Joe Frazier, the boxer Muhammad Ali rated higher than anyone he faced, died last night of liver cancer aged 67 in Philadelphia.
‘Smokin’ Joe was an awesome, bruising, brawling heavyweight champion, and his three bouts with Ali are among the greatest ever in the boxing.
Born in 1944, Frazier won Olympic gold in 1964 before turning pro and he became the undisputed champion in 1970, at a time when Ali was away from the sport after refusing to fight in Vietnam.
While Ali was away, Frazier campaigned for his reinstatement and even helped him out with money but that went out the window when they were matched to face each other in Madison Square Garden in 1971 it was dubbed the “Fight of the Century”.
In a truly epic battle, Frazier started slowly before knocking Ali down in the 15th to seal a unanimous decision from the judges, inflicting the first ever defeat on Ali.
Frazier lost his title in a brutal beating from George Foreman in 1973 before a rematch with Ali in 1974 went to Ali in a fairly dull bout. But with the score poised at 1-1, the demand for a third, decisive battle was huge and that led to the “Thrilla in Manilla”.
In a poisonous build-up, Ali referred to Frazier as “a gorilla” and the quieter Frazier just fumed at the treatment, leading to a long-term fued between the two greats.
In the fight itself both fighters taunted each other and in the brutal heat of the arena, both fighters wilted after two stunning performances.
Frazier’s trainer Eddie Futch pulled Frazier out after the 14th round, saying to him: ”It’s all over, No one will forget what you did here today. Ali was about to quit too but Frazier beat him to it and Ali took the victory.
Afterwards Ali was perhaps the nearest he ever came to being humble when he referred to Frazier as “the greatest fighter of all times, after me.”
Frazier retired a year later after another loss to Foreman, and bar a brief comeback in 1981, he focused on training others in Philadelphia.
He continued to row with Ali all the way to the end, with brief periods of harmony, but after being diagnosed with liver cancer just a few weeks ago, Frazier passed away last night.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
