Forty-one year ago today . . .

[raylawpc]

. . . Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali in the FOTC



Thanks for the memories, Joe.

[yancey]

R.I.P., Smokin' Joe.

[BoxBuzz]

It was a good day...for both men.

[elmersalsa]

Smoking Joe deservedly won that fight. He won the biggest and most anticipated fight of all time....He whupped that ass!!!

[raylawpc]

It was a good day...for both men.

Ali having a good day:



Another shot of Ali having a good day:



The result of Ali's good day with Joe Frazier:

[Goodnight, Irene]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

I know this is a minority view, but I found this a more exciting, greater clash than Manila. The skill level was higher, and the scores very tight on my card.

[Controversial]

Do you think Ali jumped in too early taking on Frazier and maybe should have had a few more warm up fights? I'm not a big Ali fan but people rarely mention his inactivity as possibly being a factor in this result, didn't he only have something like 2 fights in 4 years when they fought?

[elmersalsa]

He got his ass whupped. NO excuses!

[Goodnight, Irene]

Do you think Ali jumped in too early taking on Frazier and maybe should have had a few more warm up fights? I'm not a big Ali fan but people rarely mention his inactivity as possibly being a factor in this result, didn't he only have something like 2 fights in 4 years when they fought?

Its the first excuse Ali worshippers bring up, in my experience.

[raylawpc]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

Oh, to the contrary, I think he felt A LOT better. HE KNOCKED ALI ON HIS ASS - AND WON!!

[Goodnight, Irene]

He got his ass whupped. NO excuses!

Nah. They both caught hidings, and it was damn close.

[Controversial]

He got his ass whupped. NO excuses!

Yes I agree, no excuses. I'm just playing devils advocate but I never ever hear anyone making those sort of excuses for Ali losing. I'm sure if Marciano took 3 years out and came back to lose the Marciano fans would be flogging the "inactivity" argument to death.

[Goodnight, Irene]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

Oh, to the contrary, I think he felt A LOT better. HE KNOCKED ALI ON HIS ASS - AND WON!!

Did he, though?

He got a beating and a half, even in victory. The toll it took is at least partly the reason he didnt fight again all year (while Ali was quick to return --- albeit he needed to more than the champ), and while Frazier would certainly have been in higher spirits afterward, he was totally drained by what Ali stuck him with.

[raylawpc]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

Oh, to the contrary, I think he felt A LOT better. HE KNOCKED ALI ON HIS ASS - AND WON!!

Did he, though?

He got a beating and a half, even in victory. The toll it took is at least partly the reason he didnt fight again all year (while Ali was quick to return --- albeit he needed to more than the champ), and while Frazier would certainly have been in higher spirits afterward, he was totally drained by what Ali stuck him with.

Yes! . . . As one who has won AND lost, I can assure you . . . you always feel better when you WIN!

[Goodnight, Irene]

To clarify, I mean he'd have felt no better physically after the bout than Ali.

[raylawpc]

[Goodnight, Irene]

And whats your trouble today, Ray?

['Frilla]

. . . Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali in the FOTC



Thanks for the memories, Joe.

[yancey]

"I'm not a big Ali fan but people rarely mention his inactivity as possibly being a factor in this result, didn't he only have something like 2 fights in 4 years when they fought?" Controversial

I don't see how you can say that the layoff is RARELY mentioned.

The layoff gets mentioned ALL the time. It is talking point NUMERO UNO by Ali fans on why Ali got whipped on 3/8/71.

The fact is that in the six months leading up to the FOTC, Ali had 18 rounds of activity in the ring, Frazier had 2.

[yancey]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

I know this is a minority view, but I found this a more exciting, greater clash than Manila. The skill level was higher, and the scores very tight on my card.

I wasn't aware that it is a minority viewpoint that Manila was more exciting and greater than the FOTC.

Anyone with a lick of sense and a lack of bias should recognize that the FOTC was a really special moment in boxing and transcended that which came later.

[yancey]

. . . Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali in the FOTC



Thanks for the memories, Joe.

R.I.P., Champ.

[yancey]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

Oh, to the contrary, I think he felt A LOT better. HE KNOCKED ALI ON HIS ASS - AND WON!!

Did he, though?

He got a beating and a half, even in victory. The toll it took is at least partly the reason he didnt fight again all year (while Ali was quick to return --- albeit he needed to more than the champ), and while Frazier would certainly have been in higher spirits afterward, he was totally drained by what Ali stuck him with.

Don't you think the style match-up plus the greatness of Ali would dictate that Frazier would HAVE to take lots of punishment in order to get his man?

This was never going to be a fight where the swarmer had the boxer out in short order.

[raylawpc]

And whats your trouble today, Ray?

Just because I disagree with you, I'm having "trouble?"

[Goodnight, Irene]

That last image is extreme. Not that Frazier looked or felt any healthier, mind.

I know this is a minority view, but I found this a more exciting, greater clash than Manila. The skill level was higher, and the scores very tight on my card.

I wasn't aware that it is a minority viewpoint that Manila was more exciting and greater than the FOTC.

Anyone with a lick of sense and a lack of bias should recognize that the FOTC was a really special moment in boxing and transcended that which came later.

Right, but lets face it --- that bias you speak of is ubiquitous.

[raylawpc]

"I'm not a big Ali fan but people rarely mention his inactivity as possibly being a factor in this result, didn't he only have something like 2 fights in 4 years when they fought?" Controversial

I don't see how you can say that the layoff is RARELY mentioned.

The layoff gets mentioned ALL the time. It is talking point NUMERO UNO by Ali fans on why Ali got whipped on 3/8/71.

The fact is that in the six months leading up to the FOTC, Ali had 18 rounds of activity in the ring, Frazier had 2.

Great post, Yancey, great post!!