Thrilla in Manila is so overrated

I agree with this...but just barely. Holmes-Norton was pretty much a consistent punch-fest, while FOTC had more clinching.

I sympathize with this some. But I think even FOTC Frazier would have had serious trouble with Bowe (styles), though I think he would have beaten both him and Holy (JUST this FOTC version of Joe).

I also think 1992 Holy and Bowe would have beaten 1971 Ali...60s is an entirely different story.

 

RulesMakeItInteresting....FOTC Joe Frazier never was seen again after 3/8/1971....he was a true force of nature...

 

Ali fought to the brink of death to win that fight. I don't think a performance like that can be overrated.

 

Although both were obviously past their best it was a great fight. Nothing is etched in stone, but I never understand the revisionist stuff saying it was overrated.

 

FOTC wasn't better than the Thrilla. It wasn't fought at the same hellish pace. Ali spent much of the middle rounds of FOTC fooling around to delay his inevitable ass kicking.
Frazier won by a good margin.
Thrilla was the fastest paced Heavyweight Title fight, most punches, so much drama. Ali's corner men were in tears by the 8th round.

 

More myth.

 

In terms of punches landed, I don't think Manila is as punishing as a lot of people say. I think the heat played a huge factor.
For me, Ali took more punishment in his first fight with Frazier than in any of his other fights.
I think Frazier suffered more in Manila than in FOTC because of the heat and taking a more severe beating than in the first fight and Ali suffered more because of the heat and not being as well conditioned as he should have been.

Manila was also fought a slower pace than FOTC, most probably due to the oppressive heat.

 

Ali was rusty in their first fight. Prime for prime Ali beats Frazier every time.

 

Gimme the # to your weed dealer.

 

You get your weed from the same guy. TIM was fought at a pace faster than some lightweight title fights. It was uncommon.

 

Overrated? They were close to kill themselves...maybe a bit fight 2 but repeat only a bit.

 

Both left whatever they had left in the ring that night in 1975...both were never the same again...

 

I agree that the Thrilla in Manila is overrated and that Ali controlled most of the fight handily. The FOTC is far better IMO. Best HW fight ever. Bowe-Holyfield 1 is close though and so is Holyfield-Qawi.

 

Great post.

A pleasure to read.

 

Still with the story of Golota 2. Bowe was out of his standard weight, he didnt have the power of the previous bouts. Besides maybe he didnt have a champion career like Lewis, Tyson and Holy for inner problems but nobody can say he was not a great fighter or that he was not at the level of those three.