Joe Frazier Signed to Fight Muhammad AliAfter knocking out the world light-heavyweight Bob Foster in November 1970 in defence of his title Joe Frazier signed to fight Muhammad Ali in the first ever battle of undefeated champions.The fight was scheduled for the 8th March 1970 and It was billed simply as “The Fight”. Both men were guaranteed two and half million dollars($2.5,000,000) each which was the biggest payday in history of boxing. All the top knobs celebrities was present at this fight who was anyone and anybody in the high society arena, you cared to name, they was there, including Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra in the front seat at the ringside taking photographs. When the decision was announced at the end of the fight, it came as no surprise to anyone. Joe Frazier took a unanimous decision. This contest of the undefeated champions between Ali and Frazier was decidedly a brutal boxing match. So brutal that both men ended up in hospital, only Joe Frazier spent a while longer in hospital care which allowed Muhammad Ali to boast about how much damage he had done, although one side of his face was badly swollen. But that's Ali the opportunist even in defeat. It was not long afterwards, before Muhammad Ali, returned quickly to the ring to defeat Jimmy Ellis in July 1971. George Foreman Met Joe Frazier in Kingston JamaicaMuhammad Ali then followed this up with a series of victories before his jaw broken and losing a decision to the shuffling Ken Norton with the cross face hand guard defence. Muhammad Ali later avenged this by beating Ken Norton in a return fight an following one more victory was ready to face the mighty indomitable tank, Joe Frazier again but this time the rematch was to be a non title fight. Following his victory over Ali, Frazier defended his undisputed title against Ron Stander and Terry Daniels, following these victories Frazier was the matched with the young power hitter 1968 Olympic champion George Foreman in Kingston Jamaica, West Indies. Joe Frazier who thought this bout was a stepping stone to a rematch with Ali was knocked down 6 times in 2 rounds before losing the crown. Frazier rebounded with a points win over Joe Bugner and was ready for an Ali rematch. George Foreman was born on the 10th January 1949. He started out as an amateur boxer who learned his sport in the job corps. Big George, as he would come to be known turned professional in 1969 and less than four years later had a shot at the title after winning over 35 straight victories. Foreman Came Out Like a Bad Gigantic CycloneOnly three of his opponents had been able to even go the full 15 rounds with George Foreman. 31 of Foreman victories came by way of knockouts, 29 of them before the 6th round. George Foreman was now ready to meet Joe Frazier and capture a place in boxing history for himself. Round one: George Foreman fought flat out with all guns blazing ahead, while Joe Frazier, kept his left hook ready, waited and took blows, hoping to wear down his opponents. On the night of 22nd January 1973, both men fought true to form. Foreman came out like a bad gigantic cyclone, swinging strongly, while Frazier held back, bobbing and weaving confidently. Almost immediately Foreman landed a solid punch to Frazier's gut and then, two light lefts and a right uppercut. The first of many that would take the champ down. Frazier was up in two but forced to wait for the mandatory eight count. Frazier landed a solid left hook, the only real blow George Foreman took that night. In response to the Frazier left hook, Foreman backed Smokin him up against the ropes and landed hard left and right to Frazier's head. Foreman's Right Lifted Joe Frazier 8inches HighFive more rights and a set up left followed and down went Frazier again. Again he took the eight count only to get up and run straight into a long, hard right to his head that sent him back to the canvas where he remained two counts after the bell had rung ending Round One. Round two: Frazier emerged on the attack and was met with a left and a right to the jaw that dropped him again. After the mandatory eight count, Frazier stood, dazed, flailing his punches and stumbling onto a right that lifted him a good 8 inches off the floor and send him packing to the mat with a leg bent at an inopportune angle. Just as Foreman was about to move in for the kill, the referee, Arthur Mercante, seeing Frazier's sagging figure, with blood dripping from his mouth, called it at 1 minute 35 seconds. Joe Frazier rebounded with a points win over Joe Bugner and was ready for an Ali rematch, but the rematch in January 1974 turned out to be a one sided affair with Muhammad Ali gaining a unanimous decision. |
