Frazier: I would’ve had no problem with Marciano or Tyson

CLICK THE LINK TO SEE THE VIDEO. http://sport.stv.tv/boxing/178172-frazier-i-wouldve-had-no-problem-with-marciano-or-tyson/ Former heavyweight champion of the world Joe Frazier defeated one of the all-time-greatest fighters during his career, but hypothetically pitting himself against legends of the past and present is something he deems unfair. However, Smokin’ Joe insists he would have had no problem with likes of Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano. The 66-year-old Philadelphian reigned as heavyweight champion of the world from 1970 until 1973, during which time he became the first person to defeat Muhammad Ali. Frazier was known as a heavy-hitter and notorious for his ability to unleash sustained attacks to the body and his left hook which could send the best to the canvas. Years later the boxing world would get a glimpse of this style again when Mike Tyson appeared on the scene. Inevitably comparisons were made between Frazier and Iron Mike, whose devastating knockout ability led him to become the youngest heavyweight champion of the world and he would ho on to become one of the most controversial boxers in the sport’s history. Frazier feels Tyson received more credit than he deserved and when asked how a fight between the two would have gone, he replied: “There’s no way he can touch me.” Each generation brings with it a new calibre of boxer as training and fitness techniques improve. Such developments mean boxers today are faster, stronger, and fitter than their predecessors. With that in mind, Frazier believes unbeaten heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano would be no match for him. “I don’t think I would have any problem in facing Mr Marciano…and all these great guys of their time,” said Frazier, who is reluctant to tread on the legacies of his own idols. “Marciano, Joe Louis they were great guys but you got a better time now. “Men are faster, smarter and a little more slicker. So that wouldn’t be right. Back in their time you could match them up that way, but you can’t match them up with me and them. That wouldn’t be fair to the guys back then because times are different.” JOE FRAZIER: Frazier may have lost the battle with Ali but he won the war Joe Frazier sings boxing version of 'My Way' During his career Frazier won 32 fights, 27 of which he finished by knockout. Only two fighters were able to beat the South Carolina-born fighter; fierce rival Ali and the heavy-handed knockout king George Foreman. Frazier met Foreman in the ring twice and twice was knocked out, although it took several knockdowns before Frazier would stop getting back up. The first fight in Jamaica in 1973 saw Foreman fly out of the traps, throwing and landing huge blows on the shorter Frazier. The fight ended in the second round after Frazier had been floored six times. The pair faced each other once again in a rematch three years later in New York and Foreman’s strength was still too much for Frazier, who lost after a second knock-down in the fifth round. Frazier continued: “Mike , I wouldn’t have no trouble with Michael. I would never have no trouble with Norton, Larry . I had trouble with the big guy, Foreman. “Maybe if we go back and train today I think I would take him this time because I’m in shape a bit more than him, but he’s a good guy.” Asked what went wrong in the fights against Foreman, the first of which was Frazier’s first loss, he answered: “What went wrong? I think I put my name on the contract, that’s what went wrong. “The first time he stopped me in the first round, the second time he stopped me in the seventh round, so if I had moved a little more, a little faster, I would have probably came out victorious. But when he started throwing bombs at me it shook me out and I’m going to work, I’m going to beat him up. But that way didn’t work. “But as of now you look back, he’s a good guy, a good man, and I’m happy for him because I think he can beat the average guy today if he gets back to it.” Asked if he could fight anyone in the sport, past or present, Frazer replied: “I wish I was in along with Mike Tyson. I don’t think he would have been able to stand up with me.” Joe Frazier is currently working on a Limited Edition Photo portfolio – for more information visit Joe Frazier Photos. You can also follow Joe Frazier on Twitter and Facebook.

Comments (18)

Well what do you expect a boxer to say? I still dont get people who have problems with boxers and their egos..When it comes to predicting a fight a boxer would alway think he would win everytime.

15y ago

hugh_grant

Tyson would beat frazier.

