Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier’s Funeral

Monday November 14, 2011
9-11am Calling – Closed Casket
11am – Service Starts

Calling and Service will be held at
Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church
2800 West Cheltenham Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19150
Get Directions 

In Lieu of Flowers, the Frazier family asks you to send donations to
The American Cancer Society. Make checks payable to ACS, Inc.
8400 Silver Crossing,  Oklahoma City, OK 73132.
Please include in your memo: In Memory of Joe Frazier.

Please leave a comment on JoeFraziersCorner.com  if you’d like to pay your respects.

Fight Night Champion - Still Standing: Joe Frazier

Courtesy of EASPORTS on Youtube.com

The Fight

By Randy De La O

I'm trying to find some kind of way todescribe to a younger generation just how big the first fight betweenJoe Frazier and Muhammad Ali was. If ever there was a fight thatcould accurately be deemed “The Fight of the Century” this wasthe one. It is often, just simply called “The Fight”. Noexplanation is needed.

Oh, there were other so called“Fights of the Century” but in terms of historic epic heavyweightfights, only Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling II, and perhaps Jack Johnsonvs James J. Jeffries come close. But this fight had something that noother heavyweight fight before it had; two undefeated heavyweights,each with a legitimate claim to the heavyweight title, the biggestprize in all of sports, perhaps the biggest prize anywhere. Add tothat all the media attention that was not available to those otherfights. The timing was right.

So big was the fight across the worldthat countries shut down and a war was put on hold – Joe Frazierand Muhammad Ali were going to fight. Celebrities, politicians,anyone and everyone wanted to be part of the act. Frank Sinatrahimself was to cover the fight as the photographer for Life magazine(I have that issue).

I was a junior in high school when thisfight took place. When I think, talk or write about this fight, oreither fighter, it is always through the eyes of a 16 year old boy, Ican't help it. As I write this my eyes are welling up with tears as Iremember. Both of these guys were my boxing heroes. It was hard forme to think of them fighting each other.

If you have read anything I havewritten before you know that my heart sometimes-No, make thatalways-overrides my head. I wear my heart on my sleeves. There is nohiding who I like and who I dislike. So when it was announced thatFrazier and Ali were going to fight, I was besides myself, trying todecide where to place my loyalty. Ultimately, I put my $5.00 weeklylunch money on Smokin' Joe (I didn't tell my parents).

My father, a fighter in the army, wasan old school fight fan and came from a time when fighters fought,not talked, and so he was not a fan of Ali. His guys were; Joe Louis,Rocky Marciano, Jerry Quarry and of course, Joe Frazier. Many fromthat generation could never quite warm up to Ali's bombastic style ofboasting. Me? I ate it up. I knew it was all an act. Still, JoeFrazier; stoic, fierce and with a determined scowl, pacing back andforth like a wild cat, anticipating his prey, really grabbed me.

Ali had a way of getting inside afighter's head. He would find out what another fighter's button wasand than push it, and no one could push it like Ali. Frazier hadbuilt a wall around himself and Ali was never able to penetrate it. What we know now, that we didn't know then, or at least I didn't, wasthat Ali's words did hurt Joe. The “Uncle Tom” and “Gorilla”tags hurt Joe to the core of his being and he carried that resentmentand anger throughout his life.

Somehow, Joe was able to channel thatanger inside the ring. Relentless, forward moving and constantlythrowing punches, but always in control.

Ali, as almost everyone already knows,was coming back from a three year exile. His last fight before he wasstripped of the heavyweight title was a 15 round title defenseagainst Zora Folley, stopping Folley in the 7^th round anddefending his WBA title.

It would be three years before Aliwould fight again. In his comeback Ali had taken on a new persona. Hewas now a genuine folk hero. He had taken a stance against the U.S.Government and the Viet Nam War and he won. As much as he was hated,or disliked before the exile, the political and social change thathad swept the country made him bigger than ever. Not to say thatthere were no longer any Ali haters, but they were no longer themajority.

