Going from only his fight interviews and other stuff I see on YouTube, he's one of the most likeable, genuine guys ever in boxing. For those who were around in that era, was there a darker side?
"Likable" is the very first word that came to mind before I clicked on this thread, and on various forums I've perused over the years people who claim to have met him invariably (as far as I can recall) stress what a nice guy he was.
Holy **** I just recognized your profile pic and burst out laughing. "Gudt ah gedt a blangedtt andta billow pliss?"
I know that he was in a singing group for a while much like Ernie Terrell was. He did have a good personality, loved his wife Florence and his children. But he was bitter, because he did not get the notoriety that was afforded to such fellow olympians Cassius Clay, in 1960 and George Foreman in 1968. He also got upset in Christmas 1965, when Ali was champion, and Joe could not even afford Christmas presents for his family, the city of Philadelphia got together, provided gifts for his family. He felt in Muhammad Ali's prime years some resentment, because his manager Yank Durham would not let him fight Ali, and people were saying he got to fight a ring rusty Ali, and never got the credit for beating Ali on March 8 1971. Before that fight, Joe went to President Nixon to see if the U. S. Government could lift the ban against Ali, because of his draft evasion conviction in 1967. Frazier even lent Ali some money while Ali was appealing his draft conviction, and Ali made fun of him. Joe until the day he died continued to refer to Ali as Clay, as Durham always called Ali. Frazier said, That Is What His Momma named Him.
Read Donald McRae's A Man's World and the title comes from Joe singing the James Brown song at Emile Griffith's wedding. He was Emile's best man. Popped up a few times throughout the book. Seemed like a lovely guy by all accounts in that one. McRae wasn't shy at all about telling it how it was in other regards. Nothing damning about him.
Joe was fierce in the ring but a gentle soul outside it he had his black spots like any man a flawed gentleman! his warrior spirit and approachable demeanour outside the ring remind me so much of Evander Holyfield. God bless him one of many good men who lived in the shadow of the worlds darling Muhammad Ali... so many fighters of the golden age could have held the worlds attention by themselves as champion a pity they fought during the time of the greatest showman on earth.
What question is that, you think anybody smells of roses? We all have had negative points in our lives. Joe was a good fella!
Don't know if Joe was a good guy but he was quite the charmer. Tess Lawrence is prominent left wing Greenie , feminist and was a lecturer at Deakin University in Ethics and Specialist in Crisis Management and consultant in Media Strategy. But it seems Joe left quite the impression on a young Tess when she interviewed him in 75 for Ellis fight in Melb and she writes a glowing tribute to the Champ when he died in 2011. https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/tribute-to-smokin-joe-frazier,3773
I trained at his gym. Very kool guy. A total straight shooter. Always looked you in the eye when he spoke to you. No matter who was in the gym Joe was the alpha male without even trying Its just what he was. A real good guy.
Yeah, he was a very cool guy. Always enjoyed his interviews with Howard Stern -- he was game to answering a lot of Howard's, um... unflattering questions. I was surprised to find out he was pretty heavy drinker in his day. Bob Foster in particular was shocked at how much hard booze Joe could consume in a short time.
People talk About Muhammad Ali’s charisma ...but Frazier ...Liston ...and Holmes each had charisma in their own way
Father met him. Said what a nice guy he was. Tipped him something lowsy though (cab driver at the time) lol. Wether it was his driving or Frazier was just a poor tipper I’ll never know.
