Yea, in sparring. This content is protected Holmes talks about Joe Frazier breaking his ribs in this video.
Yea he was also very precise and accurate. He doesn't get enough credit for his placement of punches on the inside. His hook was a whip....Ali called it " an evil thing" that left hook
Ali could take body punishment better than any fighter that ever boxed. Otherwise he doesn't see the final bell.
I think Ali ,because of his exile was not confident in his ability to," float like a butterfly," in this fight ,and therefore resorted to counter flurries from the corners and ropes. Compare the FOTC with the 2 fights subsequent fights and I think this is proven.
I wasn't at all impressed by Ali in those two fights he was blowing when he went back to his corner after the first round against Quarry.The cut eye to Quarry was a godsend for Ali Bonavena was giving him hell and shook him in the 9th round,Ali looked pedestrian and clean out of ideas at times in that fight. Do you think 18rds of ring action after3.5 years of enforced inactivity are sufficient for a fighter who relied on his legs and reflexes as no other heavyweight has ever done?
Frazier never toyed with any opponent, he was trying his best to get him out of there in each and every round!
His hands were fast his legs were nearly stationary for large parts of the fight! This is undeniable.
Nope, Fraziers last great stand was FOTC, he wasn't a very well man, nearly blind in one eye and high blood pressure also Foreman had bounced him around badly, by 74 Joe wasn't the same, nor was Ali but Joes style as we know loses steam more so than a pure boxer
