How might Joe Frazier have left a stronger boxing legacy?

He could have fought Kenny Norton, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, and Earnie Shavers.

 

If Joe Frazier's wrong, I don't wanna be right. He has the best single win in the king division, was the lineal and undisputed champ, was beat only by two men, and he has a win over one of 'em.


The man was great, give him his due. He is a boxer-type's living nightmare.

 

people outside boxing will always remember frazier because of ali, most wouldn't know the foreman fights. because ali is 'the greatest' frazier has to have been great to push him like that, imo fraziers legacy is safe in boxing and non boxing circles

 

I think in hindsight he shouldve stayed more active and fought more often. It was tough though considering his eye problems and his other health issues.
The thing that hurts Joe most in the eyes of some fans is that he wasnt competitive with Foreman. Had he been closer to his best form in Jamacia I think he puts up a better fight with George. I dont think he beats him but I think its a good slugfest.

 

I don't think Joe frazier was a 'great' fighter. Tough as hell, always in top shape, win or die attitude, and a tough night for anybody, yeah, that was him.
His legacy, really,now that I think on it, could not be improved. I cannot think of one time where he did not conduct himself as a man of principle, class and dignity. Especially when it came to his relationship with boxing. Ten thousand times more class and dignity than ali.

 

Uhhh... the most famous call of all time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZEIMQ42-oU

 

I think he was a great fighter in a murderous era for the heavyweight division. He didnt have the longest reign but his star burned very brightly. He was a machine at his peak.

Even a guy like Henry Armstrong didnt have much longevity probably because he had a similar style to Frazier.

 

If I could go back in time to advise Joe Frazier, I'd tell him to quit after FOTC. That'd be the best way to **** Ali off, as well as to preserve Joe's legacy and health as much as possible.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of Joe's retirement was blighted by stewing over people's perception that Ali was the better man. This way, he comes out on top, and Ali can never avenge his defeat.

I'd also tell Joe to take the % deal offered by Madison Square Garden instead of the flat couple of million dollars purse him and Ali chose. Although that couple of million was record breaking at the time, the percentage him and Ali would have gotten was a good few million more. Maybe $5 million or so more. Sorry, I can't recall the exact figures, but it was something like that.

He could smugly say to Ali "Who's the dummy now?" and ride off into the sunset a multi-millionaire.




PS: I'm also an Ali fan, and if I could go back in time and advise Ali, the point to quit for him to enjoy the best balance of legacy and health in retirement is after beating Foreman to regain the title.

 

It didnt help his legacy boxing wise but Joe made a helluva lot of $ after the FOTC. Hard to leave that $ out there when your still only 28 years old and undefeated champ.

 

You did not understand my post.

 

Agreed, good post.

The star that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

I think realistically the best Frazier could've added on top of his legacy was Norton of whom I think he would've beaten. Not much else as there wasn't many significant fighters around this period. A victory over Lyle or something probably wouldn't have added much to his legacy although it might help H2H matchups.

 

age thing, im 27 and most people i know around my age wouldn't know it

 

By defending against two ranked contenders after the FOTC, instead of two ham, and eggers?
Frazier fought two great heavyweights, his record against them in 5 fights is 1-4.

 

Armstrong had 181 fights, in 1944 alone [when he was 33, ] he had 19 fights. That is more than half of Fraziers total career tally of 37.

Frazier fought about 8 top men. Armstrong around 40.