Some of the best boxers in history are overshadowed by more popular fighters from their era.
Ray Leonard outshined Marvin Hagler, and Sonny Liston fell by the wayside to issues outside the ring. Fighters like David Tua knocked out multiple world champions but never claimed gold since his only undisputed shot was against a prime Lennox Lewis!
Such is a similar case with the late Joe Frazier, a hard-as-nails everyman’s fighter who was the first man to defeat Muhammad Ali but was overshadowed entirely by the legacy Ali would go on to hold.
Joe Frazier’s ugly feud with Muhammad Ali
Frazier was the reigning WBC heavyweight champion of the world when he met Ali in the ring for the first time in 1971. This was after Ali’s suspension, following his conscientious objection to the Vietnam War, and Frazier had claimed Ali’s vacant title in his absence.
As a proponent of the Black Rights Movement, Ali weaponized his charisma and verbal dexterity to assassinate Frazier’s character in the buildup, branding him an ‘Uncle Tom’ to say he was subservient to the white man. Only Frazier was born to farm laborers Rubin and Dolly Frazier in rural South Carolina and was subject to racism all through his childhood.
He didn’t seek to be a cultural champion; he sought only to ensure the welfare of his wife and kids. Despite this, Frazier came to face the fact he was fighting a spiritual champion and was ostracized for not using his platform and taking a stance on sociopolitical issues.
“Is Joe Frazier a white champion in a black skin?” Boxing Illustrated printed on their cover in October 1972. The stakes couldn’t have been higher for Frazier.
‘Smokin’ Joe’ vindicated himself by handing Ali his first defeat, knocking him down with an iconic left hook in the 15th round. They would fight twice more, with Ali winning the rematch by decision and the trilogy by TKO in the 14th round.
Ali called his trilogy fight with Frazier “The closest thing to death.” Such was the mental fortitude of ‘Smokin’ Joe’.
Showing heart against George Foreman
The only other man to have defeated Frazier was ‘Big’ George Foreman, who later earned hundreds of millions from a grill with his namesake. Frazier and Foreman first met in 1973, when Foreman knocked Frazier down six times in the first two rounds to take his WBC heavyweight strap.
Foreman’s style was the perfect countermeasure to Frazier’s bobbing and weaving. ‘Big George’ would frame his lead hand on Frazier’s head and pummel under with savage uppercuts. He also utilized framing against Frazier’s arms to snub his hooks. It was a stylistic nightmare.
Foreman is considered one of the heaviest hitters in combat sports history, and this showed when he was the first man to put a dent in the seemingly invincible Frazier.
Frazier lost to Foreman again in their 1976 rematch, less than a year after his 15-round war with Ali. He capped off his career with one more fight, a majority draw with fringe contender Floyd Cummings.
‘Smokin”’ Joe Frazier had a fighting career characterized by his doggedness and unwillingness to give in; he was never out of a fight, no matter the circumstances. Only having lost to Ali and Foreman, Frazier is often regarded as one of the most underappreciated tough-man champions in heavyweight boxing history.