"Joe Frazier wouldn't back away from King Kong. Joe Frazier was one brave man." -- George Foreman
I liked Joe Frazier when I was a kid, and not just because his name was Joe. I had just gotten interested in boxing when the WBA was trying to strip Muhammad Ali of his title. Frazier refused to participate in the tournament to choose a new heavyweight champion. He beat the winner, Jimmy Ellis, and became the champ. I liked the fact that Frazier was small for a heavyweight. I liked the way he always moved forward. I liked the fact that outside of the the ring, he seemed to be a good person. Ali seemed to be a superman, while Frazier seemed like a normal person with a special talent.
The fights with Ali were the greatest fights I can remember. They both should have retired after Manilla.
I had to use this photo of Frazier and George Foreman before their first fight on 22-January-1973. Foreman won, which seems almost inevitable given the difference in size, but Frazier kept getting up until the referee stopped the fight.
Goodbye, Joe. I'll miss you.
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