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Top of the Hill
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 15
THE MORNING BREW
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11,2011
Boxing legend will be missed
On Monday, boxing lost one of its legends and all-time great heavyweights, Joe Frazier, to liver cancer. Frazier, one of Philadelphia's greatest athletes, didn't let his smaller stature keep him from becoming a champion, an Olympic gold medalist and a 1970s heavyweight Hall of Famer. Frazier's accomplishments include being the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and being inducted into both the World and International Boxing Halls of Fame. Frazier was also named by the International Boxing Research Organization as one of the ten greatest heavyweights of
Aside from being a world champion, Frazier was also known for his intense and lengthy rivalry with fellow heavyweight Muhammad Ali. The two had three fights — two for the heavyweight title. They also traded verbal jabs that turned their friendship into an on-and-off hatred, which carried on until the last couple of years. Their first fight, 'the Fight of the Century', was one of the most anticipated fights of all time and pitted the two undefeated fighters against each other in their primes. Frazier won the title earlier in the year and Ali was returning to try and reclaim his title after he'd been stripped of it for refusing to be inducted into the Army during the Vietnam War. Frazier won the match, but he eventually lost his title to the monstrous grill master, George Foreman.
Ali and Frazier met again in 1974. However, this time Ali would get the victory, tying the series. After Frazier had re-established himself as the top contender and Ali had reclaimed the world title from Foreman in the fight 'Rumble in the Jungle,' the two met again. This fight took place in the Philippines
and would come to be known as 'Thrilla in Manila.' During the pre-fight promotion, Ali took many personal shots at Frazier, even going so far as to call Frazier an "Uncle Tom," which only intensified the personal animosity between the fighters. Ali would go on to win the fight in 14 rounds after Frazier's corner decided that he couldn't continue because his eyes were swollen shut. Ali would go on to say that the fight was the closest thing to death that he knew.
Frazier never regained his title and also couldn't defeat Foreman in their rematch. After attempting a comeback in 1981, Frazier decided to retire and focus on training his son, Marvis, and daughter, Jackie, for their boxing careers. If Frazier had been in the ring today, he might have gone undefeated and would sit higher on the list of all-time greats. However, Frazier was overshadowed in his era by Ali and Foreman, but regardless, he accomplished a remarkable amount in his career, especially considering how light he was for a heavyweight fighter. It took, arguably, the purest boxer ever in Ali and one of the largest, most powerful boxes ever in Foreman to beat Frazier.
Frazier should be remembered as a legend and one of the hardest working and most determined athletes ever. He should be seen as an inspiration for people today.
— Edited by Sarah Champ
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