Forty-one year ago today . . .

[Goodnight, Irene]

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.

Oh, doubtless. Just saying, man, did he ever endure a beating for that ultimate vindication.

[Goodnight, Irene]

And whats your trouble today, Ray?

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

No, I only sought to clarify what I meant by Frazier feeling no better.

[yancey]

The photos on this thread are great. I also thought the cover photo of SI the week after the fight was great. It captured what a relentless warrior Frazier was that night.

I have two of those issues packed away someplace.

I was always hoping to cross paths with Joe and ask him to sign one. Sadly, it never happened.

[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.

Great post, Yancey, great post!!

Thanks.

Great thread you started.

[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!!

Thanks.

Great thread you started.

Thanks Yancey. For you:

[yancey]

Great post, Yancey, great post!!

Thanks.

Great thread you started.

Thanks Yancey. For you:

What a warrior!

Thanks for posting it up, Ray.

[raylawpc]

And whats your trouble today, Ray?

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

No, I only sought to clarify what I meant by Frazier feeling no better.

Fair enough. I don't want to ruin the buzz I get every year on the anniversary of this . . .

[yancey]

Don't think I have ever seen that last photo.

I wonder where Joe picked up that scar on his right leg?

It is always interesting in these photos to see the facial expressions of the people near ringside.

Looks like a lot of the crowd in the background were on their feet in the last photo.

[Goodnight, Irene]

What the hell is that dent in Frazier's leg? Looks nasty.

[raylawpc]

What the hell is that dent in Frazier's leg? Looks nasty.

Don't know. But it doesn't look as nasty as this:

[Goodnight, Irene]

Yeah, no kidding. I still remember the first time I saw that, learning about these guys as a kid in the mid-90's. It wasnt a photo, but rather footage of Ali talking with his jaw like that. Was sickening.

[bollox]

My old man had this photo pinned to the side of his workbench in the garage. It was there from 1971 to about the mid 80's when it disintegrated

[The Great John L]

Arguably this was the greatest performance by two heavies in a title fight in history. Well, certainly the greatest during my 45 years or so of watching fights.

Joe at his best was almost a force of nature. It’s just unfortunate that so many seem to more quickly remember the chubby and underprepared Frazier of Kingston rather than the non-stop punching machine of the late 60’s through the FOTC.

Nice thread Ray. And yes, he kicked his ass.

[raylawpc]

Yeah, no kidding. I still remember the first time I saw that, learning about these guys as a kid in the mid-90's. It wasnt a photo, but rather footage of Ali talking with his jaw like that. Was sickening.

It depends on your perspective, I suppose. I enjoyed it immensely!

[BoxBuzz]

Thanks.

Great thread you started.

Thanks Yancey. For you:

What a warrior!

Thanks for posting it up, Ray.

The Irony of the S.I. Headline is that it is just the opposite. Without the comebacks Ali would not be a legend, just another former Champion IMHO. At that time Ali was no legend, just a loudmouth who claimed he was a legend....and apparently S.I. had bought in.

Thanks to Frazier...and to a lesser extent Foreman. (Why? Because the only thing that made Foreman...was....you guessed it.....beat Frazier lol)

But before the fat lady finally sang, Ali was to become inconic genuinely as both a loudmouth AND a legend.

[loaded_gloves]

Joe Frazier tapes are incredible to watch. Especially from Mathis in 68 to Ali in 71, an unbelievable beast.

[yancey]

Thanks Yancey. For you:

What a warrior!

Thanks for posting it up, Ray.

The Irony of the S.I. Headline is that it is just the opposite. Without the comebacks Ali would not be a legend, just another former Champion IMHO. At that time Ali was no legend, just a loudmouth who claimed he was a legend....and apparently S.I. had bought in.

Thanks to Frazier...and to a lesser extent Foreman. (Why? Because the greatest thing Foreman ever did...was....you guessed it.....beat Frazier lol)

But before the fat lady finally sang, Ali was to become inconic genuinely as both a loudmouth AND a legend.

Ali was already a legend at the time of the FOTC.

Frazier became one by prevailing in it.

[elmersalsa]

Frazier was a beast in that fight. He was devil possessed. I wish sometimes instead of Ali as an opponent that night should have been the great George Foreman. Would Foreman beat Smoking Joe the same way he did 2 years later in Jamaica? I think not. Frazier was a machine!

[Goodnight, Irene]

Frazier was a beast in that fight. He was devil possessed. I wish sometimes instead of Ali as an opponent that night should have been the great George Foreman. Would Foreman beat Smoking Joe the same way he did 2 years later in Jamaica? I think not. Frazier was a machine!

I guarantee you Yancey wouldnt want that.

No sane Frazier fan would. Great fighter, but you have a totally mythologised view of him the night he beat Ali, because of the opponent and gravity of the event. Thats actually pretty common. I often hear, "On the night he beat Ali, no HW ever would have beaten him!"

Romantic? Doubtless - seductively so.

Realistic? Not remotely.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Frazier was a beast in that fight. He was devil possessed. I wish sometimes instead of Ali as an opponent that night should have been the great George Foreman. Would Foreman beat Smoking Joe the same way he did 2 years later in Jamaica? I think not. Frazier was a machine!

I guarantee you Yancey wouldnt want that.

No sane Frazier fan would. Great fighter, but you have a totally mythologised view of him the night he beat Ali, because of the opponent and gravity of the event. Thats actually pretty common. I often hear, "On the night he beat Ali, no HW ever would have beaten him!"

Romantic? Doubtless - seductively so.

Realistic? Not remotely.

Elmer and realistic is an oxymoron.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Only at 154lbs, though Saad

[SaadOffTheDeck]

My favorite part of that was the talk of Duran/Hearns at Lightweight. But Tommy would probably have still taken him when he was 11.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Hahahahah, damn. What was that talk about, proposing the bout at LW!?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I don't recall the thread, but it was vintage Elmer going on about how hearns could never handle pressure under 154 pounds. Pressure him and you win. That preceded Duran would annihilate him at Lightweight or Welterweight. While I can be hard on him, Elmer is a funny guy. And yes, like a clown for my amusement.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I remember well, I was just expressing disbelief at it. Even now.