RIP Joe Frazier (merged)

[Pbseagull]

Sad news today that "Smokin" Joe Frazier has lost his fight with cancer at just 67. He was truly one of the Giants of boxing along with Ali and Foreman, had the honour of being the first to deafeat Ali as pro boxer. In an era before Sky and 24hour TV, could draw a worldwide television audience of over 300 million. Growing up in the 1970's I used to stay up until the early hours just to listen to the heavyweight fights on the radio, would get as excited listening to the commentary as if I was actually at ringside. RIP Joe ,not only one of the greats of boxing, but a true gentleman as well.

 

[macky]

heres one of the reason he hated him
Betrayal is the worst thing a person can experience. Ali betrayed Frazier to the point where Joe's children were attacked by classmates and neighborhood bullies. Someone killed their family dog.

 

[public school boy]

A sad day

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

That's sad news. A true warrior and a nice man by all accounts. Those Ali/Frazier/Foreman fights were truly global events. I don't think we'll see their likes again. RIP Joe.

 

[METALMICKY]

A sad day and the passing of a legend just reminds me what a state boxing is in now

 

[arfer guinness]

In my view in the top ten of all time. In any other era would have been world champion for a lot longer, a great boxer, a great champ and a great man.

 

[User removed 4]

In my view in the top ten of all time. In any other era would have been world champion for a lot longer, a great boxer, a great champ and a great man.

I always remember Des Lynam saying after Tyson had beaten Bruno “ some people have compared Tyson to frazier but of course he’s much better than that “ is he f***ing sure ?? Frazier would have walked through Tyson, Tyson struggled with any half decent boxer he met, as was evidenced with the likes of tony tucker and bonecrusher smith EARLY in his career.

 

[macky]

I always remember Des Lynam saying after Tyson had beaten Bruno “ some people have compared Tyson to frazier but of course he’s much better than that “ is he f***ing sure ?? Frazier would have walked through Tyson, Tyson struggled with any half decent boxer he met, as was evidenced with the likes of tony tucker and bonecrusher smith EARLY in his career.

which one of those was half decent ??

 

[User removed 4]

which one of those was half decent ??

both tucker and bonecrusher smith were half decent boxers and tied tyson up for long periods.

 

[Brovion]

That's sad news. A true warrior and a nice man by all accounts. Those Ali/Frazier/Foreman fights were truly global events. I don't think we'll see their likes again. RIP Joe.

Weren't they just. At the time I was an Ali fan and remember being mortified when he lost in 1971. Since then I've found out a bit more about Frazier and it's very hard not to have anything but the utmost respect for him. Ali and Frazier with a supporting cast of Foreman, Norton and Shavers. As you say we'll never see their like again in any sport.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I always remember Des Lynam saying after Tyson had beaten Bruno “ some people have compared Tyson to frazier but of course he’s much better than that “ is he f***ing sure ?? Frazier would have walked through Tyson, Tyson struggled with any half decent boxer he met, as was evidenced with the likes of tony tucker and bonecrusher smith EARLY in his career.

I was too young to watch Frazier, but from about 1987-1990 Tyson was untouchable, and was not just winning fights, but ending careers. Spinks was undefeated when they met and he never fought again after Tyson destroyed him in an unbelievable 90 secs of boxing. In context, Lynam looking at the then 23 yr old Tyson take Bruno apart, was probably making a comment similar to the rest of the boxing community who thought Tyson was destined to surpass everything. Of course, he went off the rails thereafter, divorce, new trainers/coaches etc. meant 1989 was actually the best we ever saw of him.

To have been around for those Foreman / Frazier / Ali days when the BBC broadcast the fights must have been something else.

p.s. I thought Tyson beat Tony Tucker in a unanimous decision to win the IBF belt to add to his WBA and WBC belts (he was the first to unify them)?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Weren't they just. At the time I was an Ali fan and remember being mortified when he lost in 1971. Since then I've found out a bit more about Frazier and it's very hard not to have anything but the utmost respect for him. Ali and Frazier with a supporting cast of Foreman, Norton and Shavers. As you say we'll never see their like again in any sport.

