Joe Frazier?

Without Frazier, the 70s wouldn't have been the golden era of the heavyweight division. It is widely believed that he has the most valuable victory in the heavyweight division. TOP 10

 

A shame he didn't face Norton but if I'm not mistaken it was deliberate bcuz they were good friends. Anyone feel free to correct me on that still not on my 70s boxing reading yet.


I'd say the third best champ of the 70s under Ali n Foreman both who beat him. Tbf, he has arguably the best win w beating Ali only comparable to Ali beating Foreman of the same decade for that era and arguably ever.


He is definitely top 10 but tbf his style wasn't going to last long so yes Foreman n Ali adapted better for longevity but that doesn't discount what feats Frazier still accomplished. I would only rate 5 heavyweights over him at most.

 

If Ali is the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel as he is made out to be, then OBVIOUSLY Frazier belongs at least in the Top 5, as absurd as that may seem, simply for fighting him life and death over 44 rounds, and even securing a victory.
Can't really have it both ways.
If Frazier only had the three fights vs Ali and no other career beyond that, he would still be Top 5, simply because we have annointed Ali as a living God, and Frazier was his toughest opponent.
I know it sounds pretty ridiculous, but that's why I don't go around giving God status to athletes. But I am only but one man, and my opinion is usually drowned out by the mob

 

Joe Frazier was without a doubt an atg who should make the top 10. Despite his relative low number of fights there is very little padding on that record

 

I rate him lower than most, all the way down at #12.

Rightly or wrongly, I don't make as much allowance as many other people do, for one era being much stronger or weaker than others. That isn't to say I view all eras equally, I don't, and I do believe 1 era can have, for example, 3 x ATGs whilst another has 0, but in general, consistent dominance in a fighter's own era scores most highly with me.

When it comes to appraising fighters who dominated their weight division (e.g. Louis, Foster, Zarate, etc), their competition is invariably questioned. I believe it's more likely that a fighter who consistenlty dominates an era is better than the best fighter of other eras, rather than all the top 10-20 contenders during his reign being weaker than all of the top contenders of other eras.

So, Frazier suffers by the criteria I apply, as the likes of Holmes, Lewis, Johnson, Wlad, Jeffries, Liston & even Tyson, all of whom could reasonably be ranked below Joe and are often on other lists, are higher on my list because for a period at least, inlcuding pre-title runs in some instances, they were more dominant than Joe, who was 1-4 against the best 2 opponents he faced.

My criteria is incredibly harsh on Frazier, who is unquestionably an ATG, and I completely understand why most rank him higher than me.

 

I have Joe at #8, just edging out Mike Tyson.

His defeat of an under-30 (and tuned up) Muhammad Ali cannot be underestimated, nor his decimation of guys like young Ellis and Quarry. There was no heavyweight in history that could have beaten Frazier from the first Quarry fight to the FOTC imo, h2h nobody could put out his smoke.


1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Holmes
4. Holyfield
5. Foreman
6. Lewis (Foreman and Lewis trade places a lot on my list, I go back and forth)
7. Marciano
8. Frazier
9. Tyson
10. Wlad

 

Easily within the top 20. Cleaned out a strong division, then fought like an absolute monster on the way to claiming the biggest scalp in heavyweight history in the FOTC. People like to talk about Tokyo Douglas, but we can talk about FOTC Frazier? Talk about singular focus, determination, and burning hot rage.

 

Very overrated due to his win over Ali who himself is the most overrated boxer of all time.
I rate Frazier between 11 and 20 all time.

 

FOTC very specific situation. I don't think Frazier has ever been more ready and motivated. Frazier masterpiece. Never has a champion had to prove more to himself, to the challenger, to the world, to the world of boxing, than Frazier did then. On paper, it's JUST another title defense, but people recognized the value of the fight and gave it a real name - FIGHT OF THE CENTURY.

 

Frazier's run from 67-71 was pretty damn good and I'd put it over the best run of Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey, Marciano, Liston and Holmes. And none of them had to share their era with two top-10 heavyweights.

 

Hmm FOTC Frazier and Tokyo Douglas…I can see the makings of an interesting debate there…

 

Definitely a top 10 all time great heavyweight,Fergie.