Ali fought again on October, 1970 whena fight was finally secured in Atlanta, Georgia against popular andever tough West Coast favorite, “Irish” Jerry Quarry. Ali would stop Quarry in the 3^rd round. Officially the fight was aTKO due to cuts.

His next bout was with Argentina'sOscar Bonavena in December of 1970, at Madison Square Garden, NewYork. Ali stopped Bonavena in the 15^th round afterknocking the Argentinian down three times in the final round. Ali haddominated the fight. Next up: Joe Frazier.

In June of 1969, Frazier defeated JerryQuarry – in Ring Magazine's fight of the year- to win the New Yorkversion of the heavyweight title by stopping Quarry in the 7^thround of their scheduled 15 round fight.

Next on Frazier's hit list was JimmyEllis, for the vacant WBC title, as well as the WBA heavyweighttitle, also at stake was Joe's NYSAC heavyweight title. Ellis had wonhis version of the heavyweight championship by defeating Jerry Quarrya year earlier to win the heavyweight tournament. Ellis would beTKO'ed in 5 rounds. The fight was scheduled for 15 rounds. JoeFrazier was now the Heavyweight Champion of the world. Joe made quickwork of his next opponent, light heavy king, Bob Foster, as Fosterattempted to take the crown from Frazier. Foster was knocked out inthe 2^nd round. Next up: Muhammad Ali.

Back at school, as the fight wasapproaching, those that followed boxing, and even those that didn'ttypically follow the sport, were broken into two camps: Frazier orAli. It wasn't just school though, it was like that everywhere. Istayed out of any arguments. Despite the fact that I had pickedFrazier to win, I was still a fan of Ali. I picked Frazier because,at that time and from what I had seen. I thought him invincible. Asfar as my heart was concerned, I was loyal to both. I would saynothing bad about Ali. Both were the heavyweight champions.

This was all taking place before cableand PPV television. So we had to depend on the news from the radioand of course, from the paper the next day. The fight took place atMadison Square Garden, in New York. The Garden and New York werestill the epicenter of boxing in those days. The referee was ArthurMercante. Joe Frazier beat Ali by unanimous decision and was now theabsolute undisputed heavyweight champion of the word. Ali was downin the 15^th round as a result of a Frazier left hook. Istill have the newspaper from that day, forty plus years later. It'swrinkled, fragile and yellow now. It's in a box somewhere. The fightwas front page news all across the globe.

I had bragging rights at school, butreally as happy as I was that Frazier had won the fight I was equallyunhappy that Ali had lost. I was going to feel that way regardless ofwho won and lost. It's the price you pay for loving your fighters.

Over the years I have seen the fight onrebroadcasts and later on Youtube (a boxing fans best friend). Aliseemed in control in the early rounds but Joe was smoking and he justwas not going to lose. I never tire of watching it.

They fought three times in total. Theirlast fight , in 1975, was “The Thrilla in Manilla” which mighthave even surpassed the first fight. That fight ended in the 14^thround when trainer and cornerman, the late and great Eddie Futchrefused to let Joe come out for the final round. It's said that bothmen were near death that day. Whether that's true or not, I couldn'tsay. What I do know is that both men damaged each other. They foughteach other with every fiber of their beings. They took each other toa place that most of us will never see or imagine. Neither of themwere never again the same. Their fights with each other were of epic,almost mythical proportion. They were giants.

Their rivalry and trilogy was one forthe ages. Their feud transcended the ring. In the last couple ofyears, they finally made peace with each other. Joe forgave Ali forthe words, and belittlement. God Bless him for that.

I was lucky to be a fight fan whengiants still fought in the ring. Smokin' Joe Frazier, a fighter'sfighter and a man's man. Goodbye Joe, I'll miss you!

