RIP Joe Frazier

[Moderator1]

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/boxing/fight_for_life_A87nBlMPiySoNcIqFbTKZN

Loved watching him fight

 

[Huggy]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

Saw Smokin' Joe in a New York hotel lobby in the summer of 2010 and he didn't look too good. As tough a man as I have ever seen in a boxing ring. Keep punching, champ.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

The thought of Ali outliving him must drive Frazier crazy.

 

[Webster]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

I saw him about 6 weeks ago at a charity event and talked to him for about 10 minutes. He wasn't sharp and moved slowly, but he didn't seem to be struggling.

 

[Drip]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

I had a nice talk with Joe at an awards ceremony in August. It had been a while since I've seen him and we chatted a while about some mutual acquaintances. He was in a wheel chair but still feisty.
This is very disheartening news.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

The thought of Ali outliving him must drive Frazier crazy.

Seriously. On the HBO documentary that is airing right now on the Thrilla in Manilla, his brother dialed his cell phone and his message took a few shots at Ali before saying to leave a message.

Ali was Ali. But Frazier was every bit the fighter, just not as colorful. It's sad that Ali got paid more for his part in those fights than Frazier and that Frazier is living out his life in a crappy room over his gym in the hellhole that is North Philly, and Ali sold every bit of naming rights he had for millions.

Ali will be remembered in a way that Frazier wasn't, and it's a shame, because they were equals as fighters.

 

[Double J]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

It's too bad Apollo Creed didn't give Frazier that title shot he promised him right before he fought Rocky the first time. I think Joe could have taken him.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Re: NY Post: Joe Frazier 'Deathly Ill'

Joe Frazier has died, according to WPVI in Philly.

http://tinyurl.com/874l8jt

 

[Dyno]

Very, very sad news. RIP Smokin' Joe.

 

[Dyno]

There's an AP story up on Philly.com. The family has confirmed his death.

 

[Bubbler]

RIP. Before my time, but it seems he didn't get the respect his accomplishments warranted.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

HBO must've known this was coming because they played the Thrilla doc in the afternoon today.

RIP Smokin' Joe.

 

[YGBFKM]

The left hook is boxing's best punch, and no one had a better one than Frazier.

 

[Quakes]

Nice piece by Richard Hoffer on si.com: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/richard_hoffer/11/06/joe.frazier/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a2

And, because everyone should read this at least once, Mark Kram's story on the Thrilla in Manila for SI (the last few paragraphs of which are, on this day, a nice tribute to Frazier): http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090341/index.htm

 

[Batman]

Fighting Frazier (for everyone but George Foreman, at least) must've been like standing in front of a tank with a .22. You could sit there and pepper him, and he just kept coming until he clobbered you. Just relentless. That was part of what made the Ali fights so great. Ali painted him all night long, and Frazier just took it and kept plowing ahead.
RIP to a bad, bad mofo.

 

[Batman]

Safe to say Frazier is on heavyweight boxing's Mount Rushmore, along with Ali, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano?

 

[UPChip]

"one of the immortals of pugilism, a champion in and out of the ring, Philadelphia's own Smokin' Joe, the beloved Mr. Joe Frazier." #rip

 

[21]

Sportscenter: 'No comment yet from Muhammad Ali.' Seriously? They're waiting for a statement??

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I was a little kid when he fought, and I don't have many memories of him in his prime, except for watching him on Youtube. One incredible fighter. RIP.

 

[Starman]

Sportscenter: 'No comment yet from Muhammad Ali.' Seriously? They're waiting for a statement??

He issued a statement yesterday I thought was respectful and perfectly appropriate.

I have read from various sources we have probably heard the last of Muhammad Ali issuing actual verbal statements on anything. Although I suppose you never know.

As far as Joe Frazier is concerned, he was a fighter in every sense of the word.