How would Joe Frazier be remembered if he quit in 1971 as far as boxing legacy goes

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Boxing125, Jul 9, 2015.


  1. Boxing125

    Boxing125 Active Member Full Member

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    I believe Frazier is the one of the best examples of a heavyweight champ who should have quit at the summit after winning the Fight Of The Century against the unbeaten self styled 'The Greatest' Ali. The FOTC would probably be the best remembered heavyweight fight in history,

    Frazier would be remembered as the unbeaten 'black Marciano' and he would be remembered as a fighter who was an unstoppable tank with the power of Mike Tyson and the grit of Marciano. There was absolutely nowhere for Frazier to go after winning the FOTC - he had beaten all the current top contenders and just won against Ali who had always boasted 'I am the greatest of all time' and ' I cannot be defeated'. The only reason to carry on was the prestige of being heavy weight champ and the money from championship bouts. Also he was still only 27. But from a legacy point of view I think a lot of people would have him in their top 3 heavyweights of all time if he had quit after this fight. I think the FOTC was Frazier's everest once conquered and with the health problems he suffered after the fight he would have been justified in leaving the sport there and then.

    Nobody would remember the Foreman defeats , the fact that Ali beat Frazier 2-1 in the series and the fact that Frazier was never the same again after the FOTC. People would just remember this a whirlwind of a fighter that was an unstoppable force.

    I also read online a report written the day after the fight with Joe saying he was thinking of quitting 'but its up to Yank - hes the boss'. Why did Joe carry on?
     
    Boxing125, Jul 9, 2015
    Boxing125, Jul 9, 2015
    #1
  2. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    True. But as I said on another thread,very few of them leave the stage when it's the ideal time. For health and prestige.
     
    Stevie G, Jul 9, 2015
    Stevie G, Jul 9, 2015
    #2
  3. Boxing125

    Boxing125 Active Member Full Member

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    Frazier carrying on ironically helped Ali's legacy
     
    Boxing125, Jul 11, 2015
    Boxing125, Jul 11, 2015
    #3
  4. itsa

    itsa Boxing Addict Full Member

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    "Black rocky? He only won 30 fights!"

    "He would have killed Foreman!"

    "Frazier beats Ali 10/10 times"

    "Could any HW beat Frazier?"

    "He never fought the best of the 70s"
     
    itsa, Jul 11, 2015
    itsa, Jul 11, 2015
    #4
  5. Vince Voltage

    Vince Voltage Boxing Addict Full Member

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    It would be a Marciano type of thing, with Joe leaving unbeaten but with lots of suspicion about how he'd fare against tough, young opposition.
     
    Vince Voltage, Jul 11, 2015
    Vince Voltage, Jul 11, 2015
    #5
  6. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    He should have retired but without a loss we would be trying to pick holes in Fraziers legacy. We would be making lots of the knockdowns he suffered against Ringo. How come he could not stop machen earlier than Ingo did? What a shame he never fought more linear champions. Etc etc.

    Even though beating Ali trumps beating Liston and Patterson I still think had Joe knocked out an old Liston or an old Patterson it would have enhanced his resume retiring with three linear kings on his back catalogue.

    Another question would be imagine if both Ali and Frazier retired after TFOTC?
     
    choklab, Jul 11, 2015
    choklab, Jul 11, 2015
    #6
  7. yancey

    yancey Active Member Full Member

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    Madison Square Garden tried hard to match Patterson and Frazier, but Patterson never went though with it.

    I can't blame Floyd. He knew what would happen.
     
    yancey, Jul 11, 2015
    yancey, Jul 11, 2015
    #7
  8. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Frazier only had 26 fights going into the FOTC and was an Olympic gold medal winner but was really green as a pro. I think he we could speculate how well he would have done and in actuality had he retained the conditioning he had in the FOTC he may have had the edge over Ali again in II and III, both men were in danger and both men slipped some, Frazier far more. Frazier got stunned by Terry Daniels and Ron Stander and then stopped by Foreman after FOTC so he did go down a bit.....how does Detontay Wilder get rated if he quits today 32-0 ?
     
    Bummy Davis, Jul 11, 2015
    Bummy Davis, Jul 11, 2015
    #8
  9. Nighttrain

    Nighttrain 'BOUT IT 'BOUT IT Full Member

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    He would have been thought of the similar to how Tyson was perceived pre Buster Douglas. Ali's subsequent accomplishments fueling his legacy and an endless stream of "what ifs". While there would be questions legitimately raised by his abreviated resume it is hard to be compared to ghost.

    That said, there was no way he was quitting. Durham wanted to retire prior to Foreman. He couldn't get out even when everyone around him wanted to retire. Like many the same thing that made great made him stick around way past closing time and there was no way he was holding on to his money.
     
    Nighttrain, Jul 11, 2015
    Nighttrain, Jul 11, 2015
    #9
  10. Balder

    Balder Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Far to few fights, and Ali was considered rusty and had lost his prime years.

    Frazier did himself no harm continuing after that fight, the Next 2 fights with Ali cemented his legacy.
     
    Balder, Jul 11, 2015
    Balder, Jul 11, 2015
    #10