A Tribute to Smokin' Joe Frazier

Smokin' Joe Frazier has Cancer

“Life doesn't run away from nobody. Life runs at people.” 

-Joe Frazier

Legendary heavyweight and all around good guy, Smokin' Joe Frazier has Liver Cancer. Joe has always been a bigger than life man and champion to his countless and loyal fans, and that includes my entire family. 

Joe is in God's hands now, and is in the fight of his life, we will continue to pray for his recovery. Joe as well as his family are in our prayers. God Bless you Smokin' Joe Frazier.

Past articles on this site on Joe Frazier.

Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears

"He got as much out of himself as there was to give, and maybe more, and you can't ask any more of any man, including yourself" - Larry Merchant

By Randy De La O

I was privileged, recently, to view a video of the new documentary "Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears". Joe Frazier's story has been told time and time again. The story is familiar to us by now. Yet director Mike Todd still managed to give us a fresh perspective on Frazier's life and career. Narrated by Joe's eldest son, Marvis Frazier, along with testimonials from family, friends and boxing personalities, including George Foreman, Bernard Hopkins and Larry Merchant, who share some candid memories. However, this is much more than a "This is Your Life" documentary. It is more like a well crafted, tightly woven tapestry that comes together to form a beautifully clear picture of it's subject, in this case "Smokin' Joe" Frazier, former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

The film begins with Frazier singing a reworked song made famous by Frank Sinatra, "My Way" and he was indeed doing it his way, as only "Smokin' Joe" can, a little slow perhaps and a little off key but with a passion and heart that has defined Joe Frazier to his legion of fans and admirers. The common belief is that Joe Frazier has been left bitter on the issue of Muhammad Ali, maybe at one time, but this peek into his current life says otherwise. If anything Frazier seems content with his place in boxing history, he is content with what he knows. So is his family. Joe Frazier is truly loved by his family, friends and fans and the film seems to answer that question "is it better to be popular or well liked?" As this film shows, being well liked, or loved, in this case,  travels a lot deeper than popularity. I believe this is where Frazier draws his contentment and satisfaction. Frazier seems to relish the attention and enjoys talking about the 1971 "Fight of the Century", a fight he won by unanimous decision.

Marvis Frazier, who wears his love for his famous father on his sleeves, has become, in a sense, the defender and protector of his father's legacy. The bond between father and son is at the core of the film. A brief look back at Marvis Frazier's fight with Larry Holmes was somewhat emotional and we see Joe's pain, immediately after the fight. Both Frazier's have continually given back to the community both in the rural south where Joe was born and in Philadelphia where he lives today. In the south he is remembered as a local boy made good who has never forgotten where he came from and in Philadelphia, a town known for the ferocious gym wars and tough fighters,  where he is heralded as the epitome of a "Philly Fighter". There are a couple of other clips, including Ali vs Frazier I and Frazier vs Foreman I, but the film focuses more on the Joe Frazier of today. This is the story that is being told

Growing up in the South, and later Philadelphia, Frazier experienced the full gamut of the black experience in America, contrary to the way he was portrayed by Muhammad Ali during their well covered rivalry. Joe, a proud man and more importantly, a proud black man has stayed close to his roots; family, friends and community. He has done so as the owner and operator of the Joe Frazier Gym, along with his son Marvis. Much of this documentary was filmed in the gym. Sadly, the gym was closed earlier this year for financial reasons. Still, that doesn't take away from what Frazier has accomplished over the years, nor can we ever count the number of young men that have been helped along the way, whether they became fighters or just good citizens.

There are some scenes in the film where an elderly Frazier is seen working the bag and shadowboxing in the ring.  If you look closely, into his eyes, you can still see the fire burning inside. That wry smile and knowing look gives the impression that Muhammad Ali is still on the receiving end of his punches, thus the look of satisfaction on his face. I cannot say with 100% certainty, that Joe Frazier has exorcised the bitter memories of his rivalry with Ali, nor can I say that he has truly forgiven him for the cruel words that cut Joe deeply. All I can say for sure is, that Joe Frazier has learned to deal with it, and is living life "His Way" and on his terms.

