Joe Frazier, born on January 12, 1944, in Laurel Bay, South Carolina, did not set out with the initial goal of transforming the boxing world as “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier.
He started attending the gym to get in shape but eventually began competing. As the youngest of thirteen children, he initiated his boxing career at nine by fashioning a homemade punching bag from moss and leaves.
Twelve years after marrying at sixteen, he relocated to Philadelphia, where he triumphed in the Golden Gloves in 1962, 1963, and 1964. Additionally, he secured America’s sole gold medal in boxing at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Backed by a group of Philadelphia businesspeople and sponsored by Cloverlay, Inc., Smokin’ Joe initiated his professional career with a first-round knockout of Woody Goss on August 16, 1965.
Joe Frazier achieved ten consecutive knockouts before facing Oscar Bonavena on September 21, 1966. Bonavena knocked Frazier down twice in the second round, but Frazier recovered and secured a victory by a ten-round decision.
Joe Frazier vs. George Chuvalo
Following four additional victories, three by knockout, Smokin’ Joe faced George Chuvalo on July 19, 1967.
In the fourth round, the rugged Canadian suffered his first career knockout, as Joe Frazier successfully defended his title.
When Smokin’ Joe faced Buster Mathis on March 4, 1968, he was determined to remove any blemish from his Olympic medal. Before heading to Tokyo, Frazier had won thirty-eight of forty fights. His only two losses were to Mathis during the Olympic trials.
Mathis was handicapped by a broken knuckle, giving Frazier the advantage. “Smokin’ Joe” delivered a crushing left hook that floored Mathis at 2:33 of the eleventh round.
Joe Frazier was crowned the undisputed world heavyweight champion on February 16, 1970. The gong sounded as the fifth round began, but the W.B.A’s champion, Jimmy Ellis, could not continue. Initially, Ellis had an edge after the first round, but Frazier took control of the match with his consistent and relentless approach, applying powerful and intense pressure.
As the fourth round drew close, Frazier unleashed a barrage on Ellis’s body and head, causing the Kentuckian to collapse onto the mat for a nine-count. The bell sounded just as he rose at the count of nine.
Ellis made it to his corner as the gong for the fifth round sounded. His manager, Angelo Dundee, signalled to referee Tony Perez that Ellis could not continue.
The initial clash with Muhammad Ali occurred on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden, witnessed by 20,445 spectators and an additional 1.3 million via closed-circuit theatre TV. Ali characterized his fighting technique as “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” yet he was hampered by Frazier’s relentless assault.
Muhammad Ali’s tactic involved allowing Frazier to tire his arms by deflecting exhausting jabs. Even with a 6.5-inch reach disadvantage, Frazier closed the distance beneath Ali’s jab, landing numerous left hooks to Ali’s body.
Joe Frazier suffered a swollen jaw and lumps around both eyes. Ali merely sported a hematoma on the right side of his jaw.
Smokin’ Joe emerged unanimously, with referee Arthur Mercante scoring eight rounds for Frazier and six for Ali. In comparison, Judge Bill Recht scored eleven rounds for Frazier and four for Ali.
The sole knockdown occurred in the fifteenth round; Ali was floored for the third time in his career, yet he rallied after the compulsory eight count.
Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman
Before his bout with George Foreman, Joe Frazier faced Terry Daniels in New Orleans on January 15, 1972, followed by Ron Stander in Omaha on May 25, 1972. The odds against Daniels and Stander were 15 to 1 and 20 to 1, respectively. Daniels endured four rounds, while Stander lasted five.
On January 22, 1973, in Kingston, Jamaica, Foreman floored Frazier, a 3-1 favourite, six times before referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight at 1:35 of the second round in front of 36,000 fans. Frazier pressed the attack, but the challenger stepped back to counter.
Landing a right to the jaw, Foreman secured the first knockdown halfway through the first round. Frazier rose, traded several blows, and then fell again from a barrage of right-handers to the head.