15y ago

ROSS_CALIFORNIA

Lets look at the facts..Marciano,Frazier and Tyson were all pressure fighters..Now,Marciano beats three great champions..Louis,Charles and Walcott..retired undefeated with a perfect record and was never knocked out. During filming for scenes for the Ali vs Marciano computer fight ,a prime Ali got a bit cocky with a middle aged Marciano..who had been retired for a few years...and Marciano pounded him so badly that he had to be pulled off.. Ali said afterwards words to the effect that he couldnt have beaten Marciano..... in fact Frazier,who modelled himself on Dempsey and Marciano gave Ali HUGE problems with perpetual pressure.. Now Tyson...incredibly hyped even at his **peak**...but what GREAT fighters did he beat?..NOBODY...An aging Larry Holmes,who was kept well away from Ali in the early seventies because it was KNOWN that Holmes would beat him at that time..look what Homes did to Leon Sphinks....and Holmes was part of the same stable. Tyson beat a load of bums and average aging exs..Pinklon Thomas,Tony Tucker,a washed up Larry Holmes,Micheal spinks,James Smith,Trevor Berbick..and so on... Tyson always had trouble with hit and move fighters that went past the middle rounds..not so with Marciano,he could take you out as easily in the last as in the first..look at the Walcott and La Starza fights.. The first very good fighter Tyson faced was Holyfield.....and Holyfield won... Could Holyfield have beaten a prime Ali?..no,look at the trouble he had with an aging Larry Holmes...so its fair to say a prime Larry Holmes would have flattened Holyfield and Ali certainly... So,by definition,a prime Holmes could have beaten Hollyfield,maybe Ali..Holmes beat Norton,Ali beat Frazier and Norton.but close fights back and forward.. Tyson was knocked out or stopped by Holyfield,Lewis and Buster Douglas..who was flattened by Holyfield... Now,could Holyfield have beaten Frazier?..well look what he did to Dwight Braxton and Bert Cooper..beat both of them quite easily // So a prime Holyfield would have beaten Frazier.. NONE of the afore mentioned would have beaten George Foreman in his prime..except possibly Larry Holmes,BUT Foreman was beaten by Ali...**more Foreman punching himself out than anything else....Certainly a prime Foreman would have done to Tyson what he did to Frazier and Norton.. So,in my view..Tysons not in the same league as a prime Ali,a prime Holyfield, a prime Holmes or Foreman...that is ..as you can see above easily proven... Could Tyson have beaten Frazier?...no...because Frazier threw far more punches and had a far better chin... Could Frazier have beaten Marciano?....this WOULD have been a great fight..but no,Marciano would have stopped Frazier late..look at the trouble Frazier had with Bonavena..someone as tough as him,who could take a great punch... ..and i dont think anyone could make a case for Bonavena being there with MARCIANO... Sonny Liston would have beaten Frazier and Tyson on the same night..he was just tougher all round,..and Liston loved Marciano..idolised him..like he did Louis.. So,all the facts considered,i have it like this..in their primes... 1.Rocky Marciano 2.Ali 3.Foreman 4.Holmes..equal..Louis... 5.Holyfield 6.Liston 7..Frazier...equal Dempsey.. 8..Norton 9..Lennox Lewis 10.Walcott This is my view,but i think sound as a boxing fan of over 40 years,and whatever anyone thinks Marcianos record says it all..undefeated...and you just couldnt hurt him.. hhahahahahahaha you are a complete MORON!!!!

15y ago

ROSS_CALIFORNIA

The chances are very slim Joe would have made it outside of 3 rounds with Tyson. I'm sure had he never fought Foreman, he'd be saying the same thing about him and we know what happened there. I'm willing to bet he would have beat Marciano, though.

