Joe Frazier's Chin Against Ali...

Frazier was motivated the most for Ali in his career. There was no other fighter who got under his skin more than Ali and he was better prepared mentally to take anything that he would throw everytime he faced him. In fact, Joe was slightly off his game in the FOTC because he was loading up with the left hook too much, probably out of anger, and he neglected his right hand.

 

In round two of their middle fight, Tony Perez may well have saved Frazier from getting floored by Ali. Muhammad had him stunned more severely then than at any other time in all three matches, and was starting to rake him over the coals on the ropes when Perez erroneously stepped in.

Many observers consider his knockout punch against Foreman to be the hardest blow he ever delivered, but that right hand he drove Joe to the ropes with in that second round ranks up there with the long jolting right that signaled the beginning of the end of Lyle.

 

Staying upright after taking Ali's right hand is not a sign of a great chin. Taking 200 of them and still keep coming forward, however, is a sign of inhuman will and ability to take accumulative punishment.

 

Frazier may very well have been hurt in that second round but I don't think he was threatened to be stopped like some have said. Certainly, Ali might have dropped him if Perez let him continue his flurry, but I think he would have got up and recovered.

Perez overall did a horrible job of officiating in this rematch and I dare say Frazier might've pulled out the victory if it was a fifteen round fight. It's been well documented that Ali got away with excessive holding and pulling Frazier's head down. Ali tried that in the first couple of rounds in Manilla but Carlos Padilla kept slapping his gloves away from Frazier's neck, not letting him do that.

There was no way Frazier was going to win this fight regardless of the controversy because boxing couldn't afford for Ali to potentially retire after losing two fights to Frazier.

 

For anyone to say Frazier had a weak chin is being pretty tough on the guy. There was only one man who ever KO'd him. Ali stopped him early in their third bout, but it had nothing to do with Frazier's chin. Foreman just had his number.

While Frazier was disappointing as a "fighting champion" he really did fight and win against all the big boys on his way up. He beat hard punchers like Quarry (twice) and Bob Foster. He also had wins over Buster Mathis, Jimmy Ellis (twice), Bonavena, Chuvalo, Machen and Doug Jones.

Only Foreman ever knocked the hard-headed SOB out. It was just SOOOO PUBLIC!!!

 

I've always felt the same way.

People like to point to the Ali fights to prove Frazier had a great chin, but they showcased his superhuman toughness more than his chin. He was never hit that hard in those fights due to Alis lack of power.

 

Totally agree with the trend here, Chris, Mac, MM. Norton too took a bit from Ali (AND Holmes) but was axed by others.

 

Frazier didn't have a weak chin at all. As we all know, "Styles make fights". Against Foreman Joe's style was taylor made for George. Angelo Dundee said it best when asked why Ali beat George. He explained that George was the type of fighter that liked to hook and punch down at an opponent, just like he did to Frazier. Joe's style enabled George to tee off on him since he was shorter than him and with Geoge's power that spelled disaster for Joe. Ali didn't hit as hard as Foreman which allowed Joe to stay in the fights with him despite getting hit alot. One thing Joe did have over the likes of Foreman and Bonavena was stamina. Joe kept on coming where George and Oscar got tired against Ali (George tired quicker of course). It's all about styles for the most part. That's why you never can tell in the fight game.

 

Frazier has an average chin. It's not great but it's not bad. Pretty much what McGrain said; he could be beat up, knocked down and have his face swollen to the size of a beach ball, but he'll still keep coming forward.