ever achieved in the ring again by him? Just watching how motivated he was and how in tune he was with every aspect of the fight with Ali; when I watch some of his other fights... He wasn't parrying as much, he wasn't dodging the jab as much, he wasn't as aggressive in his pursuit. So which fight could you point to where Frazier looked every bit as good against solid competition? Or do you think Frazier reached that level because it was Ali and all that was at stake... and frankly it would take that type of motivation to see that type of frazier performance?
Frazier reached that level because of the magnitude of the fight and because he hated Ali. I think he would have literally died in the ring trying to win the fight. He fought a very good version of Ali who at times was teeing off on him. Frazier took a lot of punishment and was never the same again. The supremely motivated and fit Frazier who fought Ali the first time would have given any heavyweight hell including Foreman and Liston.
No. Frazier ran 6 miles every morning and did a ton of sparring in order to be in tip top condition. After the FOTC according to Futch Frazier had to be forced to do road work and sometimes would take an entire day off in camp. The only time where Frazier was in somewhat decent condition after the FOTC was when he fought Bugner, which was a do or die situation for him, but even then he wasn't in peak condition, which unfortunately just won't cut it when you have a fighting style like Joe's.
Agreed, but he was still doing more in that fight, against better competition, than I saw in any previous fight against worse competition where he should look better. My point in this thread is that people like to use Frazier FOTC performance in h2h fights with him as a reason he would win. I get it, it was within him to reach that level because he did so, but the question is.... did he only reach that level because of who was in front of him. In other words, maybe it took Ali to get Frazier there, and if he fought Fury, he wouldn't be as motivated and as in-tune.
Joe was very hot in fights leading up to the first Ali fight. For instance, Students of footage will note Against Bob Foster, a prime, lighter, faster fighter than supposedly Joe was, Joe was able to outmanoeuvre him and be first. Joes speed and timing on par with the lighter man. It was not just a case of size telling. And this wasThe same Bob Foster I might add that could beat Ali to the draw in their 1972 fight.
A good read. Unless I missed something there's no reference that Ali wanting to quit in there. Angelo Dundee always said it was a myth and that there was no quit in his man, as there wasn't in Joe Frazier.
According to George Benton who was Eddie's assistant in the corner they had Willie the worm Monroe over by Ali's corner to let them know how things were going there. According to Benton and Monroe Ali did not want to continue after the 14th and told the corner he was done. Befor Monroe could get a clear signal or get back to the corner Eddie called the fight. Unfortunately the last time I spoke to Willie was in the early 90's and I never asked him about this. As an edit I'll trust Bentons word over all the hero worshiping Ali press and Dundee who told so many lies he started to believe them himself as long as it benefitted his agenda.
