Have Ali ever claimed he won the first Frazier fight?

I will watch it again sometime in the future. There are definitely fights I watched years ago I would score differently now. I don't take offense to holding as much people here and I ultimately think it's the referees more than the actual fighters who are going to hold in close quarters at times.

How did you score the 3rd fight BTW? I gave Frazier the 13th round.

 

You did? Was a long time ago, but my memory was that Ali dominated that one. But I'll revisit, sometimes these things blur together.

 

I've watched the FOTC probably 20 times--and every time I come away thinking 8-6-1 for Frazier is the 100% proper scoring.

 

Rewatched it and it was as I remembered. A very clear round for Ali.

I gave the first minute to Frazier despite him not landing anything but low punches (that weren't called), but Ali didn't land anything of significance either and Frazier had the initiative. But then Ali took over the rest of the round. He rocked Frazier on two occasions and had him as target practice at times. Ali illegaly smothered some of Fraziers punches by pulling on his neck, but that's not something that makes me give the round to Frazier - which in effect would be the same as docking Ali two points.

It was a crystal clear round for Ali.

 

I think within the next few months I will definitely do a RBR again. Seems due.

 

I remember the third meet as hard to score. I don't think the first or second are. I had three close rounds in the first and two in the second. Was a long time ago since I watched The Thrilla the whole way through but there were quite a few close rounds as I remember.

 

I was pretty surprised how much punishment was taken in the 3rd fight from both. More than the 1st and that was bruising enough.

 

It's just so brutal. And then you have the absolute exhaustion on top of that. Tragic that Ali would continue for another six years. Both should have retired after that one.

 

Agreed the amount actually made me a bit wary even when watching despite my love for boxing. Both should have retired then or at the least Ali should have retired after Norton 3.

 

Yeah, then he would have avoided the very punishing fights against Shavers and Holmes. But retiring after a controversial decision win of course doesn't leave a perfect after taste. There was nothing controversial about the Manilla win, the greatest rivalry in sports was settled. Perfect time to bow out.

 

Perfect time agreed. After Norton 3 latest.

 

The perfect time to bow out was after Kinshasha . He climbed his mountain.

 

I concur. All three fights were close but the third was the closest of all. I had it just about level on points at the end of the twelfth with Muhammad winning the thirteenth and fourteenth.

 

Muhammad had sealed his greatness with the Foreman fight,imo. If he'd retired then it would have been perfect. Manila was a superb encore though.

 

I think their rivalry needed that final fight. They were one apiece and the second was a bit of a let down excitement wise, so a classic third fight was the perfect ending.