Comparing Muhammad Ali with Joe Frazier

We take a look at the two former Olympic Gold Medalists and World Heavy Champions Muhammad ‘The Greatest’ Ali and ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier.

Both were born in the south. Ali in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942 and Frazier in Beaufort, South Carolina on January 12, 1944.

Frazier would end up moving to New York before installing in northern Philadelphia, Pa. Ali would finally move to the 70th and Overbrook in Philadelphia, then Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

His amateur records have been given with numerous statistics. Ali’s amateur career record was usually given 69-6 with 22 stops. Frazier is usually 38-2 with 37 stops.

Ali went to the 1960 Rome Olympics in Italy. It is said that he lost in heavy weight processes against Percy Price, but he could never be verified. At the Olympic Games, he won the light heavy gold medal, winning the three attacks. Would sign with a group of investors called Louisville Patrocining Group.

Frazier was 2-1 in the Olympic essays losing to Buster Mathis, who broke his right-wing finger, so Frazier went as an alternative to the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He scored three knockouts, breaking the left thumb stopping the Soviet Boxe in his third attack. Then he defeated the German by decision to win the gold medal. Would sign with a group of investors called Cloverlay, Inc. When it became a professional.

In March 1968, Frazier 19-0 stopped Mathis, 23-0, in 11 rounds for the World Title of Nysac, in the Madison Square Garden, New York.

While Frazier won the Olympic Games in 1964, Ali, 19-0, won the heavy weight title in February of that year, stopping Sonny Liston, 35-1, after six rounds at the Miami Convention Center, Fl.

In February 1970, Frazier won the world title by stopping Jimmy Ellis after 4 rounds at Madison Square Garden. Ellis had been divided with Ali (then Cassius Clay) in fans losing with him in professionals.

Ali had 9 title defenses before revoking his license in June 1967 due to rejecting induction in the army. He was able to go to court and not in prison, but he could not renew his boxing license in any state.

From August 1967, when Zora Folley, 74-7-4, at the Madison Square Garden until October 1970, was inactive, making a living by making commitments talking to schools in all states.

The state of Georgia reinstated Ali’s license in September 1970, when he returned to the ring the following month, stopping Jerry Quarry, 37-4-4, in 3 rounds in Atlanta. Then, in December, he stopped Oscar Bonavena, 46-6-1, in the Madison Square Garden before signing to fight against Frazier, 26-0, the world champion at Madison Square Garden in March 1971. Ali was demolished in the final round, losing the Frazier’s decision.

Ali would win his next 10 fights before losing to Ken Norton, 29-1, by divided decision, and his jaw was supposedly broken in the second round. He won the resale on Norton and two fights later defeated the former World Champion Frazier, 30-1, in January 1974 for his NABF title by decision at Madison Square Garden.

In Ali’s next struggle, he eliminated the 1968 Olympic Gold Medal and then the “Big” George Foreman, 40-0 world champion, who had defeated Frazier for the title. Ali detained Foreman in Zaire, Africa, in eight rounds, winning the title for the second time.

After three title stops, Ali, 48-2, was found in Frazier for the third time in Philippines, “The thilla in Manila”, while long after 14 rounds when Frazier, 32-2, could not continue.

Frazier would stop again for Foreman and tie with Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings, 15-1, ending his career in December 1981 with a record of 32-4-1 and 27 stops.

Ali would continue to win his next six fights, including another victory over Norton in February 1978, losing to the former 1976 Olympic Gold Medal, Leon ‘Neon’ Sparks, 6-0-1, by decision divided into Las Vegas, NV. Ali won the resale, winning a record world title for the third time. He announced his retirement after this, just to return to the ring, losing Larry Holmes, 35-0, to stop for the only time in his career, after ten rounds in October 1980. Then, in December 1981, he lost its purpose in the future world champion Trevor Berbick, 19-2-1, in Nassau.

Ali Laila’s daughter ‘She be stingin’ Ali, 9-0, would defeat Frazier Jacqui’s daughter, 7-0, in June 2001 for the majority decision. It ended at 13-1, winning several minor titles. Ali ended with a 24-0 record before retiring. Won Wiba Super Middleweight’s title in 2002 and WBC title in 2005 before retiring.