In honor of the passing of The Greatest, we’re re-watching the trilogy of trilogies, Ali against Smokin’ Joe Frazier, and breaking them down, round-by-round. Today, we’re rolling on to their rematch nearly three years later. You can find our analysis of Ali-Frazier I here and Ali-Frazier II here.
Muhammad Ali was riding high before his fight with Joe Frazier in the Philippines. After defeating Frazier in a close, but relatively uneventful (especially in comparison to what happened in their first contest) rematch, Ali was slated to fight the destructive George Foreman in Zaire. Reporters were wondering not if Ali would win, but more deciding how badly Ali would get hurt. The fight proved to be one of the most brilliant strategic performances in the sport as Ali encouraged the huge Foreman to work away with body shots for round after round, taunting him. In the eighth round, Foreman was completely drained of energy and fell prey to the speed of Ali and lost the fight by way of TKO.
One of Foreman’s victims on the way to that clash in Africa was Joe Frazier. Unlike Ali, Frazier had no match for Foreman as he was bullied against the ropes and into the corners to get battered by the massive power-puncher. Frazier wilted in the second round, losing the WBC and WBA heavyweight straps.
Foreman proved to be the fulcrum on the see-saw that lifted Ali back into the stratosphere and further grounded the declining Frazier. However, the fierce rivals were given one last chance to recapture the magic in a rubber match. The promotion prior to the bout was some of Ali’s finest work, taunting “The Gorilla” Frazier and setting up the poem that gave the bout its famous name. For his part, Frazier was relatively unaffected by the some of the most malicious trash talk Ali threw at him in the trilogy.
Still, there were many things holding Frazier back. The camp of Frazier had been focused entirely on working the body of Ali, a strange choice considering the power of Frazier being lesser than the unsuccessful Foreman. Additionally, Ali used his status as champion to get a bigger ring to favor his dancing style.
The two finally stood in the middle of the ring in Manila for the referee’s instructions. Ali told Frazier he didn’t have it anymore and Frazier responded, “we’ll see” right before the bell kicked the fight off.
Round 1:
Nolan Howell: Frazier really must have been looking for the body exclusively here, given his lack of activity in the first round. Frazier seemed to be looking to gauge distance more than anything and Ali would punish him on the way in for it. Ali still has kept his hands low and Frazier should be able to get the left hook to the head at will, but he is sticking to this game plan for better or worse. 10-9 Ali.
Luke Irwin: Joe looks old in this fight. Receding hairline, old face, doughier frame, he looks like he’s aged ten years since their first fight. Ali pawing early, but landing crisply. Ali either catching Frazier when he ducks, or tying him up over his head most of the time when he can’t. Frazier banking some big body shots for later, however. 10-9 Ali.
Round 2:
Nolan: The first notable thing here is Ali getting a warning from the referee for holding the back of the head, something we haven’t seen in the past two fights. Frazier isn’t threatening Ali at all and Ali is just sniping him from range and could win each round by just landing four or five solid punches to the head compared to Frazier’s inability to get inside or land anything significant. Frazier’s lack of head movement and predictable head placement as he hunts for the body is costing him. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Ali doing a decent job keeping Frazier at a distance, while Frazier is loading up his left that can’t seem to find a home. Ali hiding behind his jab to land great, quick shots to Frazier. Muhammad is so quick in the ring here. ’74 Ali vs. ’71 Frazier would have been lightning in the ring. Frazier is getting Ali on the ropes, but isn’t doing as much damage as he should once he has him there. 10-9 Ali.
Round 3:
Nolan: Ali played rope-a-dope for most of this round. I didn’t consider that Frazier’s ability to throw in volume would maybe be more successful than Foreman loading up each body shot. Ali came out of the rope-a-dope and started an exchange that conquered the last twenty or so seconds in the round. While Frazier backed Ali up into the corner and probably landed more solid blows, Ali likely landed more at the rate he was throwing. Considering Frazier’s activity when Ali when to shell up against the ropes, that will swing my vote. 10-9 Frazier.
