I think it was a very close fight, I cant believe some think Frazier won by a large margin, Ive never scored it but it looked very close to me.
Just where were you, when you watched the fight. If you saw it live without any pre-judgement, it was clearly Joe's fight. Muhammad Ali did gut it out in Rounds 9 and 10 to turn the tide, but Round 11 answered any doubts. Don't you think.
I don't think it was a blow out or anything, but Joe clearly won that fight in my eyes. I'd probably score it 9-6 round-wise. Joe also landed the better punches, by which I mean the more solid, effective punches. Just counting the punches can be deceptive, especially when you have Ali throwing his jab out there so much. Given a choice between copping two of Ali's jabs or one of those vicious hooks from Joe...
Scoring can be a funny old thing. Generally speaking, I tend to give the round to whoever dominated the action rather than who landed the most punches. I have Frazier winning but not by a heck of a lot.
Muhammad Ali let it all go in the first 1:45 of Round 4. He threw some hellacious shots, and most landed. Flush too, right on Smokin Joe's noggin. Muhammad had to be amazed at the way Joe took those punches, then came back like a machine in those last minute of that round. Turning point....
Truth. Frazier walked through hell to win a close fight that he, in my mind, cemented with his big 15th round. Had Ali won the 15th, I'd have had a draw. He was really bludgeoning Joe early on, and he appeared to be on his way to winning by a nose through the 10th. But the 11th was a brutal round in Smoke's favor, and in my eyes he romped all the way home, slamming Ali to the mat with a beautiful hook to put any doubts about his win to bed.
Sly I actually agree with you Im gonna score the fight again round by round next week But last time I did it I was scoring almost every round for Ali. I just didnt want to get chased with pitchforks and such
ALi was pretty much on top for the first 7 and probably outlanded Frazier in most of those rounds. He took an ass kicking late though
Oh, after the fight, you were in both fighters dressing rooms, and also talked to the physicians after the fight. Lets us all know what they said...