The Fight vs The Thrilla in Manilla

[The Noose]

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 1971 - The Fight
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier 1975 - The Thrilla In Manilla

Which one was better in terms of the ACTUAL fight and not the drama surrounding it?

I would say both were immense fights filled with amazing boxing but I say The Thrilla in manilla edges it because it was much more brutal and they gave all they had until they HAD to stop it and Ali collapsed in his corner after. Such an epic fight.

In 75 neither were great. In 71 Frazier was GREAT.

I love the 71 fight because of the way the fight is split into 2 halves. Ali clearly winning the 1st half, but Frazier pounding Ali in the 2nd.

Also i dont think u can seperate the cirtumstances of each fight and the actual fight.
In the first we had the return of the king, undefeated. Versus the new champ, a brutal punching machine. The way people were divided over who they wanted to win.
Ali finally getting beat set up the Foreman-Frazier 'fight' and therefore the amazing Ali-Foreman fight which made Ali a legend.

The 75 fight was nearly as significant. They gave everything they had, but Frazier would never had been stopped years before.

[Arka]

If I want to see two superpowers, then the first fight.
If I want to see two heroes giving their all, then the Thrilla.

Manila by a mile for me, even though my guy lost.

So you're saying Ali and Frazier didn't give it their all in the first fight or not giving as much as in 1975?
Personally I don't get that impression watching the fights....

[hayZ]

their last fight had too much punishment and i think ali landed more cleanly in the last aswell