe. You were truly among the greats.
RIP, Smokin’ Joe
I don’t care what anyone says, Frazier was a better man than Ali. Ali might have been the better boxer, but Frazier was the better man.
Down goes Frazier!!! RIP Joe...
ping
I think you’re white washing things. Ali did worse than call him an Uncle Tom. He called him a gorilla. He genuinely hurt Frazier. Ali also called him ignorant. Ali acted like a jackass. It was no longer about building up media attention. Ali was simply an arrogant, cruel, Muslim bastard who didn’t give a crap about anyone but himself.
It took Ali 30 years to apologize: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20010316&slug=digs16
Ali was NOT just promoting the fight. He was getting at Frazier. It was part of his strategy.
.......saw the Thrilla from Manilla on closed circuit TV...back in those days we all had to gather somewhere around town to see it..
.......rooted for Joe all the way and have never been so impressed with a real man in my life as Joe Frazier......well, maybe Chesty Puller or Nathan Bedford Forrest...............
as for Ali, he was great as a fighter, but those of us who had many of our young years dictated to us by the draft, and for those who were killed and maimed by their service, we don’t think he is so cool and if he is the most beloved man in the world we don’t agree....................
People forget Frazier was a gentleman and actually much-loved outside of the boxing ring. And since Frazier's boxing career started in Philadelphia, he is effectively considered a "native son" of that city.
RIP, "Smokin' Joe." All the serious boxing fans out there will fondly remember you.
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