If you are a fight fan, especially if you are a life long fan of Smokin' Joe Frazier, as I am, than you will be moved by this film, and in the long run, isn't that what art is all about?

Written and Directed by: Mike Todd
Produced by: Geseth Garcia, Mike Todd & Louise Rosen
Director of Photography: Quenell Jones
Narrated by: Marvis Frazier

Joe Frazier Film on Facebook

Fight of the Century: Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier I

By Randy De La O

The fight was unprecedented. Two undefeated heavyweights, one the current champion, the other a champion stripped of his title and returning after an exile from boxing for refusing his draft induction. Both men had a rightful claim to the title. In the months, weeks and days leading up to the fight, the feud between Muhammad Ali and Smoking Joe Frazier took on an almost mythical and epic proportion. Forty years later, today, time has not lessened either the myth or legend, if anything, it has grown.

On March 8, 1971 the world would literally stop to watch these two men do battle. Not since the days leading up to World War II and the rematch between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling had the world given this much attention to a championship fight. Lines were drawn and sides were chosen. Ali was considered the “People’s Champion” and Frazier had been relegated by Ali as an “Uncle Tom”, though nothing could have been further from the truth.

I was a young teen when the fight took place, a junior in high school. I liked both Ali and Frazier but I honestly felt that “Smoking Joe” would win this fight. Frazier just had a way of plowing through his opponents and he owned what may be the greatest left hook in the business . I bet five bucks on Joe to win.

I will always have a special place in my heart for both Smoking Joe and Ali. We may never again see their like in the ring again doing battle against each other. In my lifetime, Frazier and Ali were the two greatest heavyweights on the planet. There have been no close seconds. This fight will always be the yardstick by which I measure every other heavyweight fight.

Over the years, Muhammad Ali has received the lion’s share of glory. He would also win the two rematches, including their final fight “The Thrilla in Manilla”, also one of boxing’s greatest heavyweight title fight. But on this night, when the world stood by with bated breath, it would be Joe Frazier that would emerge victorious. Forty years later, on this day, the glory belongs to Smoking Joe Frazier . He won the fight.

The fight was a close and exhausting battle for both fighters but it was the knockdown in the final round (the 15th) that clinched it for Joe. Joe’s famous left hook came through when he needed it most. As my father, the late great Andrew De La O liked to put it “Ali won two out of three but Joe got the knockdown”.

Their fights took a toll on both of them. They deserve to rest on their laurels. Where ever they are today I hope they know that boxing fans are eternally grateful for all that they gave whenever they stepped into the ring. Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali were giants!

By the way, the guy never paid the five bucks!

Related articles

• 40 Years Later, Ali-Frazier Still An MSG Classic (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Remembering Ali-Frazier And The 'Fight Of The Century', 40 Years Later (sbnation.com)

Joe Frazier

The Former Boxer Smokin Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier Biography - Joe Frazier Pictures

The Joe Frazier Biography Joseph Frazier was born January 12th 1944 in Beaufort, South Carolina. Smokin' Joe Frazier is a actor and former boxer best known for being the 1964 Tokyo Heavyweight Gold Medalist, 2 time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and International Boxing Hall Of Famer. Joe Frazier Boxing Record Total Fights = 37 Total Wins = 32 Total Wins by KO = 27 Total Losses = 4 Total Draws = 1

Joe Frazier Biography

Joe Frazier Pictures

Joe Frazier had his biggest fights with Oscar Bonavena twice, George Chuvalo, Muhammad Ali 3 times, George Foreman twice and Floyd Cummings. Did you know? Joe Frazier was the corner man for Mr. T against Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 2 Smoking Joe Frazier was on a episode of Simpsons JoeFrazier trained many boxers Jo Frazier had real life feuds with Muhammad Ali, with Ali being racist, even calling him Uncle Tom

Happy Birthday Joe Frazier!

