Thrilla in Manila (part 3 of 6)

No Soccermatch today but another historical sport event. I Hope you enjoy it :)

The Thrilla in Manila is the third and final famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the World, fought at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 1, 1975.

The bout is often ranked as one of the greatest fights of 20th century boxing, and is the climax to the bitter rivalry between Ali and Frazier over who was the legitimate Heavyweight Champion. That situation came about after Ali was stripped of the title over his refusal to join the armed forces when drafted during the Vietnam war. Some years later after repeated weekly prodding from Ali, Frazier petitioned President Nixon to restore Ali's right to box thereby bringing about the so called Fight of the Century between two undisputed heavyweight champions in 1971.

During the whole period between their first and their last face-off in Manila, including the years which preceded the restoration of Ali's right to fight, Ali had used his wit, sharp tongue, and position with the press to take characteristic verbal pot shots at Frazier (as was his practice with all opponents—and which made good copy and controversy) but these became controversial and at times ugly, after his loss in the fight of the Century, and this verbal battery heated the rivalry into new territory.

Both boxers battled each other into near incapacity, and Frazier's trainer determined he should stop the bout after the fourteenth round, so the decision went to Ali as a technical knockout (TKO). The early and middle parts of the fight were close, with spectacular ebb and flow, and in the later rounds things gradually swung Ali's way in the scoring for any likely decision. The final match up between Ali and Frazier was ultimately detrimental to the health of both fighters. The first fight in 1971 between these two pugilists went fifteen rounds and the second fight going 12 rounds, which were both similarly hard on the participants.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrilla_in_Manila

Aftermath:
Ali: I always bring out the best in men I fight, but Joe Frazier, I'll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I'm gonna tell ya, that's one helluva man, and God bless him

Frazier:Lawdy, Lawdy his a great and mighty champion. I hit him with punches that would have brought down the walls of a city."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Thrilla
• Manila
• Frazier
• Ali
• Boxing
• Boxen

[halleck3]

Thanks for posting - hell of a fight!

[greenfruitface]

I just can't imagine that we'll ever see two HW fighters go at it like this again. Two amazing athletes.

[revelation6415]

Amazing fighters but I din't see Ali really hurt or staggered in this fight at all the description of this on wiki say frazier staggered ali but he never, but still Frazier is one of the greatest

[NvNcWalk]

Ali - distance

Frazier - Semi distance

[EricDavidFloyd]

Frazier took some of the shine off of Ali's smile in 6

[HXCbuffalo]

i dont understand y ali is fighting on the inside so much, i understand he is fatigued but against frazier that's just dangerous! i mean Foreman i understand because of the reach but frazier? if sum1 can explain please do

[paul941]

They beat the holy piss outta each other!!

[ArminKhanpour]

jesus dude, how could someone do that and not give up halfway

[vinegarthomas]

Thanks for posting this historic fight.

Rest in peace, Joe.

[bumblebeemoi]

@2vintage68 "Fixed?' Man, what are you selling? You make a minor thing into a major matter.