15y ago

vincent_m

Marciano the king..proven.. Lets look at the facts..Marciano,Frazier and Tyson were all pressure fighters..Now,Marciano beats three great champions..Louis,Charles and Walcott..retired undefeated with a perfect record and was never knocked out. During filming for scenes for the Ali vs Marciano computer fight ,a prime Ali got a bit cocky with a middle aged Marciano..who had been retired for a few years...and Marciano pounded him so badly that he had to be pulled off.. Ali said afterwards words to the effect that he couldnt have beaten Marciano..... in fact Frazier,who modelled himself on Dempsey and Marciano gave Ali HUGE problems with perpetual pressure.. Now Tyson...incredibly hyped even at his **peak**...but what GREAT fighters did he beat?..NOBODY...An aging Larry Holmes,who was kept well away from Ali in the early seventies because it was KNOWN that Holmes would beat him at that time..look what Homes did to Leon Sphinks....and Holmes was part of the same stable. Tyson beat a load of bums and average aging exs..Pinklon Thomas,Tony Tucker,a washed up Larry Holmes,Micheal spinks,James Smith,Trevor Berbick..and so on... Tyson always had trouble with hit and move fighters that went past the middle rounds..not so with Marciano,he could take you out as easily in the last as in the first..look at the Walcott and La Starza fights.. The first very good fighter Tyson faced was Holyfield.....and Holyfield won... Could Holyfield have beaten a prime Ali?..no,look at the trouble he had with an aging Larry Holmes...so its fair to say a prime Larry Holmes would have flattened Holyfield and Ali certainly... So,by definition,a prime Holmes could have beaten Hollyfield,maybe Ali..Holmes beat Norton,Ali beat Frazier and Norton.but close fights back and forward.. Tyson was knocked out or stopped by Holyfield,Lewis and Buster Douglas..who was flattened by Holyfield... Now,could Holyfield have beaten Frazier?..well look what he did to Dwight Braxton and Bert Cooper..beat both of them quite easily // So a prime Holyfield would have beaten Frazier.. NONE of the afore mentioned would have beaten George Foreman in his prime..except possibly Larry Holmes,BUT Foreman was beaten by Ali...**more Foreman punching himself out than anything else....Certainly a prime Foreman would have done to Tyson what he did to Frazier and Norton.. So,in my view..Tysons not in the same league as a prime Ali,a prime Holyfield, a prime Holmes or Foreman...that is ..as you can see above easily proven... Could Tyson have beaten Frazier?...no...because Frazier threw far more punches and had a far better chin... Could Frazier have beaten Marciano?....this WOULD have been a great fight..but no,Marciano would have stopped Frazier late..look at the trouble Frazier had with Bonavena..someone as tough as him,who could take a great punch... ..and i dont think anyone could make a case for Bonavena being there with MARCIANO... Sonny Liston would have beaten Frazier and Tyson on the same night..he was just tougher all round,..and Liston loved Marciano..idolised him..like he did Louis.. So,all the facts considered,i have it like this..in their primes... 1.Rocky Marciano 2.Ali 3.Foreman 4.Holmes..equal..Louis... 5.Holyfield 6.Liston 7..Frazier...equal Dempsey.. 8..Norton 9..Lennox Lewis 10.Walcott This is my view,but i think sound as a boxing fan of over 40 years,and whatever anyone thinks Marcianos record says it all..undefeated...and you just couldnt hurt him..

15y ago

Left_Hook_Tua

I would have picked Frazier to beat Tyson, but I disagree in that he wouldn't have problems. no way. frazier would have come at tyson. pressure fighters almost always lose to punchers. i don't see how frazier beats tyson. tyson is faster , better skilled , stronger , harder punchers , better chin....... tyson wouldn't do as well against ali as frazier did but tyson murders frazier. both easily beats up marciano though.

15y ago

prinzemanspopa

This was posted in the history section some weeks earlier and it's pretty old news now. It's well documented that frazier managed to carve out a successful career in stand up comedy after his retirement.This interview was done while frazier was still in character.He plays a delusional old man who's still stuck in the past. frazier would have been destroyed by Mike Tyson in a complete mismatch.Mike Tyson is one of the greatest punchers of the modern era and frazier spent his entire career avoiding virtually every puncher because of his fragile chin.There was that one time he stepped in the ring with a puncher and as I recall,he ended up on his fat arse quite a few times. Marciano had too much heart and courage for good ole "Smokey" Joe.

15y ago

edgarg

Tyson would have destroyed Frazier. Tyson was stronger, faster, more powerful, better head movement. You are very right. The only thing you left out were the words "very much", as in ............ Very much stronger, very much faster, etc. Tyson also had a better boxing brain, and the fact that Joe "mis-remembers" his fight with Foreman is an indication to not take his braggadocio too seriously.Most fighters have this habit.

15y ago

ghost_deini

prime tyson would've dropped joe like a bad habit

15y ago

CaRnAgEViOLaToR

Holms beats Frazier..but I can see Frazier beating Tyson and Rocky.

15y ago

keepthemhandsup

any one else think marciano vs Frazier would had been a good scrap? i think he lose to Tyson. think Tyson speed would beat Frazier on the inside. i also like how he said he shouldn't sign the contract vs foreman :lol1:

15y ago

them_apples

Frazier also started slow whilst Tyson started fast. I see a lot of unanswered punches.

15y ago

street_bully

Smoking Jo' would have obliterated Marciano, Tyson is another story though. if it went to the later rounds Jo would have won.

15y ago

Scott9945

Frazier has always had an enormous ego.

15y ago

Doctor_Tenma4618

I would have picked Frazier to beat Tyson, but I disagree in that he wouldn't have problems.

15y ago

Rick_Grimes

Tyson would have destroyed Frazier. Tyson was stronger, faster, more powerful, better head movement.

15y ago

Monkz

CLICK THE LINK TO SEE THE VIDEO. http://sport.stv.tv/boxing/178172-frazier-i-wouldve-had-no-problem-with-marciano-or-tyson/ Asked what went wrong in the fights against Foreman, the first of which was Frazier’s first loss, he answered: “What went wrong? I think I put my name on the contract, that’s what went wrong. :lol1::lol1: Date of interview? At work can't go on vid The date of interview was 19th May 2010.

15y ago

PensionKiller

Date of interview? At work can't go on vid

15y ago