As the bell signalled the end of the round, Smokin’ Joe quickly got up, clearly dazed, and Foreman knocked him thrice. According to the rules, the count did not stop with the bell but continued until Frazier managed to rise at the count of three.
Smokin’ Joe began the second round with an aggressive attack and a left hook to the head, though it was a brief rally. Foreman, weighing 217 pounds to Frazier’s 214, knocked the heavyweight champion down for the fourth time with a left and a right to the jaw.
Frazier rose at the count of two but suffered another knockdown from two left hooks. Despite managing to get up, he was ultimately knocked down for the final time by a flurry of punches.
Smokin’ Joe bravely rose to his feet, yet referee Arthur Mercante, observing his glazed eyes and unsteady stance, signalled the emergence of a new champion.
Following his bout with George Foreman, Frazier faced Joe Bugner in London on July 2, 1973, defeating him in twelve rounds, and then fought again on January 28, 1974.
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali had a rematch at Madison Square Garden before an audience of 20,746, who contributed to a live gate of $1,053,688 and a theatre-TV audience that paid £25,000,000.
The closed-circuit TV broadcast attracted a 10 million viewing audience. The fight’s gross revenue, including foreign film rights and other sources, reached $25 million.
In their previous bout, Smokin’ Joe charged directly at his opponent while Ali deftly sidestepped and countered. Frazier landed decisive and frequent body blows with his devastating left hook.
I’m unable to continue this conversation.
The most contentious moment of the bout happened in the second round when referee Tony Perez halted the fight, mistakenly believing the bell had sounded.
It was a crucial time.
Smokin’ Joe cornered Ali, but with a swift spin and jab, Ali escaped trouble and landed a solid punch on Frazier’s swollen cheekbone.
After absorbing a powerful left hook to the chin, Ali rebounded to bewilder and damage Frazier with a series of lefts and forceful right chops to the head.
At that moment, the referee intervened, halting Ali’s sole chance to defeat his opponent.
The seventh round marked Joe Frazier’s moment of dominance. A series of powerful left hooks began landing just thirty seconds in, visibly shaking Ali.
Ali, off his toes and flatfooted, found himself on the defensive as Frazier dominated the eighth round. Despite his fatigue, Ali returned, outpunching Frazier in the final nine minutes. His efforts earned him a unanimous decision for the twelve-round bout from referee Tony Perez and judges Tony Castellano and Jack Gordon.
In 1975, Joe Frazier faced a year of rematches, this time with extensive overseas travel. He fought Jimmy Ellis, the man he had dethroned for the WBA title, in Melbourne, Australia, and knocked him out in the ninth round.
This victory reinstated him as the top contender for the world title, currently held by Ali, following an eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in the renowned “Rumble in the Jungle.”
Ali took every opportunity to mock Frazier. Again, I called him The Gorilla and tried to irritate him.
Ali’s title fight, attended by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, sparked a media frenzy and was broadcast live worldwide.
The encounter was significantly more action-packed than their previous bout, which had no title on the line. It culminated in a gruelling spectacle that concluded with Eddie Futch halting the fight before the 15th and final round, leaving Frazier seated on his stool.
In 1976, Joe Frazier faced George Foreman again and was defeated by a fifth-round knockout, leading to his retirement.
In 1981, Frazier made a comeback attempt which lasted for just one fight, ending in a 10-round draw with Floyd “Jumbo” Cummings in Chicago, Illinois, after which he retired permanently.
Smokin’ Joe received a liver cancer diagnosis in September 2011. The cancer quickly metastasized, and by November 2011, he had entered hospice care. He passed away on November 7, 2011.
RIP Smokin’ Joe! We lift our hats to you!
Image Credit: Hans Peters / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Current HW’s wouldn’t stand a chance with this guy :wpds_lol:
Will never be another 🥊
Will never be another 🥊
Will never be another 🥊
He defeated the greatest!
He defeated the greatest!