Ali vs. Frazier; The Thrilla in Manilla

Ali v. Frazier - The Thriller in Manilla

"Lawdy Lawdy, he's a great champion" - Joe Frazier.

On this day in sports history, October 1, 1975 Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met for the third time and final time in the “Thrilla in Manilla”, considered by many to be the greatest fight in the history of boxing. October 1, 2012

This link is to the most stirring account of this legendary fight, written by Mark Kram for Sports Illustrated. "Lawdy, Lawdy, He's a great champion"

It was the climax of a bitter rivalry between the two men that emerged in the build up to the first fight when Ali derided Frazier as an "Uncle Tom", a "white man's champion" and later, a "gorilla". Frazier, in turn, riled Ali by referring to him by his birth name, Clay.

The two first fought time in 1971, nearly five years after Ali was stripped of the heavy weight title for refusing to join the armed forces when drafted during the Vietnam War. In the so-called Fight of the Century, it was the first time that two undisputed heavyweight champions had met in the ring. Frazier won the first fight to retain the title. 

By the time they met in a rematch in January, 1974, neither was a champion. Frazier had lost his title to George Foreman after being knocked down seven times within two rounds and Ali recently beaten by Ken Norton. In a largely uneventful fight, Ali won a unanimous decision.

By 1975, Ali was the champion again, having unexpectedly regained the title by rope-a-doping and beating Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle. Frazier on the other hand, was thought to be washed up. However, the fight proved to be brutal and mercifully ended when Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, refused to let Frazier come out for the 15th round. 

The damage each man inflicted on the other was incalculable and neither man was ever the same again. 

Here are some of their thoughts on the fight and each other: 

Ali: "It was like death. Closest thing to dyin' that I know of."

Frazier: "He shook me in Manila. We were gladiators. I didn't ask no favours of him and he didn't ask none of me. I don't like him but I gotta say, in the ring, he was a man. In Manila, I hit him punches, those punches, they'd have knocked a building down. And he took 'em. He took 'em and he came back, and I got to respect that part of the man. But I sent him home worse than he came. He was the one who spoke about being nearly dead in Manila, not me."

Ali: "We went to Manila as champions, Joe and me, and we came back as old men."

Frazier: "Ali would not be Ali unless I had come along. Him and me had three fights. He won two of them, I won one. But if you look at him now, you can see who won them all. Me!"

Frazier: "Why did he say the things he said? Only he has the answer to that, and I would prefer not to comment on it. He just seemed to have a bad word for everybody. It was just foolishness."

Ali: "I'm sorry Joe Frazier is mad at me. I'm sorry I hurt him. Joe Frazier is a good man, and I couldn't have done what I did without him, and he couldn't have done what he did without me. And if God ever calls me to a holy war, I want Joe Frazier fighting beside me. "

Frazier: "I hated Ali. God might not like me talking that way, but it's in my heart. I know things would have been different for me if he hadn't been around. I'd have gotten a lot more respect. I'd have had more appreciation from my own kind. Twenty years I've been fighting Ali, and I still want to take him apart piece by piece and send him back to Jesus."

Frazier: "The Butterfly and me have been through some ups and downs and there have been lots of emotions, many of them bad. But I have forgiven him. I had to. You cannot hold out for ever. There were bruises in my heart because of the words he used. I spent years dreaming about him and wanting to hurt him. But you have got to throw that stick out of the window. Do not forget that we needed each other, to produce some of the greatest fights of all time."

Ali: "I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have said. Called him names I shouldn't have called him. I apologise for that. I'm sorry. It was all meant to promote the fight."

Frazier: "Look at him now. He's damaged goods. I know it; you know it. Everyone knows it; they just don't want to say. God has shut him down. He can't talk no more because he was saying the wrong things. He was always making fun of me. I'm the dummy, I'm the one getting hit in the head. Tell me now. Him or me, which one talks worse now? He can't talk no more and he still tries to make noise. I don't care how the world looks at him. I see him different, and I know him better than anyone. Manila don't matter no more. He's finished, and I'm still here."

Joe Frazier died on November 7, 2011. Muhammad Ali issued a statement that read' "The world has lost a great champion. I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration".

Frazier's private memorial service was officiated by Rev. Jesse Jackson who asked those in attendance to stand and show their love for Joe. Ali stood and applauded vigorously.

October 1, 2012
Udate: On June 3, 2016 to the applause of the entire world, Muhammad Ali followed Joe Frazier out of this life. 

Two magnificent warriors.