Found this little story fascinating

Thanks McGrain

 

The part that i found the best was your last line that you added in, sums it up perfectly and is just a great line.

 

I was at the post fight party after Larry Holmes beat Scott Frank in Atlantic City N.J. Joe Frazier was there as well as Holmes and many other fighters. when Frazier came in he was very imposing shorter but wide,thick neck shouldersand hands. Larry was taller but Frazier looked freakishly Big,thick. Larry was drinking Beer and took hold of the mike and was saying how he would beat Marvis(promoting) he called Marvis a midget and that angered Frazier he walked right to Holmes with serious face in a hurried pace and Larry said "No Joe, not you Joe" Larry made a joke of it and backed up and then everyone started to laugh. Holmes handled it well and gave Joe a minute to cool off. Frazier may have been kidding but he did not look like it. I have met Ali and Holmes, Tyson, but Frazier made an impression on me as a guy you would have to shoot if he came at you, he had the look of the beast

 

Yer , that part , that's your own addition to the post though right?

 

I always sympathised with Frazier when it come to his severe handicap when it came to the war of words with Ali. Not greatly, but when it got outta hand and you knew it hurt him, it wasnt nice. When he said that Ali does his talking with his hands , but 'I do it with my fists' (or however he said it) it just looked like a real sweet victory on his behalf. Meant an awful lot to him that

 

Good story. Never mess with a Philadelphian fighter.

 

As a fan of boxing , i try to just be neutral when it comes to fights and just analyze, and enjoy the fight rather than support a fighter (im only human and cant help supporting Tyson, he just gimme too many good times growing up). But that philosophy sorta goes outta the window when it comes to times like when Frazier got his 'sweet victory' as i call it. It just meant so much to him, like you say though, it would have meant a whole lot more to him if he woulda made 2-1 in his favour in Manilla. Especially after the effects you have outlined that Ali's antics had on Joe's life and famly

 

Very good thread. Interesting story. I've always admired both Ali and Frazier. It's interesting how the dynamic of both of their personalities affected their fights...They fought so hard against each other it was unbelievable...It was the real thing, not phony hyperbole. (watch out for those fighters from Philadelphia!)

 

I'll say this much. That story just made my affection for Larry shoot up through the roof. He protected the near helpless Ali and did it with wisdom and grace. I'm not surprised at Foreman's working with him, but I do feel a bit guilty about the last couple of posts I did on Larry. Damn, McGrain, next time shut me up.

I don't see Larry and George's not talking to Joe about it as tacit approval or understanding. They sought the subtle route and had the foresight to know that Joe was in neither the mood nor the condition to not take offense to anyone calling him on his behavior.

As for the pain Ali inflicted on Joe and Joe's family: inexcusable. I have never been comfortable with the American left's beautification of the all-too human Muhammad Ali. Joe deserved better -and when it comes to the authentic black experience, Joe was a million times more "authentic" than the comparatively well-off Cassius Clay. When called an "uncle tom" by Ali, Joe wasn't politically aware enough to know the gravity of the insult... he said that he got mad because he thought that Ali was calling him a "peeping tom".

I will never forget that story, McGrain. Thank you.