Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Boxing great Joe Frazier dies after cancer fight
AP/Yahoo ^ | 11/8/11 | DAN GELSTON and TIM DAHLBERG

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 ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: boxing; frazier; obituary
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

1 posted on 11/08/2011 1:42:03 AM PST by markomalley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Joe now teaching boxing to angels.


2 posted on 11/08/2011 1:52:41 AM PST by CainConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Frazier
Ali
Foreman
I acquired an appreciation for boxing from these men.
R I P Mr. Frazier.


3 posted on 11/08/2011 2:02:21 AM PST by freds6girlies (many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Mt. 19:30. R.I.P. G & J)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freds6girlies
Cassius is seeing his mortality these days as well.
4 posted on 11/08/2011 2:09:15 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

RIP Joe. You were always one of my favorites. Say hi to Rocky Marciano for me.


5 posted on 11/08/2011 2:10:07 AM PST by GodBlessRonaldReagan (When is the Queen Haters reunion tour?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

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.


6 posted on 11/08/2011 2:13:17 AM PST by drierice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: drierice
"Incredible warrior."

A truly beautiful tribute to Joe.

7 posted on 11/08/2011 2:17:28 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: drierice
A great HBO documentary on Frazier

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.

8 posted on 11/08/2011 2:22:35 AM PST by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Rempublicam)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus

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).


9 posted on 11/08/2011 2:35:46 AM PST by kearnyirish2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus

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.


10 posted on 11/08/2011 3:01:49 AM PST by drierice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: kearnyirish2

I got to see the Ali-Frasier fight live, only it was the two daughters fighting LOL. The Ali daughter was pretty good BTW.


11 posted on 11/08/2011 3:11:10 AM PST by conservaterian (Sarah/DeMint '12-XXX= Now what? Cain?XX Guess not.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

A generation continues to pass before our eyes.

Rest in Peace Smokin’ Joe. You were truly among the greats.


12 posted on 11/08/2011 3:45:33 AM PST by mkjessup (I stand with Herman Cain, a God-fearing, Jesus-loving, Constitution-honoring PATRIOT.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus
A great HBO documentary on Frazier

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.


Frazier and Ali had a interesting relationship.

Frazier loaded Ali money and helped Ali get his boxing license back after Ali lost his boxing license because of his opposition to the draft.

Then before their first fight, Ali taunted and insulted Joe, calling him ugly, slow and worst of all, a Uncle Tom. Ali was just trying to build the gate for the fight by creating hype, he really didn't dislike Frazier. However, Frazier took Ali taunts personally and hated Ali the rest of his life. In any case, both men will be bound together by the great fights that they fought against each other.

RIP Joe.
13 posted on 11/08/2011 4:36:39 AM PST by Ticonderoga34
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

RIP, Smokin’ Joe


14 posted on 11/08/2011 4:41:23 AM PST by traditional1 ("Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

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.


15 posted on 11/08/2011 4:53:52 AM PST by vladimir998
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Down goes Frazier!!! RIP Joe...


16 posted on 11/08/2011 4:56:24 AM PST by Tuxedo (Drink Tea - not Kool-Aid. Cain or Gingrich or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Mo1; Ciexyz; ...

ping


17 posted on 11/08/2011 4:57:46 AM PST by Tribune7 (If you demand perfection you will wind up with leftist Democrats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ticonderoga34

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.


18 posted on 11/08/2011 5:02:01 AM PST by vladimir998
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: traditional1

.......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....................


19 posted on 11/08/2011 5:07:00 AM PST by Cen-Tejas (it's the debt bomb stupid!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: vladimir998
I think one detraction against Ali in his heyday was the fact he promoted himself like a professional wrestler--I think it annoyed a lot of boxing "purists" of the day to no end.

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.

20 posted on 11/08/2011 5:36:19 AM PST by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson