Tolush writes:

Muhammad Ali was a good fighter,but he did really bad behavior to his helpers.God punish him in his faith change to muslism.Also his matches against Joe Frazier reveals that. Ali should have lost all matches, because he won foreman later.Foreman won Frazier.(Frazier helped Ali, when they were first friends. He gave money.Never told,did he pay back.Mental wargame got the most dirtiest features, when Ali, black man told lies and bad speeches about other black people.Ali did many things wrong way. Maybe the Parkinson dicease came as a result after all that. Frazier came from poorest area of black America.Cotton fields...South-Carolina, Beaufort.Difficult life and then he is still bitter to Ali.Fourty years later he saw his game against Ali on TV first time and he told, that he was happy, when he saw Ali suffering his liver punches,spline cutting hooks and uppercuts.Jealous and bitterness are worst things for people.There is seed, which grows to bad scale,if it is not some how dealed in healthy mind or prohibited by outer governing. Janne Raak

And this was my response:

Ali like all of us was not perfect. However, look at Frazier now, he says he's happy to see Ali suffering from Parkison and braggs about how he caused it. I understand the frastrating Ali cause him, but that's not right.

 

I like and respect both fighters. One of our team members placed Ali's picture there. And you are also welcome to post a picture of Frazier, if you would like. 

Hey! These guys are fighters that participated in a sport where they punch each other in an enclosed area so what do you expect to see from these guys. Most are brute warriors, that knows nother but how to fight. But Ali was held to a higher standard because he drew a huge crowd. He was a self promoter and we know how promoters are, systers at best. But in the end, Ali still stood taller than the rest, especially when he lit the Olympic Tourch while struggling with his Parkison desease. Yes he was once a proud young man but Parkison humbled him and made him a better person. Let's not focus on the bad that people have done but let's look at the person for whom they have become.

What do you say about this?

"Let's not focus on the bad that people have done but let's look at the person for whom they have become."

I agree completely BK. Both suffered through living in dark time in our nations history....a time where people still looked down on them for the color of their skin....I don't underestimate the influence that could have on someones behavior. As a basketball player I have seen this happen. The bottom line is that they were both great fighters , and I wouldn't want any part of either in their prime.

      i always enjoy n repected the boxing world n figthers they  have a courage inside their sprit that they bring out them 2 fight when ever the reason is 2 look at the person whom they have become n their r great  lengends n their r warriors  in boxing world i box in the early late 60s because i had that figther instink in me it took a lot of stress out of me from my younger yrs that happen,i was in the back yard of our mangers house trining n fighting every weekend their was black  figther name Alan evrybody did not want him on the team because of his skin color n nature but i train with him n he was a better fighter then me he got trouble one day  but i stood  on his side because of respect n who he was i agree with B_K  on all the history of the fight well explain n 3ptace i agree with ur thoughts    

Thanks guys, for your deep thoughs. I really appreciate them.

I think our heroes, sport heroes, are to be seen in action, not listened. I don't want to know anything about them, except their job, the wonders they can make. In any sport.

"Au contraire", music heroes are to be listened, their music and lyrics, their messages. 

Ali, Frazier, Foreman and others were world class fighters. Outside USA, I can tell you, we see them as top boxing heroes. Nothing more. Nothing less. Hope you can deliver more like those 3.

You guys are welcome to add pictures. But just add pictures that stick with the theam of each picture album

Here it is soulpower74 - George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle:

The forth round is crazy! But the fith was even better.

About this match clip I have to say for Lyle, that he had keys for victory.After several punches to body, there are so much pain, that concentration will be lost and body gets slowly.Lyle could not handle his anger. Ali-Frazier match,where Frazier lost in 14 round,there was matter of seconds, when Ali's manager and trainer would have stopped the match,but unluckily Frazier corner did this decision.Ali never apologise his behavior and words against "Manilla Gorilla" Frazier.

Come on now, "Manilla Gorilla" Frazier, now that's funny.  What's there to apologize for, it was only to hype the fight and to through Frazier off. Frazier wouldn't be Frazier without Ali. 

to view some of the rounds of the 1971 fight

http://economicdisconnect.blogspot.com/2011/01/from-1971-fight-of-century_29.html

Anyone who has ever entered the ring for boxing knows the amount of stamina and sheer guts to make it through a few rounds. These guys both Ali and Frazier were super atheletes in their time. In one of the fights Ali said it was closest he had ever been to death. 

Boxing Classics - The Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier Trilogy - 1971-1975

Probably the most famous rivalry in boxing history.

When Muhammad Ali was stripped of his championship in 1967 following refusal of the draft to fight in the Vietnam War the heavyweight championship was thrown into a state of confusion

The World Heavyweight Championship was again split into 2 parts. The WBA elected to hold an eight man elimination tournament to crown a new champion. The tournament was eventually won by Jimmy Ellis who defeated Jerry Quarry in the final. The WBC elected Buster Mathis and an undefeated fighter by the name of Joe Frazier to contest their vacant title. Frazier knocked out Mathis to claim the title. The title was again undisputed when Frazier knocked out Ellis in 1970. So Frazier was the undisputed champion but the peoples champion was waiting for him. The man who said that eliminations were imitations Muhammad Ali.

Meanwhile after a 3 year exile Muhammad Ali was granted his boxing licence back after the Supreme Court ruled in his favour. He proceeded to beat Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena in his two comeback fights. After knocking out Bob Foster in Nov 1970 in defence of his title Frazier signed to fight Ali in the first ever battle of undefeated champions.

