Marvis Frazier On Fighting Larry Holmes

Frazier jr. should n't have been in the ring with Holmes at that time. He was inexperienced,with his most notable victory being a points verdict on an over the hill Joe Bugner. Poppa Joe should have got Marvis more experience first.

 

I think everyone ( including myself ) agrees that in HINDSITE, putting Marvis in the ring with Holmes, was a terrible mistake... But, at the time it was by far and above the biggest opportunity that Marvis had ever gotten ( and ever would get. ) The payday and the rewards for the risks taken, were by far and above more palatable than facing anyone else... I am speculating here, but I think Joe had hesitations about Marvis facing some of the more dangerous punchers and younger alpha champs at the time, such as Tim Witherspoon, Greg Page, Pinklon Thomas, Mike Dokes and Mike Weaver... Does this mean, he would have failed against all of them? No, but I could see the concern that he might have had... Holmes was pushing 34 years of age, and wasn't looking particularly impressive in his most recent bouts.... In addition, he was by comparison, a relatively light hitter when contrasted to the rest of the top heavy's. The money Marvis would get, along with the collosal recognition and experience gained, were too hard to pass up... Sure, he might have faired better taking on someone like Gerrie Coetzee, but had he lost, he would have blemished his record against a far less noteworthy opponent and for less money...Again, in hindsite, it turned out to be a distasterous move, but at the time I could also see the risks vs rewards ratio as being in Marvis's favor.. It's actually very similar to the situation that Derick Chisora is in right now.. Does he pass up a title shot and million dollar payday against Wladimir Klitschko to play it safe and further his experience first, at the risk of losing a fight and never seeing this opportunity again?? Or does he take his chances, and if nothing else, comes away with a relatively non-disgraceful blemish and a big paycheck? sometimes prospects are faced with these dilemas, and frankly they are a lot more fortunate to have these choices, than many of their peers who never get a shot at all..

 

Thanks,

These types of situations are a very tough call for both prospects and their managers.. Its sort of like using the example of either staying in college and finishing your degree, or taking a job offer for $60,000. a year with great benefits.. Do you take the job and run the risk of being out of work in 5 years with no degree, or do you stay in school, and take the chance that the job won't be there in the future? It's never an easy call, but the positive side, is that only the most fortunate people are placed in situations where they have to make these decisions.. There are some who don't even have the choice...

 

What a touching video.

 

It's easy to say Marvis needed more experience, but as Magoo pointed out, Larry was pushing 34, had the scare with Witherspoon earlier in the year, and was still by far the biggest name in the division until somebody knocked him off. There was something of a rush to get to him first.

Larry was and is a first rate businessman, one of the shrewdest to ever hold a title. As he said, sure Marvis wasn't ready, but the money was indeed excellent, "Like robbing a bank." He's not shining shoes today, or sleeping on a bench because he made smart choices in his best interest.

Marvis wound up having a pretty respectable career. Wins over Broad (in the best shape of Broad's professional career), Bugner, Banjo, Ribalta, Bonecrusher and Brown show that he was absolutely capable of playing with tall super heavyweights. He made a career out of beating 6'3", 6'4" and 6'5" tall opponents.

Joe was never crazy about the idea of any of his children taking up boxing. This wasn't the father of Greg Page, Wilfredo Benitez or the Quarry boys, pushing his kids into the sport before they were old enough to validly consent to getting punched in the head. And Marvis did prove to have certain limitations the old man didn't share. But when Marvis did go into boxing, Joe helped and supported him the best he knew how.

Finally, just when it mattered most, after Mills Lane stopped the slaughter by Holmes, Joe showed the world what a real father unconditionally is. (Nearly a quarter century later, Alan Minter did likewise when son Ross was suddenly overtaken from behind by Curiel.) Smoke is indeed a good man, not the piece of **** Gregorio Benitez and Philip Coetzee were.

As he gets older, Marvis sure is resembling more of the block he's chipped off of, in his manner of speech and physical appearance. Most importantly though, Joe, a real man, has begotten a son who's also a real man.

 

larry holmes reminds me of bison in street fighter and marvis frazier as chun li
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Chun Li: My father saved his village at the cost of his own life. You had him shot as you ran away. A hero at a thousand paces!
Bison: I'm sorry... I don't remember any of it.
Chun Li: You don't remember?
Bison: For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me... it was Tuesday.


to one person it was a big moment in his life that moves them to this day but to the other it was not even somthing worth mentioning

 

Cheers for posting this vid, its gives you an indication of the pressure that came with being Joe Frazier's son.

 

Nicely said. In at least the back of his mind, Joe had to know Marvis had a real uphill battle on his hands with Holmes. His love for his son is unconditional, as it should be. Good men, both of them. That trumps being a good fighter anyday.

 

Classic Interview
This interview, above all the things I have ever seen on heard about Frazier, won my unconditional respect for the man.

 

Damn. That video made me cry. Marvis doesn't need to be another Joe Frazier. Even though he lost his biggest fights, it wasn't because he wasn't a good fighter, he was just too small and fighting the wrong style.

 

I remember reading many years ago that Joe tried turning Marvis into a slugger which, which he wasn't. That wouldn't have helped Marvis on bit

 

Indeed, one very prominent magazine actually picked Frazier to upset Holmes. Certainly puts things a little in perspective.

 

That warmed my heart.

Joe was a great Dad in addition to great fighter.

Other Pa's turned boxing trainers, my own included, could have taken this lesson.