Happy Birthday to boxing great Smoking Joe Frazier.

Joe Frazier's complete record here

Smoking Joe Frazier

This is for Smoking Joe Frazier.

By Randy De La O

Joe, I became a fan of yours on May 4, 1967 when you beat ScrapIron Johnson in 10 at the old Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. This was the first time I saw you fight. ScrapIron was a tough guy. You impressed the hell out of this seventh grader. You impressed my father too and he was not so easily impressed. I knew you were something special. You proved me right when in your very next fight you KO’ed one of the toughest man to ever lace up a pair of gloves, George Chuvalo, no easy feat but you did it in four.

Over the next few years you ran up a string of victories against guys like Buster Mathis, Mexico’s Manuel Ramos and a second win against the Argentinian Bull, Oscar Bonavena. You beat one of my favorite fighters, not once but twice when you stopped West Coast favorite “Irish” Jerry Quarry in both fights. I admired the way you stayed out of the heavyweight tournament, content with the New York state version of the heavyweight title, knowing all along that your day was coming. You never doubted yourself.

Your time arrived when you faced the elimination Champ Jimmy Ellis at the Madison Square Garden on February 16, 1970, stopping him in the fifth at the Madison Square Garden. Now you were the undisputed champ. You earned that title the hard way. No one can say Joe Frazier was born with a silver spoon in his mouth!

Your next fight, a fifth round KO of the great Light heavyweight Champion, Bob Foster, sealed the deal and “The Fight of the Century” was set. I believe to this date it was the most anticipated fight of all time. I couldn’t wait.

I was still in high school when that fight took place. I have to be honest, I was as much a fan of Muhammad Ali as I was of Smoking Joe Frazier but I did know one thing. Smoking Joe was going to win this fight. I bet my weeks lunch money on you, five bucks. I knew that the man I saw beat ScrapIron did not know how to lose. Granted, Scrap Iron was no Ali but I knew that you had the right stuff inside you to find a way to win. You didn’t disappoint. You were great that night Joe, about as great as any heavyweight champ in history. I can’t imagine how you felt that night. Both of you made history that night, two legitimate undefeated heavyweight champions with a rightful claim to the title facing each other. You came through that night Joe. You had a heart the size of the moon and it didn’t let you down.. You were King of the world that night Joe! That bum I bet the five dollars with never did pay me but it didn’t matter, you gave me bragging rights too.

You never left anything in the ring Joe, your heart and your style didn’t permit it. You fought like a man Joe, no one can ever question that. Sometimes though, as they say, styles make fights and George Foreman had the right style, that’s life. We can’t always choose when we are going to lose but we can choose how we lose. That Smoking Joe heart kept you from staying on the canvas. When I look at the tapes of that fight I am always moved by your courage, and your big heart.. There was no quit in Joe Frazier. You faced him again a few years later. Not many would have faced Big George a second time.

You would meet Ali three times in total but it was the third fight, the “Thrilla in Manilla” that would once again cause the world to stand still and hold it’s breath while you and Ali would meet at the Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines, again making history in what many consider the greatest heavyweight fight in history.

You had a career to be proud of Joe and you gave fight fans like me a thrill that has lasted a lifetime. You always carried yourself with pride and distinction and made your family proud. I remember that era, possibly the greatest in heavyweight history and I remember Joe Frazier. You stood head and shoulders above the rest. You were one the fighters that inspired me to become a boxer.

Thanks for the memories Joe.


Note: Joe Frazier will be at the Pechanga Resort and Casino, February 12, 2010, to meet and greet fight fans and sign autographs, Scheduled to fight the main event that night are Lightweights Tyrone Harris and Korean Ji-Hoon Kim. The fight will be shown on ESPN Friday Night Fights. For more on that fight and that night go here.