Apologies if you're already aware of them, but can I highly recommend Norman Mailer's superb book The Fight that follows the build-up to the Ali/Foreman Rumble In The Jungle. Also the Academy Award winning documentary When We Were Kings (cheap as chips on DVD!) that covers the same build-up. Both the book and the documentary do the subject matter full justice.

 

[User removed 4]

I was too young to watch Frazier, but from about 1987-1990 Tyson was untouchable, and was not just winning fights, but ending careers. Spinks was undefeated when they met and he never fought again after Tyson destroyed him in an unbelievable 90 secs of boxing. In context, Lynam looking at the then 23 yr old Tyson take Bruno apart, was probably making a comment similar to the rest of the boxing community who thought Tyson was destined to surpass everything. Of course, he went off the rails thereafter, divorce, new trainers/coaches etc. meant 1989 was actually the best we ever saw of him.

To have been around for those Foreman / Frazier / Ali days when the BBC broadcast the fights must have been something else.

p.s. I thought Tyson beat Tony Tucker in a unanimous decision to win the IBF belt to add to his WBA and WBC belts (he was the first to unify them)?

What careers did he end ? spinks who was a blown up light heavy, and the rest were pretty welll shot anyway, yes he did beat tucker but he certainly didnt look "untouchable" doing it , and the boxing world was far from unanimous as you say in thinking he was destined to surpass anything before him.

 

[Frutos]

Apologies if you're already aware of them, but can I highly recommend Norman Mailer's superb book The Fight that follows the build-up to the Ali/Frazier Rumble In The Jungle. Also the Academy Award winning documentary When We Were Kings (cheap as chips on DVD!) that covers the same build-up. Both the book and the documentary do the subject matter full justice.

A pedant writes: The Rumble In The Jungle was Ali/Foreman, not Ali/Frazier.

Both the book and the documentary mentioned are essential reading/viewing for fight fans though, until recently I had When We Were Kings down as the best sports documentary ever.

 

[macky]

Apologies if you're already aware of them, but can I highly recommend Norman Mailer's superb book The Fight that follows the build-up to the Ali/Frazier Rumble In The Jungle. Also the Academy Award winning documentary When We Were Kings (cheap as chips on DVD!) that covers the same build-up. Both the book and the documentary do the subject matter full justice.

Looks like you never read the book properly it was foreman he [Ali] fought in the jungle

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

A pedant writes: The Rumble In The Jungle was Ali/Foreman, not Ali/Frazier.

Both the book and the documentary mentioned are essential reading/viewing for fight fans though, until recently I had When We Were Kings down as the best sports documentary ever.

Shit! A double senior moment! How the f*** did THAT happen!

 

[macky]

if you want to find out what sort of man they both were watch the docu thrilla in manila very eye opening

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Anybody else remember Ali wiping the floor with Parkinson on his show? Most one-sided contest since Parkie v Emu

 

[big nuts]

Im In agreement with Bushy. Tyson is overrated. He built an aura of invincibility that had his opponents scared stiff and beat before they even stepped into the ring. The test or sign of a true champion is to battle through and win in times of adversity, something Tyson never managed to do, he was the ultimate bully. Every time someone stood up to him or challenged him he invariably lost. What made Ali, Leonard & Robinson great was their ability to win in the toughest of battles.

The Holyfield fights showed his true colours taking the easy way out by biting someone's ear when he knew he couldn't beat him.

Frazier Vs Tyson would have been a great fight as very similar styles, but I favour Frazier as he had the heart of a Champion Tyson did not.

 

[arfer guinness]

I always remember Des Lynam saying after Tyson had beaten Bruno “ some people have compared Tyson to frazier but of course he’s much better than that “ is he f***ing sure ?? Frazier would have walked through Tyson, Tyson struggled with any half decent boxer he met, as was evidenced with the likes of tony tucker and bonecrusher smith EARLY in his career.

I agree, Frazier was fearless. Tyson was awesome beating people up but if they stood up to him he was lost. To my mind a great in boxing is not scared to go back into the ring against someone who had beaten them, Tyson managed this once and ended up biting Holyfield's ear and getting disqualified. In the thriller in Manilla Angelo Dundee pushed Ali out for the later rounds, Eddie Futch refused to do this with Frazier. Had the two cornermen been switched I think there would have been a different result.