Ali / Frazier Relationship

Two amazing warriors who will be forever intertwined as long as time itself goes on. It's a shame their personal relationship did not do their rivalry and in ring feats justice. Perhaps it actually reflected what we saw in the ring tho. Perhaps without that depth of feeling they would not have risen to the incredible heights they did.

 

Being a former fighter myself, i just dont see it possible to be truly buddy Buddy friendly outside the ring with someone whom you had such a truly vicious rivalry with inside the ring like frazier and Ali. Part of you has to genuinely dislike the other person (either parts of them or all of them) or have cold apathy.

I couldn't possibly throw vicious punches at someone I love like a brother even if im getting paid millions. And if someone told me they could I wouldn't believe them (how close they are that is).

 

I remember reading, from a 1965 article that the people of Philadelphia gave Christmas gifts to the children of Joe and Florence Frazier. This is right after Ali stopped Floyd Patterson, on Nov 22 1965, TKO12, to retain his title. When Ali was stripped of his belt and license, in 1967. Frazier was working his way up to the title, feeding his family, being a responsible man. In 1969, he went to see then President Richard M. Nixon to see if the president could do something about restoring Ali's license.This was shortly after paying Muhammad's hotel bill, and loaning Ali some money, attorney's fees for fighting a Draft Evasion conviction was quite expensive. Muhammad called out Joe at this time, to meet him at a local public park for a fight, police broke this up. Both fighters had a degree of animosity towards one another for different reasons. Ali because he was banned from boxing, and while he was champion, he was never excepted. This was because of his verbal opposition to the Vietnam war. He felt that Frazier was accepted by the american public, and used very inflammatory words to describe him at every turn. Frazier felt that Ali bit the hand that fed him. I think that Joe had the bitterness of not being able to fight Muhammad, while Ali was defending his title in 1966, overseas. Joe had mentioned after the televised Henry Cooper rematch on May 21 1966, in London, won by Ali, TKO 6, that he felt that he could beat the champion, but Yank Durham, said no to this comment. Also the televised physical confrontation between the two in 1974, before their scheduled rematch on Jan 28th, again the insulting comments against Joe. Then before the 1975, Thrilla in Manila, Ali jabbing the toy gorilla, calling it Joe Frazier. They do come from different backgrounds, Frazier grew up poor, while Ali was raised by a middle class family. Frazier's father had one arm and was a sharecropper, Frazier helped his father. Ali's father was a house painter. Fight fans know this was promotion for the fight gate, but both hurt the other with this. Both were great champions.

 

A lot of Ali’s taunts and insults were fight promotion activities. However a good portion were to get under an opponents skin.

 

On the flip side Ali and Kenny Norton had a good rivarly but also mutual respect and they were genuinely friends. There wasn't alot that Ali could make fun of Kenny about. He sort of played a big brother role..as I read Norton's book I thought of the contrast between the two. That was a healthy, competitive sporting rivarly.
When Kenny had his horrible car accident Ali was about the 3rd person at the hospital.

 

I think that both parties are partially right here.

The relationship was a complex one.

 

To be honest I think that Frazier got under his skin.

He always saw Frazier as his most dangerous opponent, and perhaps Frazier was the only man that he feared.

 

Could be however Frazier’s reactions seem to indicate Ali taunts were working.

 

"Exactly!!!"

 

No way Frazier ever liked Ali, he probably had moments where he could be cordial as the thread starter was watching, but not since Alis comeback did Frazier ever like Ali, rightfully so to, he went way over the top Ali did, to have your kids coming home crying because of his ott attitude would seal it for me if I was Joe

 

Money could separate any friendship, or put it on hold anyway..I haven't 1 friend I wouldn't punch for money, and if I had a brother i'd punch him too !

 

Part of the reason why I don't really rate Ali as this great human being like everyone else does and never really liked him. It was disgusting the way he treated Frazier.

 

I met Joe at a Black Tie Charity Dinner in Dallas. Joe Earnie Shavers & Jake La Motta were the Boxing guests. I was like a kid in a candy store chatting to them. Someone asked Joe how he felt about Ali. Joe said " We could never really be friends as such but I have the utmost respect for the man. I gave him everything I had in 3 fights & he still came back. If I was at war in a foxhole fighting for my life Ali is the man I would like to have fighting beside me.Does that satisfy you ??
The respect was mutual I believe

 

Then you're not very good friends