Let me tell you, it was truly an amazing experience. He was very clear and lucid in his speech. It's rare to hear boxers from that era who are completely clear in the way that they talk.
I started off by thanking him for the opportunity to speak with him and called him Mr. Frazier. He told me to call him "Smoke" so I made that adjustment.
We spoke for about 20 minutes, touching on everything from life, to the secret to happiness, to why he doesn't watch modern boxing.
I asked him if he still sings, and he answered by belting out the first four lines of Heart Break Hotel. The man can sing a little.
I asked him about fights like Marciano, he said it was a good thing they didn't meet because it would have been a scary war.
He said he woulda kicked Larry Holmes' ass just like in sparring when he broke his ribs. He said he woulda chewed Mike Tyson up and spit him out.
Overall, it was a real highlight of my career in boxing. We said our good byes and he said something along the lines of "I'm out, boogie."
The true definition of cool.
good read man thanks. Frazier is truly a warrior. I have to disagree that he would beat Tyson though. Though they were similar fighters, Mike had many more advantages over Frazier (quicker, dynamite in BOTH hands, better footwork etc.) I just can't play this fight out in my head with Frazier winning. With that said, Frazier is one of my favorite fighters and you truly are blessed to have spoken to him. I envy you!
That's pretty sweet man. Whens this article out then?
I'm still relatively new to the magazine concept, I mean they usually come out months after they first are written. I'd say before Summer.
OK here's the plan, I'm speaking with the editor of Boxing Digest next week about putting the Frazier piece in the next article. The Oscar de la Hoya article I am working on will run in July's edition, which is being wrapped up next week and my Roy Jones article is coming up in next month's edition. This month's edition has my Keith Thurman article in it so it looks like I'll have a four month run where I have an article in each edition.
Good luck with future articles man. I hope you get far in the profession. Keep up the good work!
OK here's the plan, I'm speaking with the editor of Boxing Digest next week about putting the Frazier piece in the next article. The Oscar de la Hoya article I am working on will run in July's edition, which is being wrapped up next week and my Roy Jones article is coming up in next month's edition. This month's edition has my Keith Thurman article in it so it looks like I'll have a four month run where I have an article in each edition.
Thanks bro. I want to put it in Boxing Digest magazine but I've already committed to an Oscar de la Hoya article for next month's issue. I have another magazine that I'm going to pitch it for, but it'll land in print somewhere.
As far as luck, man it's got nothing to do with luck. I tell everyone in the forums that I came from the same forums as them, I just dedicated myself enough to learn my craft over the years and go out and make my dreams come true. There are a lot of people in these forums with good writing talent, they just have to go out and make it happen.
I commend that. That's real talk. Good luck with everything in the future bro.
Can remember watching Joe agaist his namesake Bugner at Earls Court in 73.. Uncharacteristicly, Bugner fought to his potential that night & gave Joe a run for his money.. Sure Joe would admit that himself.. Thoroughly enjoyed the privilage of seeing him live.. A legend for sure! Great pic of him & Ali as they are now..
Respect to BRINGER (keep up the good work man)
man your lucky, it would be such an honour to talk to joe. he in my opinion was one of the greatest if not THE greatest pressure fighter ever, never stopped coming forward. He had the best left hook ever and the heart of a true champion.
I heard that he has a gym in philly somewhere, is that true?
Absolutely. Everybody knows Joe's gym in Philly, it's the stuff of legend.
Meldrick Taylor and Bernard Hopkins both trained there on occasion, and it serves as a great outlet for the downtrodden youth of Northern Philly.
I wanted to train there myself when I was a child, but my parents wouldn't let me because I was too young.
By the time I got old enough, we'd already moved away from Philly.
man your lucky, it would be such an honour to talk to joe. he in my opinion was one of the greatest if not THE greatest pressure fighter ever, never stopped coming forward. He had the best left hook ever and the heart of a true champion.
I heard that he has a gym in philly somewhere, is that true?
Emile wasn't a bad fighter either lol.
