The City of Philadelphia lost a true champion and one of their own, as former heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Frazier passed away Monday night after a long fight with liver cancer at the age of 67. The former Olympic and undisputed champion simply known as Smokin’ Joe, is forever known for his epic boxing trilogy against heavyweight champion, Muhammed Ali.
Frazier would fight Ali in a series of three fights that forever changed the face of boxing most notably the “Thrilla in Manilla”
Frazier would emerge as a top contender in the late 1960’s before becoming un-disputed champion in 1970. In 1971, he would defeat Ali in the “Fight Of The Century”. Frazier would lose his belt to George Forman two years later and defeat Joe Bugner before losing to Ali in the epic rubber match in Manilla.
After a brief comeback in 1981, Frazier would retire and be inducted into the International and World Boxing Hall’s of Fame.
The soft-spoken and quiet native of Beaufort, South Carolina, whom Ali once called a “gorilla” would post a career mark of 32 wins, four losses and one draw, with 27 wins by knockout.
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