If Joe Frazier won Thrilla would it have been a bigger win for him than FOTC?

FOTC is still the bigger fight but a lot of people still prefer Thrilla as a fight. Joe was considered washed up by then but he would be regaining the title and against his eternal rival no less who overcame all odds to upset Foreman.

 

Joe was not considered washed up when he met Ali for the third time. He was considered past his prime, however. That was pretty much the same way Ali was looked upon. In reality, that fact is irrelevant. There is no way winning that fight would have been bigger. The Fight of the Century was not called the FOTC for nothing. It had more significance, more interest, more everything.

 

Everyone would have said that Ali was past his prime and would never give Frazier true credit.
Aside from Ken Norton, people discredit almost all of Ali's losses, including the fight of the century

 

"They told me you were washed up Joe."

Other than that I agree with your post whole-heartedly. Though if Frazier did win Manilla, I think his stock goes up, while Ali's goes down significantly.

 

Yeah it's funny how that's seen but Ali himself admitted years later that he lost FOTC.

 

Definitely don't see a way for Ali to regain the title as Joe likely goes down fighting Foreman again, huge shift in history but both Ali and Frazier should both be around Top 5 in that scenario.

 

Ali was completely out of shape, both fighters were easier to hit in that fight, they didn`t have much left.

 

Nobody thinks Ali won the fight of the century, he looked far better and trimmer in their rematch.

 

Not that he won it, just not giving Frazier full credit for the win since Ali had taken a 3 year break so he could draft dodge

 

A really interesting question is what if he defeated Ali in Manila then avenged his loss against Foreman. Could he have an argument for no. 2 (assuming the rest of Foreman’s career pans out the same way)?

 

Yes. For Frazier, that would be a bigger winn.
Before FOTC, Frazier was the champion, but not the lineal champion.
With the victory in Manila, he would become the champion again, the lineal champion, and overthrow Ali after Zaire.
This would certainly be reflected in the ATG list.

 

It would have been a big win but I don’t know if the magnitude would have been as great, no.

 

Hi there Renaldo. Ali did NOT dodge the draft. A draft dodger skips the border of the country he's getting the call up from. Muhammad did n't do that.

 

He was right to dodge the draft.

 

You are right, he was afforded special priveliges by the supreme court due to his celebrity status