Former Heavyweight boxing champion Smokin' Joe Frazier, 67, died of liver cancer.
Joe Frazier was a brutal, southpaw brawler with a devastating left hook. Although a legend in his own right, Frazier will always be remembered for his fights and professional rivalry with The Greatest Muhammad Ali. Both athletes fought three historic matches over the course of six years: Ali was unlawfully stripped of his world title in 1966 after refusing to partake in the U.S. war on Vietnam. Frazier went onto win the belt in a tournament. Ali had been robbed of five years of his career, Frazier knew his win meant nothing until he faced the real champ and was instrumental in supporting Ali's comeback. Their first fight occurred in 1971 at Madison Square Gardens and went the distance with Frazier winning on points. The rematch took place at the same venue, this time it was Ali who won on points. Their last, infamous encounter was 'The Thrilla In Manilla', fought in the stifling humidity of the Philippines with Ali putting his title on the line. Both men gave it their all in an exhausting, 14 rounds of boxing which Ali won by TKO.
Some people play up their rivalry as more than it was but a lot was just pre-match hype and tongue-in-cheek banter. Obviously the politically charged undercurrent of race relations in America occasionally complicated the situation: Ali wanted Frazier to be more engaged with his roots and the world outside of boxing then he was, needless to say, others would seize upon this dynamic and use it as a means to play out their own political agendas.
Some of Frazier's career highlights saw him gain a superb win over Jerry Quarry in the battle of the left hooks and bulldoze boxing legend George Chuvalo. Joe Frazier was one of the best fighters in a golden era of boxing, when being the heavyweight champion of the world was almost as important as it sounds.
[ 16. November 2015, 17:21: Message edited by: Kash ]
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
Great tribute Kash. I have fond memories of watching boxing as a kid, and although Frazier and Ali were fighting just a bit before my time, they remained popular throughout my childhood. Loved watching the heavy weights in particular. * Today, I don't even know the name of one professional boxer. RIP Joe......
Posted by Kash (Member # 297) on :
Thanks Kev. Mike Tyson was the last great boxer IMO and we all felt robbed when his career stalled. Tyson was the only boxer whose intros lasted longer than his fights! Lennox Lewis was quite good too but no real characters like in the 60s-70s.
[ 12. November 2011, 17:23: Message edited by: Kash ]
