Certainly, one of the best fights of all time!! Numbers I and III are their best. Ali always seemed to bring the best out of Frazier!!

I remember at an intrview they were both promoting and Ali said that Frazier was the last Great White hope and Frazier lost his cool and jumped on Ali, while saying that he was 5 times blacker than Ali!

Notice how Ali was removed from boxing for three years prior to fighting Frazier. You can basically say Ali's prime years were wasted for nothing. To see Ali and his list of accomplishments is amazing considering the facts. He was less of a dancer so he became more flat footed. He then invented the rope a dope style. When did you ever see Ali as such a fighter prior to prision?

Ali was both powerful and graceful on the ring.

He floats like a butterfly and sting like a bee..

To the previous posters:

Ali was the best. I remember he would always pride himself about how 'pretty he was', also that he was never hit on his face. That all ended after that pivotal fight with Smokin' Joe Frazier, who broke his jaw and took the wind out of his braggadocio sails. He then started the often boring rope a dope phase, that was actually a prolongation of the Muhammad Ali mystique that promoted the multimillion dollar events that Ali had enabled. This was the saddest and at the end the most frustrating phase of his career. During this period, referees would pretend that they didn't see Ali holding his opponents necks and heads down, and hitting them below the belt. He really had friends in the right places; Jose Sulaiman and Don King to name two...If it weren't for his antics he would have been a hasbeen. But, money talks, and bs walks; So, he danced and pranced, held, and joked, and carried on until Leon Spinks, and Larry Holmes finally rocked him into the current jittery state that he now lives in; But, I'm sure he enjoyed every punch he took, and gave. No man is an island; Sooner or later, no matter how good you are, you're bound to meet your match, and end of story....Like they used to say in the Basketball courts, when I used to play: NEXT!

Not for nuttin': Where were you in '71? I watched! And spoke about it all day long the next day.

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier battled in 'The Fight of the Century' at Garden 40 years ago today

Tuesday, March 8 2011, 4:00 AM


Joe Frazier (below, at Knicks-Jazz Monday night) knocks down Muhammad Ali en route to victory in the 'Fight of the Century' 40 years ago Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.



It was a night like no other at Madison Square Garden before or since. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, two undefeated heavyweights, met on March 8, 1971 in a boxing match that was equal parts fashion show, celebrity party and sociological, ideological and political maelstrom.
Frank Sinatra was a ringside photographer for Life Magazine. And former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey sat in the upper tier of the arena. Actor Burt Lancaster, former heavyweight champ Archie Moore and legendary broadcaster Don Dunphy did the closed-circuit broadcast. And there were enough mink and sable coat-wearing patrons in the arena that night to send PETA into a frenzy.

It is hard to believe that 40 years have passed since "The Fight of the Century," which marked a change not only in American society, but in sports as well. Ali and Frazier, who both earned $2.5 million for that fight, ushered in an era of athletes getting top dollar for their performances. And the closed-circuit broadcast of the fight opened the door for modern pay-per-view.

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the fight that made both of them legends, Frazier returned to the Garden Monday night for the Knicks-Jazz game, but was not in the mood for reminiscing about that battle with Ali. Maybe time has dulled the 67-year-old former heavyweight champ's memory. "Just being a part of New York was the thing," Frazier said. "It was the capital of boxing and everybody wanted to come to the Garden."

The ring wars and the intervening years were not kind to Ali and Frazier. They are both old fighters, in years and in appearance. Ali has been ravaged by the effects of Parkinson's Syndrome; his speech, once his calling card, is a fading whisper. Frazier, an unstoppable tank in the ring, now gets around with the help of a cane. But he tries to show you his dance moves as he breaks into song and talks about getting his musical group "Joe Frazier and the Knockouts" back together to start a tour next month.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/muhammad-ali-joe-frazier-battled-fight-century-garden-40-years-today-article-1.120089#ixzz1cH3ztGla

Joe Frazier in Hospice with Liver Cancer
BY DAHVI SHIRA

Sunday November 06, 2011 12:45 PM EST


Frazier fights Ali in 1971; Frazier today (inset)
Popperfoto/Getty; Inset: Sipa

Boxing great Joe Frazier is fighting the battle of a lifetime.

The former World Heavyweight champion, 67, is in a Philadelphia-based hospice suffering from liver cancer, according to reports.

Known for his infamous "Thrilla in Manila" fight against Muhammad Ali, Frazier – nicknamed "Smokin' Joe" – is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

"He's a true gentleman," Frazier's manager Leslie Wolff told CNN, confirming that he was diagnosed just four or five weeks ago. "Along with Muhammad Ali, (he is) one of the two most recognizable athletes in the world."

Fans of the famous fighter are encouraged to post their thoughts and prayers at JoeFraziersCorner.com.(http://www.joefrazierscorner.com/)

Source: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20543172,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

Frazier (left) inflicted a first defeat on Ali at Madison Square Garden in 1971 Muhammad Ali has said he is praying for Joe Frazier following the news of his great rival's battle against cancer.

It was revealed over the weekend that Frazier, 67, who fought Ali in three famous bouts during his career, is in hospice care with liver cancer.

Ali, 69, said: "The news about Joe is hard to believe and even harder to accept. Joe has a lot of friends pulling for him - and I'm one of them.

"Joe is a fighter and a champion and I am praying he is fighting now."

The former world heavyweight champion added: "My family and I are keeping Joe and his family in our daily prayers."

JOE FRAZIER'S CAREER RECORDContinue reading the main story

•Total fights: 37
•Wins: 32
•Wins by KO: 27
•Losses: 4
•Draws: 1

•Titles: World Heavyweight champion (1970-73), Olympic Heavyweight gold medallist (Tokyo 1964)
In the first of their encounters in the ring - the so-called 'Fight of the Century' in 1971, Frazier inflicted a first defeat on Ali courtesy of a points decision.

In two further fights, including the 'Thriller in Manila' in 1975, it was Ali who was victorious.

The pair had a fractious relationship during their fighting days, stemming primarily from Ali's taunting of Frazier in the build-up to their trilogy of fights.

However, the pair are thought to have been on better terms in recent years.

Former heavyweight boxer Larry Holmes also gave his support to former sparing partner Frazier.

"If you talk about heart, determination, courage, all that good stuff, you're talking about Joe Frazier," said Holmes. "I got my fingers crossed.

"I've been watching the news all day and all night, trying to find out what's happening with him. I know it don't look good, but if anybody can beat what he's up against, you'd have to think Joe would be the guy."

Frazier held the world title himself between 1970 and 1973, claiming the belt by defeating Jimmy Ellis in New York before relinquishing it to George Foreman

Joe Frazier, Ex-Heavyweight Champ, Dies at 67

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/forum/living-in-the-dr/entertainment-and-sports/5311/Joe-Frazier-Ex-Heavyweight-Champ-Dies-at-67/1#post160283

My respect to his son and daughter, his family. The Champ lived as winner and will always be remembered as a fantastic athlete. Rest in peace, Smokin' Joe. Your fans will never forget you.

Guaro:

It wasnt Joe who broke Ali's jaw.... it was Ken Norton.