Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier Fight #2: A 50-Year Anniversary
Posted: 28 Jan 2024, 15:18
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.
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.