What if Joe Frazier had won the Thriller in Manila?

Then in this alternate reality, the era of Larry Holmes would have started a couple of year earlier. We might have seen a bout between Holmes and Foreman when both were still near their primes. We might have seen a more competitive Ali challenge Holmes rather than the totally shot version that did fight Holmes in 1980. It might even be possible that Holmes could have come close to matching or breaking Joe Louis record of successful defenses.

 

If George had regained the title from Joe Frazier, and defended first against Jimmy Young, he would have been stopped before the 14th. No matter how much confidence he would have gained,,,he would have never been able to deal with Young. He would have been exhausted as he was in their actual fight by round 12...I mean completely exhausted...and would have been decked and stopped in 13 or 14.

 

I fully agree,Cobra. The likes of Ali and Young were Kryptonite to George.

 

Ali-Frazier IV would be a dead cert.

 

Like oil and water Stevie!

 

@Stevie G
You know by now that I'm probably the #1 Jimmy Young fan here right? Well, Jimmy's worst nightmare would have been Joe Frazier IMO...Non stop, high volume pressure from Frazier would have kept my man JY defending all night long,....which he would have done...he would have made to the limit, but he would have lost a pretty much one sided decision. Big bombers like Foreman and Lyle were Jimmy's meat....a second fight with Foreman would have been like his rematch with Ron Lyle....

 

Thing is after Manila Frazier was shot. Prior to 1975 I'd pick Joe to beat Young. After 75 you have to go with Young.

 

That is a fair point. Joe didn't seem to have that same motor and he didn't have the zip on his punches after Manila. He came in at 224 for a guy that he should've been in top shape for.

 

Bump.

 

Ideally he retires but given Joe's nature he would still try to attempt to avenge his loss to George. Ring rated Norton and Young as the top contenders in 75 and 76, maybe he takes a warmup bout before fighting Young then tries against George again before retiring. Ali never regains the title again due to being shot while the lineage goes Frazier->Foreman->Young->Norton->Holmes.

 

The implications are simple, Ali is no longer regarded as the HW GOAT.

 

Or Joe could have just retired having beaten Ali again.

 

Foreman beats that Ali

 

No it wouldn't have been anything. Ali wouldn't have ever gotten another crack at the title or at Frazier.

 

Maybe Muhammad Ali would have listened to his management and retired, his health and speech was starting to fail him. Joe Frazier as champion would have been forced to fight his stablemate and friend Ken Norton or lose the title again to George Foreman.