Sad news --
http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7193707/joe-frazier-former-heavyweight-champ-seriously-ill-cancerWhen you're in hospice it's not if, it's when. The party's over, let's just make this as painless as possible.
Smokin' Joe Frazier from Philadelphia will always be remembered as a boxer who was the heavyweight champion of the world. Or as ring announcers say it, "THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORRRRRRLD!" Back then, before greedy promoters splintered the sport into multiple "champions of the world" and it lost all its luster, that title really meant something.
He will be remembered especially for his epic battles with Muhammad Ali. The two are inextricably linked. The first time they met in the ring was, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say, the most anticipated boxing match in history. Both were unbeaten. Frazier was the reigning champ and Ali, the former unbeaten champ, was back from his banishment for refusing to fight in Vietnam. "I ain't got nothing against them Viet Congs," he said. They were completely different in every way other than being great boxers. Frazier the straight ahead banger, a man of few words. Ali the dancer, a man of many words, a torrent of them, no off button. A peacock. "Can you believe how pretty I am?" we would say, only half in jest.
(Dramatis personae --
http://www.411mania.com/boxing/columns/131514http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1632177_1383678,00.htmlIt wasn't just for high stakes, it was personal, at least for Joe Frazier. When Ali taunted him by calling him an ugly monkey and things like that, Joe took it personally. I have no doubt it was all gamesmanship on Ali's part. It wasn't taken that way.
The first of their three fights was in Madison Square Garden. It was an even, blow after blow contest consisting of punches that would knock any of us into next month. Smokin' Joe swung the decision his way with a 15th round knockdown, the first time Ali had ever been knocked off his feet. There was a memorable photo of Ali on his back with his red tassels flying. "You saw him there on his ass, didn't you?" Frazier said after the fight.
Here is another photo --
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1998/holyfield/garden/5ali_frazier.htmlThey fought twice more, equally epic. Ali won both times and regained his belt. The three fights cemented both their reputations.
I have a dreamer's mind sometimes, that of a screenwriter who has to watch out for sentimentality. I would like to think Ali will visit Smokin' Joe before he goes. Ali is not entirely all there any more, courtesy in part to a lot of hard punches to the head from Joe Frazier, so maybe he's not up to it. But wow, what a scene that would be.
