In Howard's intro he mentioned that the 3 knockdown rule was waived for this fight! I've seen clips from it but always wondered why the ref never stopped it sooner!
I think anyone who saw this match was probably stunned at just how quickly it became a one sided fight. Frazier was a tough, determined, and gallant champion, but literally had no chance against the intimidating strength and crushing punching power of George Foreman. RIP Joe Frazier 🙏 World Heavyweight Champion 1970-1973.
I saw it live via closed circuit and it was an utter shocker and still is after all these years. Joe was considered pretty much unbeatable after Ali and George was still considered green.. Great memory.
I watched this fight with my dad when I was 10 - he said "see that big ugly mean guy (Foreman) - that's life - see that other guy (Smokin Joe Frazier) - that's you - and life is going to knock you down and knock you down - but it doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down - it's how many times you get back up that counts -
If you watch the NFL Films documentary on Howard Cosell, which caught this broadcast ringside, you will see Cosell was so into this fight he was shaking yet somehow he was able to continue calling the fight and spitting out arcane facts ("like he did to the Polish heavyweight in Mexico City in 1968 at the age of 19") at an almost superhuman rate
Foreman and Sonny Liston each go down in history as the only two fighters to have run into the one and only single thing that could possibly bring them down--that is Cassius Cla/Muhummad Ali. Had this irony and fate in the form of the gratest fighter to EV ER live not blocked their path to the tune of mnay millions to one against such a freak meeting coming about--each would have gone down as the best ever.
Both Frazier and Foreman are prime examples of the value of boxing in steering wild youths in a better direction. Growing up in rural South Carolina, Joe was getting in trouble riding the back roads delivering moonshine with his father, another colorful character. Frazier was so tough, he hung around with teenagers several years older than himself. George was even more of a troubled youth testing the limits of the law in Houston's Fifth Ward ghetto. Boxing turned them both into better citizens.
I think there was a closed circuit broadcast of this fight and for those who didn't see it on closed circuit Wide World of Sports would show the fight on a taped delay basis
Horses for races...Styles for fighters...in terms of sheer punching= two sluggers going straight at each other...no retreat etc.... Foreman would have hurt everyone from J. Johnson, J. Dempsey, J. Louis, R. Marciano, and even the oddly similar C. " Sonny " Liston,...who had the exact same misfortune of running into the one, singular fighter who ENDED,..or in George's case (for nearly 20 years that is)..them and ALL the confidence and punching power/ invicibility they once posessed. Minus Ali=???
Joe was considered pretty much unbeatable at this point, having beaten Ali and being undefeated. Personally, I didn't think Big George had a prayer. Everybody at the closed circuit telecast was stunned. It was shocking.
Frazier was as tough and gallant as any fighter whoever lived but this was a terrible fight for him. It reminded me of that Twilight Zone episode with Lee Marvin fighting the robot and being pummeled to near death.
In response to polgreen211, I agree for the most part in your assessment of Ali's condition and how it was caused. I do think you mean the "rabbit punches" thrown by Wepner(Chuck)--NOT by a fighter named Wagner--A "typo" mistake anyone,..including myself could make. Why Ali is The GREATEST ever is also,tragiically, suffers today. Ali was not only the greatest offensive fighter/champion in ANY weight class in all of boxing history,but could also a take a puinch like no other..EVER, Never KO'd..
Cosell - He is a big strong boy. This would be considered a racist statement today. However, coming from Cosell you can hear his admiration and respect.
Styles for fighters-horses for races...just as Patterson had no chance at all up against Liston...in the same respect...Frazier boring in,...or "SMOKIN' TOWARDS A BIGGER, YOUNGER TALLER AND HEAVIER BHITTER than he in Foreman was just murder.. How great the irony- nearly exactly a decade earlier when the so-calledcexperts were calling Liston the greatest EVER before the ONLY style and fighter on the planet that could execute it in Cassius Clay DID!, and again in'74 against Foreman, then 40-0 etc,
Agree! RIP Smokin Joe. Frazier is the reason is Ali walks around druling on himself! Frazier took great pride in doing that to Ali. Frazier was toughest man to ever step in a ring!
You fool. Ali's culmination of the blows he took for ALL fighters, is what contributed to his condition. Frazier only fought SEVEN times, after A-F 1, while Ali, fought 20+ times. Frazier did not fight Shavers, Norton or Lyle. Besides, you think, Frazier spoke like a Rhodes Scholar?
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Nothing better than listening to Howard. My level of excitement increases by 100 fold. Just a legend!
Iconic announcer & commentary.
Just love Howard Cosells commentary. Only him and not 5 others saying this and that. Just him. He was a legend!
