The heavyweight category of English boxing made waves during the 1960s and 1970s. The legendary Muhammad Ali is certainly the most well-known boxer of this era, but he was far from the only one. Joe Frazier also ranks among the legends of this category during that time. Highly impressive in the ring, he continues to captivate and inspire many boxers and boxing fans today, who aspire to follow in his footsteps. His story and career were filled with excitement and all sorts of events, which are worth knowing about.
Here is a complete biography of the legendary American boxer Joe Frazier.
Beginnings in Poverty
Like the journey of many other boxers, especially in that era, Joe Frazier came from a poor background. The son of sharecroppers, he was born on January 12, 1944, in Beaufort, South Carolina. Frazier quickly dropped out of school at the age of 13 to become a mule driver. He constantly changed jobs, moving to New York and then to Philadelphia, the city where he began boxing. He discovered the sport entirely by chance, as he had never been particularly passionate about it.
Yet, he quickly proved to be a natural talent, competing in amateur bouts and racking up victories. In his amateur career, he only recorded one loss, against a certain Mathis. That same Mathis defeated him once again to become the USA representative at the Olympic Games, but an injury allowed Frazier to take his place.
Once again, Joe Frazier continued to rack up victories in the ring, even going to the finals with an injured right hand, unable to use it to punch. Nevertheless, he defeated Hans Huber despite the handicap and went on to win the 1964 Olympic boxing gold medal. After this achievement, there was no doubt that Joe Frazier had a bright professional career ahead of him.
A Spectacular Start in Professional Boxing
The year after his Olympic victory, Joe Frazier began his professional career in the heavyweight category, continuing to train in Philadelphia. In less than a year, his record was flawless: 11 victories in as many fights, all by knockout, with only one opponent making it past the fifth round. His trainer at the time, Yank Durham, gave him the nickname “Smokin’ Joe,” which stuck with him throughout his life. It was through Durham’s repeated phrase, “Be smoking,” that Frazier earned this nickname.
On September 21, 1966, Joe Frazier faced a tougher opponent, Oscar Bonavena. Although Bonavena lasted the full 15 rounds, Joe Frazier was declared the winner. He then faced seven more boxers, including big names like George Johnson and George Chuvalo, defeating the latter in just four rounds.
A Boxer with a Unique Style
Joe Frazier’s boxing style amazed his trainer, and not just him. All of his opponents and the audience were impressed by the relentless pressure he applied in the ring. Favoring close combat, Joe Frazier’s boxing was extremely uncomfortable for every opponent he faced. Although right-handed, he primarily used his left hand to deliver his most powerful punches, so much so that his devastating left hook was dubbed the “heavenly punch.” Joe Frazier was also known for his rotational mobility and his impressive agility in dodging, rare for a heavyweight boxer.
As the years passed, by the end of 1967, Joe Frazier had secured 19 victories in as many fights. Only two of his professional bouts went the full 15 rounds, with the rest ending in knockouts.
Joe Frazier: World Champion
In 1968, in New York, Joe Frazier faced his former amateur opponent, Buster Mathis, who had beaten him twice. The rounds flew by in an impressive fight, and Mathis eventually succumbed in the 11th round. Frazier then demolished Manuel Ramos in just two rounds and defeated Bonavena once more. Smokin’ Joe had one thing left on his mind: becoming the world heavyweight champion.
At that time, Muhammad Ali had been stripped of his title after refusing to join the army. The American boxer Ellis became the titleholder, the very title Joe Frazier sought. While waiting for his match against Ellis, Frazier continued to win, notably defeating Jerry Quarry, one of the heavyweight division’s brightest prospects. He finally got his chance to fight Ellis, and completely dominated his opponent in the ring. The fight was brief, ending with a Smokin’ Joe victory in the 4th round after a series of increasingly powerful punches. Joe Frazier became the world heavyweight champion on February 16, 1970.
The Fight of the Century
Even as world champion, Joe Frazier still lacked something prestigious: a victory against Muhammad Ali. Many fans and media believed that the true champion was Muhammad Ali, and that Smokin’ Joe only held the title due to Ali’s suspension. Everyone eagerly awaited Ali’s return for what was already being called the fight of the century.
Joe Frazier even went so far as to meet with President Nixon, alongside his trainer, to request that Muhammad Ali be reinstated. Meanwhile, Ali continued to mock and criticize Frazier, intensifying the rivalry, with the media feeding into it.
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali
The match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier finally took place in 1971 at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. Although Muhammad Ali started strong, the fight took a turn by the fourth round. Joe Frazier dominated Muhammad Ali, and by the 11th round, Ali seemed on the verge of collapse. In the final round, Ali was trailing significantly on points and needed a knockout to win, but he couldn’t manage it. Joe Frazier was declared the winner of the fight of the century, much to everyone’s surprise.
Ali would later get his revenge, defeating Joe Frazier. A third fight took place between the two boxers, once again won by Muhammad Ali in a legendary match. Both fighters were exhausted by the 14th round, Ali on the verge of collapse and Joe Frazier partially blinded. Frazier’s trainer refused to let him continue, having seen too many boxers die in the ring.
Joe Frazier would lose only four times in his career, twice to Muhammad Ali and twice to George Foreman. He passed away in 2011 in Philadelphia, having secured 32 victories in 37 fights.
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