Smokin Joe Frazier Passes Away.....

[MMC]

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/blog/box...?urn=box-wp849

Joe Frazier, one of the biggest sports icons of the 1960's and 70's, passed away tonight from live cancer at the age of 67. He was diagnosed less than six weeks ago and spent his final days in a Philadelphia-area hospice.

Frazier's legacy is etched in stone as part of the greatest individual rivalry in sports history. The stocky, less than graceful Frazier was the perfect foil for the elegant and athletic Muhammad Ali.

Their trilogy between 1971 and 1975 tops everything in boxing's long history. Frazier was the first person to defeat Ali.

There was nothing he could do. Frazier, a reserved gentleman was never going to win a trash talk battle against Ali. Ali went on to win the 1972 rematch against Frazier, again at Madison Square Garden.

The third fight in the Philippines, "The Thrilla in Manila" trumped the first two. A back and forth battle, it ended after 14 rounds because Frazier's eyes were nearly swollen shut. His trainer Eddie Futch argued with his fighter before calling it a night. On a night with the temperature in Manila hovered around 100 degree, rounds 13 and 14 were grueling. Both fighters were completely exhausted, but still wailed away each other.

Frazier fought just two more times. He lost badly to George Foreman in 1976 and fought to a draw during a short-lived comeback in 1981.....snip~

R.I.P. Smokin Joe..... 8) A Legend!

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, I saw that.

I remember Joe Frazier as a guest on Howard Stern. Not a bad segment.

Sad to hear that he passed. I heard the day before last that he had liver cancer. I guess that was a last minute prelude to his expected death.

[MMC]

I remember when he use to sing for those Beer Commercials.....Yeah I saw the one that Forman Crushed him on too. The fight in Manilla Frazier almost went blind forever.