Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier Fight #2: A 50-Year Anniversary

[elmersalsa]

Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of Boxing, staged the rematch between Muhammad Ali and Smokin' Joe Frazier.

Their first match, on March 8, 1971 in this same venue was billed as "The Fight of the Century" between two fantastic and undefeated world heavyweight champions. Frazier won by unanimous decision retaining his World Heavyweight Title and shut the critics once and for all that he was indeed the best fighter of the heavyweight division.

But, by 1974 and 3 years later, a lot of things have changed in the heavyweight division. This time, Ali and Frazier were no longer the undisputed world champions. The heavyweight king at the time was George Foreman of Houston, TX.

And they were much older this time. Ali, from Louisville, KY just turned 32 years old. And Frazier, from Philadelphia, turned 30.

Frazier after the big and brutal showdown win with Ali seemed that he was not the same. In 1971, he only fought once. And in 1972, he terribly looked totally flat and different. The killer's instinct seemed to be gone.

How can two journey men, Terry Daniels and Ron Stander lasted at least 5 rounds with him? Was the fight with Ali took all of him? Daniels and Stander would have not last not even 2 rounds each with Smokin' Joe two years earlier. And if it were the Frazier of the Fight of the Century, Stander nor Daniels, even with all that bravery and heart, would not last half a round. Frazier would have fought them both in the same night and still both fights would have not passed the first round.

The boxing press were critical of the late Yank Durham, Frazier's manager and trainer about, why he wasn't letting his fighter fight? Was Frazier ducking Ali?

Ali in 1972 had one of his finest years as a boxer. He won the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year that year, making 13 fights since losing to Joe. Ali was 12-1 since losing to Frazier in the Fight of the Century. He won all his 6 fights in 1972 in which he beat top men like contenders Jerry Quarry and George Chuvalo for the second time, light-heavyweight king Bob Foster, and beat again former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson of New York.

But, in March 1973 in San Diego, CA, Ali suffered his second defeat at the hands of Ken Norton by split decision. Norton broke Ali's jaw. Ali avenged the loss in the rematch in September.

But, Frazier had some setbacks of his own in 1973. In January 22nd in Kingston, Jamaica, he was totally brutalized and destroyed by Foreman in only two rounds! Frazier lost for the first time in his career falling to the canvas 6 times! And later, he lost his manager and trainer, probably his best friend, Durham. Durham died of a stroke in August.

He rebounded with a win against top contender Joe Bugner of England.

About 5 days before the fight, Frazier and Ali had a scuffle in the ABC Studios hosted by reporter Howard Cossell. They were discussing about their fight and analyzing the rounds. Everything well until Ali called Joe "ignorant". Humiliated, Frazier didn't take it lightly and went straight to Ali's face in wanting to get it on right then. Ali, got into Frazier's skin. It was personal.
Both fighters were fined $5,000 dollars by the New York State Boxing Commission.

The fight was not as electric and exciting as the first meeting. No fight will duplicate that. But it was a very good fight. Ali didn't clowned and was all business. He danced and flicked jabs and sharp combinations not letting Frazier to corral him to the ropes. He looked like the Ali of the 60s decade. Or at least was close to it here.

Eddie Futch, Frazier's new trainer, was furious that the referee, Tony Perez of New York, didn't penalized nor warned Ali for holding Frazier behind the neck.

Ali won by unanimous decision and is in line for Foreman's crown.

[gilgamesh]

This fight sucked, and is barely ever discussed today for good reason.

[elmersalsa]

This fight sucked, and is barely ever discussed today for good reason.

Thanks for Ali holding behind Smokin' Joe's neck?

[Ambling Alp II]

This fight sucked, and is barely ever discussed today for good reason.

It sucked? You have to be kidding.

[gilgamesh]

This fight sucked, and is barely ever discussed today for good reason.

It sucked? You have to be kidding.

No. The 2nd fight sucked. At least by comparison to 1st and 3rd fights.

Joe won like 2 or 3 rounds at best, and just seemed kinda flat the whole fight.

[Ambling Alp II]

It certainly wasn't as good as the other two fights. The 3rd fight was probably the greatest hw fight of all time. However, to say it "sucked" is going way overboard. Frazier could not get going in the early rounds, but then fought pretty well. Ali fought at a very high level for most of the fight.

[oogiebe]

Worst of the trilogy by a lot. Not a special fight.