Were you interviewing Mayweather when he was hyping a fight because it seems like he has two different personalities, he looks so fake at times
About the documentary, it was an amazing piece done by my journalistic hero Jack Newfield. Newfield is a real icon in journalism, I just hope one day to get on his level even if our styles are very different.
As far as Mayweather, it was at the Mayweather-DLH presser in New York City and he was in full public persona.
Lol.... BPP called it a blurb.
We didn't always get along so famously but I love the dude now. I've had to grow up a lot since then. I mean I've been on these forums since I was like 16 and I'm 22 now.
I'll see what I can do about getting some of his interviews uploaded. :)
It may take me a little while though. I have a busy weekend coming up, and I've made 3 highlight videos in the last 24 hours or so.
Glad you liked the video, I really wanted to capture how intimidating and brutal Frazier was during his time, as well as the Ali drama, and how mean he was to Joe. Then you get to see Joe unleash hell on him in the ring for it. :)
Take your time bro.
Respect, I'll green you asap when I can again.
I started writing because Big Poppa Pump banned me for the fourth time and this one lasted like a month. Before you were here, before all of these n00bs, I was the pwn master. It was me and Manny P, we started Team Pinoy and were bombing on Anorak, Runwithknives and Xcaret. This was back when the Thunderdome was awesome.
I was always getting banned and I thought how weird it was because I truly loved boxing yet I never talked about it on the forums anymore. So I decided OK, I'll make a thread on PacLand about the Castillo-Corrales third fight, which never happened because Castillo missed weight. I was in college at the time and I saw how my professor's influence was starting to creep into my posting so I expanded it a little further and made a short, opinion piece on the fight that went into it's meaning behind the fight.
Since I was banned, I thought I'd piss off BPP by having one of my homeys, Undefeated, post it for me on the forums. Here is the link.
http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70168&highlight=Castillo+Corrales+Songalia
I just kept writing, first for ESB and then a few months later I was picked up here. I've stayed committed and humble and learned my craft and eventually did stuff for magazines and newspapers. When you love boxing, it's hardly work.
Lol.... BPP called it a blurb.
great highlight, with even more great quality!
Could you also get some more of Frazier's interviews etc?
I'd enjoy seeing him more ''casual''.
I'll see what I can do about getting some of his interviews uploaded. :)
It may take me a little while though. I have a busy weekend coming up, and I've made 3 highlight videos in the last 24 hours or so.
Glad you liked the video, I really wanted to capture how intimidating and brutal Frazier was during his time, as well as the Ali drama, and how mean he was to Joe. Then you get to see Joe unleash hell on him in the ring for it. :)
It's hard because I usually interview only the contemporary fighters making news. I would say of current guys, it'd be Mayweather Jr. All time, probably Frazier.
I've never interviewed them but I've spoken with Emmile Griffith, Carlos Ortiz, Tommy Hearns and Aaron Pryor. Emmile Griffith is probably the warmest person I've ever met, a truly wonderful man.
Emile wasn't a bad fighter either lol.
Were you interviewing Mayweather when he was hyping a fight because it seems like he has two different personalities, he looks so fake at times
It's hard because I usually interview only the contemporary fighters making news. I would say of current guys, it'd be Mayweather Jr. All time, probably Frazier.
I've never interviewed them but I've spoken with Emmile Griffith, Carlos Ortiz, Tommy Hearns and Aaron Pryor. Emmile Griffith is probably the warmest person I've ever met, a truly wonderful man.
Griffith is yet another favorite of mine.
Definitely a warm, sincere man. "Ring of Fire" is the greatest boxing documentary of all time, in my opinion.
I'm going to have to start writing more serious articles. :lol1:
Yup, that sounds like Smoke. :lol1: :fing02:
And I've been saying the same thing about him destroying Tyson for years. Frazier was everything Tyson was, only with the heart to fight through adversity, the balls to take your best shots and smile, and the stamina to break you down for 15 rounds.
Any chance I can get his number from you? :lol1:
Check this highlight video I made of Joe, just an hour or so ago.
great highlight, with even more great quality!
Could you also get some more of Frazier's interviews etc?
I'd enjoy seeing him more ''casual''.