Luke: For the first time, Frazier has the movement and activity edge. Frazier having too much movement for Ali this round, so Ali takes a blow on the ropes and lets Frazier go to work, in a rope-a-dope sequel. Ali comes back with a flurry, but Frazier isn’t Foreman. He has better wind and better movement, even at this stage, and won’t let Ali land and is making him work. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 4:
Nolan: More of the same from earlier as Ali keeps the 1-2 active as Frazier wades in low and gets tied up accordingly. Frazier with a low blow that may have stifled Ali a bit to get some of the round back, but Ali continues the holding if Frazier gets a little too comfortable inside. This looks like it may be an ugly slog to the finish. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Ali landing a bunch of quick combos that Frazier can’t avoid. Frazier is going to his tried-and-true duck-and-left hook attempt, but Ali is keeping distance and pushing him off. Frazier catches Ali low in his body attempts, but is still banking those body shots for later. Ali still landing far more than Frazier can avoid. 10-9 Ali.
Round 5:
Nolan: Frazier really turned it up here as his bob and weave starts coming into play in the corner. Frazier would lay and pepper shots to the body before popping up to crack Ali with a left hook. Ali looked tired this round and couldn’t really perform his rope-a-dope in the corner. If Frazier continues to throw to the head as well and not concentrate specifically on the body until Ali actually wears down, this could get interesting down the stretch. 10-9 Frazier.
Luke: Frazier wading through Ali’s jabs to fight in close, which is a smart move. Still can’t find that home for that nuclear left hook. Ali looks a little winded, so Frazier is using that to come in as close as he can, burying his head in Ali, then launching for the body. Ali’s not offering much this round and Frazier’s body shots doubled him over a couple times. Frazier gets Ali focusing on the body then is finally starting to land to the head this round. Joe is mushing harder and harder to the inside. Fantastic round for Smokin’ Joe as the crowd erupts in “FRAZIER! FRAZIER!” chants. Easy round for Frazier. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 6:
Nolan: Left hook to the head stunned Ali early. What an incredible weapon that was for Frazier and it was damn near unstoppable. After two lefts to the head, Ali was on the defensive for most of the fight as Frazier worked the body and pressured him up against the ropes. Frazier is at his best mixing it up and Ali has either taken some rounds off or Frazier’s pressure has been cornering him and pressing him against the ropes. 10-9 Frazier.
Luke: Ken Norton finally says what all of us want to with the constant references to the Foreman fight, “Joe is a different fighter than George, he’s shorter and more precise”. Fucking thank you, Ken. Frazier FINALLY finds a home for that monster left hook he’s been throwing for rounds, and Ali is clearly damaged. Frazier is moving in and capitallizing. Ali can’t land is is looking listless. Joe Frazier is landing hard this round and not letting Muhammad breathe. Another hook pops Ali and it’s all Joe this round. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 7:
Nolan: Ali started dancing this round and he was better off for it, with Frazier’s best punch coming early in the round on an overhand right to the head. Otherwise, Ali was able to keep distance and force Frazier to constantly adjust as he came in close. Ali would pop him coming in as usual and, if his legs weren’t as shot as they were at this point, he would have easily defeated Frazier all three times if he could have kept on his bike for all 15. Both men showing the decline in their games here. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Ali is immediately moving much better than he has in a few rounds. Ali must have caught his wind because he’s moving and throwing the best he has in a few rounds now. He’s controlling the pace and tempo and is clearly taking it to Joe this round. Ali clearly controlling Frazier, holding him when he wants to, and trading when he wants to. Good round. 10-9 Ali.
Round 8:
Nolan: Ali with a more successful use of the rope-a-dope here as he would spin out and unleash a barrage of punches on Frazier. Frazier was still able to get some shots to the head this round after he got Ali into the corner. Frazier perhaps made a case for evening the round in the corner, but Ali seemed to still have punches land in return for each big one from Frazier to keep the punches landed count in his favor. 10-9 Ali, but interesting to note he looks rather worn in his corner and water is poured upon him like a waterfall.
Luke: Frazier ambles out to meet Ali in his corner, but doesn’t do a whole lot with it. Ali landing fast and furiously. All Muhammad here, but he’s tiring, maybe because of Frazier’s body work, but Frazier can’t capitalize and is wasting valuable time. Both guys look gassed. Ali tries the rope-a-dope, but quickly learns what Ken Norton said, that Frazier isn’t Foreman. 10-10.
Round 9:
Nolan: Not much going on this round as Ali looks really tired. Frazier presses him against the ropes and unloads the body. Lather, rinse, repeat. 10-9 Frazier.
Luke: Ali looks unbelievably gassed. Frazier needs to keep the pace going. Ali looks listless, but Frazier isn’t doing much. He keeps throwing those massive left hooks that aren’t landing. 1-2 to the body is working for Joe now. Muhammad doing a lot of holding but Frazier, tired as he is, tooo, is still doing enough to clearly take the round. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 10:
Nolan: Frazier’s output inside has drastically diminished, but Ali seemed content to play off the ropes and throw after pushing Frazier back a bit. Frazier wins this round on activity, but he doesn’t look like he has much left after this and Ali has conserved a bit playing rope-a-dope and clinch for the majority of some rounds. 10-9 Frazier.
