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This is a two part article in which I chronicle the start of the Ali/Frazier rivalry, culminating with their final bout, "The Thrilla In Manila." In it I reveal a few things you may not know or ever heard before.
On September 30th/October 1st 2005, depending on what side of the globe you call home, marks the 30th anniversary of a monumental sporting event. As September turns into October, the third and final bout between two of the greatest heavyweights of any era, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, more commonly known as the "Thrilla In Manila," will have been a part of fistic history for exactly 30 years. Their first and third bouts were for the heavyweight championship of the world. Today, they are the barometer in which all other heavyweight title bouts are measured.
The Ali-Frazier trilogy is without question boxing's most famous and noteworthy rivalry. In the "Thrilla In Manila," Ali's title wasn't the only thing driving either man. This time, winning represented living and losing was dying. Knowing this was the rubber match and most likely the last time they'd ever fight, their approach to the fight was summed up best by The Star Ledger's Jerry Izenberg, who said "In Manila, Ali and Frazier were fighting for the heavyweight championship of each other." This no doubt contributed to the brutality of the fight. The Ali and Frazier who left the Araneta County Coliseum that morning after the fight were not the same fighters who entered it, nor would they ever be again. [details]
On September 30th/October 1st 2005, depending on what side of the globe you call home, marks the 30th anniversary of a monumental sporting event. As September turns into October, the third and final bout between two of the greatest heavyweights of any era, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, more commonly known as the "Thrilla In Manila," will have been a part of fistic history for exactly 30 years. Their first and third bouts were for the heavyweight championship of the world. Today, they are the barometer in which all other heavyweight title bouts are measured.
The Ali-Frazier trilogy is without question boxing's most famous and noteworthy rivalry. In the "Thrilla In Manila," Ali's title wasn't the only thing driving either man. This time, winning represented living and losing was dying. Knowing this was the rubber match and most likely the last time they'd ever fight, their approach to the fight was summed up best by The Star Ledger's Jerry Izenberg, who said "In Manila, Ali and Frazier were fighting for the heavyweight championship of each other." This no doubt contributed to the brutality of the fight. The Ali and Frazier who left the Araneta County Coliseum that morning after the fight were not the same fighters who entered it, nor would they ever be again. [details]