The venue for the fight was to be Madison Square Garden and the date March 8 1971. It was billed simply as “The Fight”. Both men were guaranteed 2 and half million dollars each which at the time was the biggest payday in history. Anyone who was anyone was there. Even Frank Sinatra was ringside taking photographs.

The fight started with Ali dancing and Frazier stalking. Ali would try and let Frazier tire himself out but the champion was connecting with hard body shots which slowed Ali down. This allowed Frazier to connect more often with hard left hooks. Ali was staggered in the 11th round and everyone ringside thought he was on his way out but Ali was probably part clowning. Frazier however confirmed his superiority in the 15th round by dropping Ali with a fierce left hook which would have knocked out a horse.

If Ali didn’t have to prove it in his 60s championship days he certainly proved it here and that was he could take one hell of a punch. He rose almost immediately and saw the fight through to the final bell.

When the decision was announced it came as no surprise to anyone. Frazier took a unanimous decision. The fight was so brutal that both men were taken to hospital. Frazier spent a little longer in the hospital which allowed Ali to mention about how much damage he had done although a side of his face was badly swollen.

Ali however returned quickly to the ring to defeat Jimmy Ellis in July 1971. He then followed this up with a series of victories before breaking his jaw and losing a decision to Ken Norton. He avenged this however and following one more victory was ready to face Frazier again.

This time however the rematch was to be a non title fight. Following his victory over Ali Frazier defended against Ron Stander and Terry Daniels and was the matched with Olympic Champion George Foreman in Kingston Jamaica.

Frazier who thought this bout was a stepping stone to a rematch with Ali was knocked down 6 times in 2 rounds before losing the crown. Frazier rebounded with a points win over Joe Bugner and was ready for an Ali rematch.

To hype the fight up the two boxers brawled in the studio. Frazier looked serious but it seemed Ali was clowning The rematch was fought in January 1974 again at Madison Square Garden but this time the result was very different. Ali entered one of his best ever performances and almost stopped Frazier in the second round but referee Tony Perez stepped in thinking the round had ended. Ali then proceeded to win a one sided unanimous decision. This earned Ali the right to challenge George Foreman to try and regain the Heavyweight title.

Ali shocked the boxing world in October 1974 allowing Foreman to punch himself out whilst resting against the ropes to claim an eighth round knockout whilst Frazier came back with wins over Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis. After defending the title against Chuck Wepner, Ron Lyle and Joe Bugner Ali was ready to face Frazier once more. Frazier was actually ringside for the Bugner fight and Ali taunted him between rounds.

Ali and Frazier would meet for the third time on 1 October 1975 at the Coliseum in Manila. Ali would get 4 and a half million dollars to Frazier’s 2 million. Ali promised it would be “a killa and a thrilla and a chilla when he got the gorilla in Manila”. Ali was convinced that Frazier was over the hill and granted him one last payday

28,000 people packed the arena and an estimated 700 million people watched the fight worldwide. The fight would start at 11am probably to accommodate US television.

Ali started the fight attacking Frazier and continued this for the first three rounds In the 5th round however there was a change in momentum as Frazier backed Ali into a corner and pounded him to the body and head. Although ahead in the scoring Ali almost quit 2 thirds into the fight due to the heat and the onslaught of Frazier. Angelo Dundee sent him out saying that this is the thing that seperates the men from the boys. Ali proceeded to rally in the 11th, 12th and 13th round to cause Frazier’s eyes and cheeks to puff up. The champion continued this in the 14th trying his best to put Frazier away.After 14 brutal rounds both men were exhausted.

Eddie Futch, Joe Frazier’s trainer then made one of the most humane decisions ever not allowing Joe to come out for fifteenth round. Fearing a fatality he puts one hand on Frazier’s shoulder telling him it’s over.

Ali sensing the fight is over stands up to celebrate but soon collapses with exhaustion. Following the fight he comments that this was the closest thing to death he had experienced. It was probably the only way to close the chapter on such a rivalry.

By Lee Bellfield

This is a great post. Thanks for the memories.Yes truly one of the great rivalries in sports.The 1st Ali-Frazier at MSG I still maintain is the most anticipated sporting event in history in any sport.

Ernie

That fight drew more attention than the NFL Super Bowl!

Thanks for sharing that Foreman-Lyle fight. I saw the post earlier and never got back to you. I thought Ron Lyle was going to win that fight when I saw it on ABC that night.

Soulpower 74

This was the first time I seen the fight so thank you!

  i say  this is the excellent wording n thoughts n pics n video of the history of the boxing world warriors it is the never ending story of the fights that live on today  it brings back the remember  now from over 30 yrs ago that we can see n hear it again like it was yesterday i thank everyone 4 sharing the lengends of history that live on in the boxing world this was so excellent thanks again     

Today marks the 40th year anniversary of the "Fight Of The Century" between Smokin Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

I'm amazed how in this blog I have got negative punches! Peoples souls are so emotionally involved,I feel it great! (How about in Japan today? ) How and why somebody achieves great results in ring or in skiing fields or  on ice? That matter means to me a lot. Athletes (boxers players so.) interwiews and life history writers tells us more how to work to get results. These informations can be used in chess,too. Heroes and idols changes fast. Heroic attitude still stays.