1973 | George Foreman vs Joe Frazier I

Frazier vs. Foreman - On the Sunshine Island, January 22, 1973

THE FIGHT
Foreman and Frazier were two very different fighters. Foreman fought flat out, all guns full steam ahead, while Frazier, kept his left hook ready, waited and took blows, hoping to wear down his opponents. On the night of January 22, 1973, both men fought true to form. Foreman came out like a giant hurricane, swinging strongly, while Frazier held back, bobbing and weaving confidently. Almost immediately Foreman landed a solid punch to Frazier's gut and then, two light lefts and a right uppercut the first of many that would take the champ down. He was up in two but forced to wait for the mandatory eight count. He landed a solid left hook the only real blow Foreman took that night. In response, Foreman backed Smokin' Joe into the ropes and landed a hard left and right to the head. Five more rights and a set-up left followed and down went Frazier again. Again he took the eight count only to get up and run straight into a long, hard right to his head that sent him back to the canvas where he remained two counts after the bell had rung ending Round One.

Round Two. Frazier emerged on the attack and was met with a left and a right to the jaw that dropped him again. After the mandatory eight count, he stood, dazed, flailing his punches and stumbling onto a right that lifted him off the floor and send him packing to the mat with a leg bent at an inopportune angle. Foreman called out to him, "Stay down, Joe. You've had it." He looked over to Frazier's corner, expecting to see the towel tossed, but Frazier, with the will of a champion, pulled himself up once more. Just as Foreman was forced to move in for the kill, the referee, Arthur Mercante, seeing Frazier's sagging figure, blood dripping from his mouth, called it at 1:35. The difference in height and reach between the two men was important as Foreman used his longer reach to great advantage he simply did not give Smokin' Joe time to gather steam. Foreman knocked Frazier down a total of six times, three in each round, in a fight that ranks amongst one of the top feats in boxing history.


Source: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0040.htm

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• 1973
• George
• Foreman
• Joe
• Frazier
• Smokin
• Kingston

[snoopdogsballs]

I won't remember him as the guy who got knocked down six times, but as the guy who got back up every time.

[watupmile]

Foreman is pushing all the time frazier away, is that legal? just a doubt

[TheFcasey]

joe frazier was the definition of what are hard bastard is, colour means nothing joe was hard as marciano was hard. just tough men that nobody would enjoy to go against. Joe's problem here was that he stood infront of the bigger stronger man, its not a reflection of joe's boxing skills but the fact that when you try to go toe to toe with the more powerful man you will generally lose, but doesnt take anything away from joe, he was one of the greats,along with foreman

[JackSuperMoto91]

What kind of warrior gets up after being hit that hard by foreman.

Not only that, 6 times.... ! ! !

LEGEND

[Supaduck0]

To quote one of Foremans opponents, "he hit so hard I thought I saw the Messiah"

[timofwar]

@cousinwes1 ever heard of joe louis?

[Octane64]

@eatthisvr6 yea, I actually rate power as underrated and speed as overrated. people always say speed kills, and while that's true, speed eventually leaves with age. Look at Roy Jones Jr, his speed left him as he got older and know he's a can. But strength, especially the ability to utilize raw strength in technical punches, can last longer and be just as efficient as speed. Of course, you would want both, but if you have to choose one, don't count out power.

[shire2005]

That upper cut that caused the 2nd knockdown was fucking lethal!

[BlackLabelForLife]

@watupmile yeah it's legal

[reztech8]

Im in awe at Fraziers condition after taking those punches. Only an elite legendary HW could withstand that damage without being unconscious with his back on the canvas.

What a treat for all sports fans that these two met in the ring. 

[NiukPoland]

i really want fights like this in todays hw

[radseven89]

Generally from what I have seen the ref only calls pushing a foul if they actually push the person hard enough to knock them down. Foreman has the range so Frazier is trying to walk him down and Foreman is trying to prevent that. Nothing dirty about it.