RadioProfile | On March 8, 1971 Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier starred in “the fight of the century”

In 1967, Ali refused to be drafted into the US Army to go to the Vietnam War, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison and had his boxing license taken away. Furthermore, he was stripped of the titles he had won and did not fight again for over three years. Until then he had a record of 29 wins without losses, 22 of them by knockout.

In 1968, Frazier was recognized champion by the New York Boxing Commission, after beating Buster Mathis, in a duel organized to designate Ali’s replacement. The title obtained was not recognized worldwide, so Frazier had to defeat Jimmy Ellis, in 1971, to become the champion of the category. Even so, many do not suspect him as the “real” champion because he had not defeated Ali, who had had the titles taken “on the desk.”

Once Muhammad Ali got his license back and returned to the ring in 1970 with two wins against Jerry Quarry and Oscar Ringo Bonavena, the fight against Frazier began to heat up. “Smokin” Joe had helped Ali financially during his boxing exile, but that generosity didn’t stop his rival from ridiculing and insulting him before the fight.

When they met on March 8, 1971, the entire United States came to a standstill for what had been called “the fight of the century,” a term first used to promote confrontations between great boxers. The ring side of Madison Square Garden was filled with celebrities. Present were Barbra Streisand, Bill Cosby and Frank Sinatra, among many others.

On that first occasion, Frazier defeated Ali and even dropped him in round 15. However, the rivalry would continue for a few more years. Given the enormous success of the fight, a second fight was arranged in 1974. Previously, they fought in front of the cameras on a television show after Ali insisted that he had won the first clash and called the opponent “ignorant” of the.

Above the ring, again in Madison, the Louisville native defeated Frazier on points who complained that the referee allowed his rival to hold his head illegally. The third and last fight between the two was in Manila, Philippines, on October 1, 1975, before 28,000 people who filled the Araneta Coliseum.

In round 14 and after an immeasurable physical effort from both, Frazier’s trainer decided to stop the fight. Ali, the winner, apologized to Frazier’s family for his attacks and insults against his challenger, but his historic opponent took decades to forgive him.

The story is also news on Radio Perfil. Script by Javier Pasaragua and locution by Pita Fortín.

by Radio Profile FM 101.9