Smokin' Joe Frazier appreciation thread...

south paw?

 

More than Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, it is Joe Frazier, smoking in the ring, I would introduce to a newbie as the epitome of the true spirit of a boxing champion.

His victories over Chuvalo, Quarry and Ellis were sterling, but any man who could beat Ali the way Frazier did at FOTC, before a partisan crowd, when the stage seemed set for the coronation of a cocky, hungry, very savvy and capable man many consider the greatest of all time, is a satisfaction no one nor anything will ever be able to take away from this great among greats.

He did it without fanfare, gimmicks, nor the best physical equipment. But he was there. And he knew how to pay the price for victory.

Joe Frazier is a man.

 

he never fought and beat a big puncher though

 

being ranked no 3 in the best twenty year period for heavyweights (60-70's) is no small feat, frazier is one of my favorites.

 

That sums it up quite nicely.

 

An incredible warrior, a great champion and a kind man.

 

in the top 6 goat heavyweights for me

 

I think I would have to disagree with you abou the depth of Frazier's body of work. Discounting the Ali and Foreman fights, Joe fought and beat a lot of quality fighters: Quarry, Ellis, Bonavena, Manuel Ramos, e.t.c. If you compare Frazier's resume with many other highly-rated fighters - Foreman, Holmes, Liston, e.t.c - you'd see that Frazier was not outclassed. He may have lacked the long reign of a Holmes' or the remarkable late-career of a Foreman, but judging stricly on quality of opposition, Frazier had a good, solid career!

 

Jerry Quarry and Manuel Ramos could bang!

 

I'd rank Joe Frazier in the top 6 heavyweights of all time.

I think he's greatly under-appreciated. So much is made of his defeats and not enough is made of his victories.

Frazier is one of the greatest ever.
On reflection - and I haven't always thought so - I'd place him above Dempsey and Marciano (two of my absolute favourites) on an all-time list.

 

Perhaps, "perillously shallow", is on reflection lsightly unjust. Chuvalo, Bonavena and Ellis are more then capable heavyweights. Ellis is a notably talented fighter, but in battles of attrition Frazier would be virtually unbeatable.

However, considering the era's he transcended; the end of the Liston, Patterson decade and the Norton, Lyle, Shavers, Holmes of the mid late 70's I cant help thinking perhaps one or two more headline contenders were missed from his body of work.

But that would too, be unfair. As I maintained throughout my posts on this thread, Joe Frazier is a rediscovered gem for me. And in these mundane times of medicority, he represents all that was once great about heavyweight boxing.

What I wouldn't give to see a new Frazier emerge? Povetkin is no Frazier but he has a nice left hook and is game. Of the others, only the flawed Lamon Brewster ever demonstrated Frazier type heart in recent years.

 

Same here, mate. Well said! :good