Luke: Frazier’s eye is looking rough early, and spoiler alert, it will matter late. Frazier wading through Ali’s guard. Ali’s trunks are sitting so low that his guards are open. He’s throwing, but there’s not much behind it. Frazier is landing and hard while Ali is hanging near the ropes and trying to throw. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 11:
Nolan: Ali comes out dancing and that spells trouble for Frazier. Frazier actually getting pressured against the ropes and Ali had an unlimited plan for delivering punches to the head of Frazier as he would pop up from his bob. Frazier can no longer throw combos as he just spammed a left hook in the corner over and over with little effect. Ali thoroughly outboxed him here and Frazier’s face has taken the burden of it. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Both men look gassed as hell on the stools, but both come out bobbing. Frazier finds a home for his left hook, but Ali is able to rebound and land on a tired Frazier. Ali going to the head, Frazier going to the body. Even here midway through the round. Ali is gassed, but what he’s throwing is landing, and is blocking what Frazier is throwing. Here comes Ali off of the ropes with combos. Fantastic round that barely edges to Ali. 10-9 Ali.
Round 12:
Nolan: Ali looks like he can cruise to the finish line here as Frazier continues to wear himself out movement wise and Ali is content to flurry with success as Frazier comes in. Ali looked like he has slowed down a lot since last round. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Ali coming in hot with lots of quick combos and he’s out early to fight. Frazier with some MASSIVE shots to the body, and Ali is standing and throwing pitter-patter shots. Frazier landing belt shots that are loud as hell. Ali trying to land head shots, but there’s nothing behind them and he hugs when they don’t land. 10-9 Frazier.
Round 13:
Nolan: Ali came closer to finishing Frazier here than he has the entire fight. The right hand is landing over and over and Frazier’s eyes look to be swollen completely shut. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Frazier’s eye looks real bad, and Ali is trying to close it with jabs, but Frazier keeps ducking and weaving. Ali landing with precision, but Frazier is landing with force. Ali with better movement than I thought he’d have and is landing at will on Frazier. Nasty shots from Muhammad. Ali is popping Frazier’s head back over and over. Frazier is working the body, but Ali is making his headshots count. He’s staggering Frazier now and this might be his best round of the fight. 10-9 Ali.
Round 14:
Nolan: Ali is landing absurd amounts of punches now, despite them not having too much pop on them. The sheer volume and inability to be fully prepared to roll with them because of his eye have Frazier wobbled. While Frazier is probably not in serious danger of being finished, no point in him taking more punishment. 10-9 Ali.
Luke: Ali is out and throwing, looking for Frazier’s eye. Frazier pops him with a hook. Neither man landing with any decent pop, just throwing to stay up. Frazier, somehow, can keep ducking and moving, and buries a few in Ali’s body. Ali now teeing off on Joe’s eye. Frazier’s line of sight is awful and he’s missing Ali by feet. Frazier’s left eye is destroyed and he needs help getting to his corner. 10-9 Ali.
Scorecards at stoppage time:
Nolan: 135-131 Ali (9-5)
Luke: 134-133 Ali (7-6-1)
Judges: 66-60, 66-62, 67-62 (Ali)
Aftermath: Both men left in all in Manila. Frazier was done, taking another battering at the hands of Foreman before having a comeback fight in 1981 against future heavyweight enhancement talent Floyd Cummings. Ali would continue to rack up victories, but they became more controversial down the line as Ali was beginning to break down physically. With disputed decisions against the likes of Ken Norton falling in his favor, Ali took the saddest stretch of his career as he continued to accrue damage, so much so that his personal doctor quit on him after a fight with Earnie Shavers. Ali would split a series with a very young Leon Spinks in two fights that should never reflect on either heavyweight great and went into a fight with the undisputed king of the division Larry Holmes for money. Holmes won and some say took it easy on the shattered great, who went in showing symptoms like broken speech and trembles that would sadly define the rest of his later life. After a loss to Trevor Berbick, Ali finally called it quits and would spend the rest of his life further cementing himself as a legend beyond the ring.
Manila took the fighting souls of Frazier and Ali forever, but it was a fitting end to one of the greatest and most fierce rivalries not just in boxing or combat sports, but all competition.
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