I met him a couple of months ago and im in a long line waiting till i get my picture signed and the guy in front of me has a picture of Ali and Joe together. But before you see joe a bouncer type guy(massive bald guy) checks what you want signed he's checking that you dont have any thrilla in manilla stuff to sign, cause he said joe wont sign it. So they to start arguing it gets pretty heated(joe is sitting about 3 feet away from it all) this goes on and on for a good 5 minutes and im starting to cringe. The big bald guy says to him 'you've no chance of getting it signed'. So the guy walks up to joe frazier with the photo from the thrilla in manilla ( IM cringing thinking of **** here we go) hands it to joe and says can you sign the photo please? And joe with that big smile says 'no problem brother' and signs it. GOD BLESS JOE! YOUR IMPACT WAS WORLWIDE
I would just like to say that he's been getting alot of coverage all over the world. Especially in the uk. He may not have any money but when your loved all over the world who needs money?
My Joe Frazier story is similar to the first one posted in this thread...Back in 92' Smokin' Joe was doing an appearence in a furniture store up in Plattsburgh, NY...As a big fan I was psyched for the oppurtunity to meet him so I grab my Joe Frazier boxing card and went to meet the legend in person....When I got there, they were handing out these photocopied pictures of him and it was stated that those were the only things he'd sign but I figured I'd take a chance with my card....So I get to the table and meet him and his bodyguard (or whoever it was) takes my card and says he's only signing the photocopied picture...Then Joe takes my card from the bodyguard guy and signs it (and even gets his fingerprint smudge on the ink as he hands it back to me (which I thought was pretty cool) and then poses for a couple pictures with me and was just totally cool/friendly...Awesome guy and an awesome CHAMP! I never forgot that moment.
Alright here's a funny one im in the hotel waiting in the line with my twin to get my picture with joe and my twin is in the line front of me ( he has long black hair) He walks up to joe and joe points at him and shouts 'you look like one of the beatles' and then starts to sign he loves you by the beatles then my brother joins in (they are both laughing their heads off). So im watching joe frazier and my brother dueting thinking **** me this awesome. My wife was in the queue ( she was pregnant at the time) and joe points at her with his big smile and says have we met before lol. So joe frazier chatted up my wife. When i walked up joe just just looked at me and said to me and said 'whats happening slick? and then gave me a big hug. That was only a couple of months ago in joe's mind it was cold tuesday just another day for him but in my mind it was one of the great days in my life. I write this with a tear in my eye. God has taken joe home to see eddie and yank man he was special!
Yeah I was surprised all my mates were asking me about it as they know im a huge boxing fan. Great thread btw, wish I had the pleasure.
Never met him, but I remember seeing an interview with Jerry Quarry who Frazier battled twice. He said that Ali was the best boxer he ever faced in the ring, and Joe was the toughest man he ever faced in the ring. I think that's a good way to describe him and I never forgot that line. RIP Smokin' Joe
Good idea for thread. Wish I had chance to meet Joe. I said to myself, when Joe was still alive, that I will go to US (Philly) just to shake his mighty left hand. If anyone have more stories about the legend, share it with rest of us. All the best to Joe fans and other boxing fans, S. from Serbia