[gilgamesh]

It certainly wasn't as good as the other two fights. The 3rd fight was probably the greatest hw fight of all time. However, to say it "sucked" is going way overboard. Frazier could not get going in the early rounds, but then fought pretty well. Ali fought at a very high level for most of the fight.

It sucked, and I agree the 1st and 3rd fights between them are probably the greatest Heavyweight fights of all time. They're both definitely in the all time Top 10.

Ali vs Frazier 2 wouldn't crack the Top 100 of all time Heavyweight fights.

Barrera vs Morales had a similar thing in their trilogy. The 1st and 3rd fights there are barnburners, and the 2nd fight was pretty forgettable. It happens.

[bennie]

Tony Perez really messed up in the first round.

[Flump]

I watched this recently, it's better than I remembered, but far less fierce than the other two obviously. A lot of that had to do with Ali's holding, which Perez didn't do anything about. But Ali was a clear winner.

[bennie]

I watched this recently, it's better than I remembered, but far less fierce than the other two obviously. A lot of that had to do with Ali's holding, which Perez didn't do anything about. But Ali was a clear winner.

Ali never forgave Perez for jumping in when he thought he heard the bell in the first round with Frazier wobbly. Ali later slagged off Perez after the Wepner fight in relation to Wepner's alleged rabbit punching. Perez sued him over the comments and Ali in turn countersued. Both cases were thrown out.

[oogiebe]

I watched this recently, it's better than I remembered, but far less fierce than the other two obviously. A lot of that had to do with Ali's holding, which Perez didn't do anything about. But Ali was a clear winner.

Ali never forgave Perez for jumping in when he thought he heard the bell in the first round with Frazier wobbly. Ali later slagged off Perez after the Wepner fight in relation to Wepner's alleged rabbit punching. Perez sued him over the comments and Ali in turn countersued. Both cases were thrown out.

Saw the fight many times. Do not remember Ali having Joe in any trouble in round one.

[Flump]

I watched this recently, it's better than I remembered, but far less fierce than the other two obviously. A lot of that had to do with Ali's holding, which Perez didn't do anything about. But Ali was a clear winner.

Ali never forgave Perez for jumping in when he thought he heard the bell in the first round with Frazier wobbly. Ali later slagged off Perez after the Wepner fight in relation to Wepner's alleged rabbit punching. Perez sued him over the comments and Ali in turn countersued. Both cases were thrown out.

Perez had some shockers subsequently didn't he. Norton and Morrison almost got decapitated on his watch, Luis Resto had an inch of padding removed from gloves Perez was supposed to be checking in the disgrace v Billy Collins. And, as much as I was cheering Big Frank on against McCall, he got away with some highly excessive holding.

[Caractacus]

What was the average times, as to how much holding behind Frazier's head that Ali had done ?

[Ambling Alp II]

I watched this recently, it's better than I remembered, but far less fierce than the other two obviously. A lot of that had to do with Ali's holding, which Perez didn't do anything about. But Ali was a clear winner.

Ali never forgave Perez for jumping in when he thought he heard the bell in the first round with Frazier wobbly. Ali later slagged off Perez after the Wepner fight in relation to Wepner's alleged rabbit punching. Perez sued him over the comments and Ali in turn countersued. Both cases were thrown out.

Saw the fight many times. Do not remember Ali having Joe in any trouble in round one.

It was actually towards the end of round 2. Ali hurt Frazier and backed him up. The referee thought that he had heard the bell and jumped in between them and sent them to their corners. Then they had to resume action when he realized the round was not over.
I don't think Ali would have been able to stop him then but who knows? Had the situation been reversed and the referee jumped in when Ali was hurt, we never hear the end of it. Would have been the most controversial fight in boxing history.

The fight now gets overshadowed by the first fight and especially the third.
However, if you just watch it on its own merits, you can see that it was very good. Ali was very sharp and landed a lot of fast combinations. His stamina was much better than in the first fight. Frazier (as he often did) started slow. However, he picked up his game and fought well in the middle and late rounds.
ESPN used to show this fight frequently in the 1980s.

[bennie]

Ali truly never ducked anyone.

[BoxBuzz]

Smart fight....the only way to truly guarantee a win against fire, is too keep a distance and hose it from a distance. Though Ali was for my money too willing to show off his ability to take a punch, though he didn't need to do it as often as he did. His ability to absorb could on occasion dishearten an opponent. But in this fight he recognized that Joe never gets tired of hitting you, and would never lose his desire to win. The smartest fight Ali fought against Joe.