How athletic was Joe Frazier?

I routinely disagree with Janitor on certain points (which get repeated in many threads). Yet, I respect his contributions and find most worthwhile and very thoughtful... even when I disagree.

This was not the case with Elroy. Not even close.

 

Yikes, that blog is crazy. I can understand favoring modern-day fighters over old school fighters, but that's just insane. Joe Frazier, a featherfist? atsch He also calls Joe a tomato can!

 

Oh what a glorious day!!! :good

 

More athletic than his son. :conf

 

As you should!

 

Elory is the guy from HWblog.

I saw him use phrases in his comment section that he got from debating with me on here.

 

Frazier's involvement in the Superstars competition was poorly researched by his management and simply a mistake .. Joe was a farm boy with almost no childhood, who went from working in the fields to the meat shops .. he had no experience swimming, riding bikes or power lifting ... he was not built for speed running ... as far as an athlete, he was an exceptional prize fighter combining speed, power, strength and hand/eye coordination .. speaks for itself ... Jeffries may have been a better all around athlete but I doubt he lasts longer than five or six rounds against a 1969 version of Frazier ... likely gets pounded and slashed to ribbons ..

 

Very athletic. His style was so busy, always moving and working. It must have taken great energy to keep the pressure on other fighters so long. You can see his conditioning in the first Ali fight and against Eddie Machen early in his career. He didn't have long levers and 6% body fat or look like Adonis but its not that far to the other side of the ring and he generated real power in his shoulders and arms and never stopped throwing.

Some think athleticism is to go Faster/ higher/ stronger/ longer or just plain better than all the others trying to do the same thing. Track and field athletics is very specific so athletes can look very similar, but boxing has so many strategies and styles and depends on so many bodyparts working perfectly that all shapes and heights can compete. (if they do the work)That's one of its great attractions. I think Joe was a fine athlete well conditioned and wouldn't have been any better a boxer for "looking" more athletic. ( like a Norton / Foreman / Bruno.)

 

This is pretty much my line of thinking as well. I really hate it when posters point to him struggling to press 160 lbs. as an indication that he wasn't a strong guy. Rubbish, he was plenty strong.
Lifting weight, even the most basic lift, requires a degree of technique and understanding of how to lift that weight. One can see him struggling with his coordination and balance.
I suppose next to the younger set of athletes for whom weight training has become a fundamental part of their training, that attempt by Joe looks pretty weak.
But as you say, he had no experience in these types of events.

 

Frazier was an extremely strong fighter in his trunk and legs especially ... look at the way he often bulled Ali around .. to press over your head is all about technique .. Frazier clearly had no clue and was trying it off balance with arms only .. Joe was coming off the disaster against Foreman, thought he'd take an easy vacation and get some good press by entering the tournament with no knowledge of what he was getting into and it blew up in his face ..

Another funny thing about Frazier is the trunks he wore .. he could not have picked more unflattering trunks for his body type. If you ever see him at a weigh in in under ware it is remarkable how much better he appears to be built .. I only mention this because it all adds to this ogre like image of Frazier which is simply misleading.

 

Very True.

Joe had uncommon stamina and conditioning similar to Rocky.

 

At least as good and more proven ... Joe kept the pace against men much bigger, stronger , younger and heavier that the collection of light heavyweights and cruisers Rocky fought .. Ali, Bugner, Bonavena, Mathis, Chavalo .. simply bigger men.

 

Amusing but very true and accurate observation.

 

Well I dont think we have to worry about him for awhile!:good

 

Look at 15:00 mark of a very interesting doc ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uu9dTFfEQA