If joe frazier won the thrilla in manila...

[shadeyfizzle]

I'm certain boxing today would be very different. Everything from history...to atg expectations to a different crop of fighters today that would have been inspired by a different hero. What do you guys think?

[TredKiller]

no.

even if he won it wouldent have mattered,

Ali captured the imagination of people, not just threw fights.

frazier was a fighter, Ali was a personality

[Joe Frazier]

I still have every respect for Frazier, no matter who won that fight.

I think Frazier still feels bitter to this day though - he always felt like Ali betrayed him.

Ali will always be the greatest - but I still rank Frazier highly and idolise him...very entertaining boxer to watch.

[shadeyfizzle]

no.

even if he won it wouldent have mattered,

Ali captured the imagination of people, not just threw fights.

frazier was a fighter, Ali was a personality

History is written by winners.

Gatti captured the imagination of people as well but he's not remembered as the 2nd or 3rd greatest fighter of all time. Which would have been Frazier had he won the trilogy.

[HitBattousai]

From a boxing perspective, Ali would probably not be a candidate for the GOAT had he lost to Frazier, though he would still be one of the best Heavyweights of all time. In terms of global impact, it wouldn't have been a lot. Ali, as the other poster said, captured the imagination in a way Frazier never could.

[shadeyfizzle]

From a boxing perspective, Ali would probably not be a candidate for the GOAT had he lost to Frazier, though he would still be one of the best Heavyweights of all time. In terms of global impact, it wouldn't have been a lot. Ali, as the other poster said, captured the imagination in a way Frazier never could.

But people forget that the reason for that was because he was a guy that could walk the walk AND talk the talk. Ali was the villain coming into that fight. And Joe Frazier was literally seconds away from winning the fight. Ali would be remembered as a quitter by some....and most history books would have Frazier written as a working class hero who beat the villainous Ali.

[bojangles1987]

I don't think it would have changed boxing today that much, but it would have changed Ali and Frazier's entire legacies. I think Ali would have retired after that fight so he never loses and regains the title from Leon Spinks, and his whole career besides that obviously never happens.

Also, Frazier is considered better than Ali or at least equal if he won that fight, and maybe retires as well feeling validated.