In Howard's intro he mentioned that the 3 knockdown rule was waived for this fight! I've seen clips from it but always wondered why the ref never stopped it sooner!
I think anyone who saw this match was probably stunned at just how quickly it became a one sided fight. Frazier was a tough, determined, and gallant champion, but literally had no chance against the intimidating strength and crushing punching power of George Foreman. RIP Joe Frazier 🙏 World Heavyweight Champion 1970-1973.
Smoking Joe World Champion 1967-1973.
I saw it live via closed circuit and it was an utter shocker and still is after all these years. Joe was considered pretty much unbeatable after Ali and George was still considered green.. Great memory.
Joe was all heart no matter what. Foreman was just so devestating, even at age 45 when he knocked out Moorer.
RIP Joe Frazier
The Greatest Sports Call of All TIME!
I watched this fight with my dad when I was 10 - he said "see that big ugly mean guy (Foreman) - that's life - see that other guy (Smokin Joe Frazier) - that's you - and life is going to knock you down and knock you down - but it doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down - it's how many times you get back up that counts -
If you watch the NFL Films documentary on Howard Cosell, which caught this broadcast ringside, you will see Cosell was so into this fight he was shaking yet somehow he was able to continue calling the fight and spitting out arcane facts ("like he did to the Polish heavyweight in Mexico City in 1968 at the age of 19") at an almost superhuman rate
Foreman and Sonny Liston each go down in history as the only two fighters to have run
into the one and only single thing that could possibly bring them down--that is Cassius Cla/Muhummad Ali. Had this irony and fate in the form of the gratest fighter to EV ER live not blocked their path to the tune of mnay millions to one against such a freak meeting coming about--each would have gone down as the best ever.
Both Frazier and Foreman are prime examples of the value of boxing in steering wild youths in a better direction. Growing up in rural South Carolina, Joe was getting in trouble riding the back roads delivering moonshine with his father, another colorful character. Frazier was so tough, he hung around with teenagers several years older than himself. George was even more of a troubled youth testing the limits of the law in Houston's Fifth Ward ghetto. Boxing turned them both into better citizens.
RIP Joe.
A real champion.
George Vreeland Hill
THE most intense, memorable pre-fight stares before the fight.
How many networks would broadcast fights back then because I just watched this fight in its entirety on a different video and it wasn’t Howard.
I think there was a closed circuit broadcast of this fight and for those who didn't see it on closed circuit Wide World of Sports would show the fight on a taped delay basis
Horses for races...Styles for fighters...in terms of sheer punching= two sluggers going straight at each other...no retreat etc.... Foreman would have hurt everyone from J. Johnson, J. Dempsey, J. Louis, R. Marciano, and even the oddly similar C. " Sonny " Liston,...who had the exact same misfortune of running into the one, singular fighter who ENDED,..or in George's case (for nearly 20 years that is)..them and ALL the confidence and punching power/ invicibility they once posessed. Minus Ali=???
Rest in Peace Joe Frazier
@2:32 a giant bug lands on Fraziers shoulder...
Foreman said his knees were shaking when he was staring down Joe because he didn't look down
Joe was considered pretty much unbeatable at this point, having beaten Ali and being undefeated. Personally, I didn't think Big George had a prayer. Everybody at the closed circuit telecast was stunned. It was shocking.
Frazier was as tough and gallant as any fighter whoever lived but this was a terrible fight for him. It reminded me of that Twilight Zone episode with Lee Marvin fighting the robot and being pummeled to near death.
thanks
In response to polgreen211, I agree for the most part in your assessment of Ali's condition and how it was caused. I do think you mean the "rabbit punches" thrown by Wepner(Chuck)--NOT by a fighter named Wagner--A "typo" mistake anyone,..including myself could make. Why Ali is The GREATEST ever is also,tragiically, suffers today. Ali was not only the greatest offensive fighter/champion in ANY weight class in all of boxing history,but could also a take a puinch like no other..EVER, Never KO'd..
RIP Joe
If they fought today George would still win. I couldn't see Joe getting to his feet.
Cosell - He is a big strong boy. This would be considered a racist statement today. However, coming from Cosell you can hear his admiration and respect.
Big E in Tennessee ...It was a racist statement then.
Styles for fighters-horses for races...just as Patterson had no chance at all up against Liston...in the same respect...Frazier boring in,...or "SMOKIN' TOWARDS A BIGGER, YOUNGER TALLER AND HEAVIER BHITTER than he in Foreman was just murder.. How great the irony- nearly exactly a decade earlier when the so-calledcexperts were calling Liston the greatest EVER before the ONLY style and fighter on the planet that could execute it in Cassius Clay DID!, and again in'74 against Foreman, then 40-0 etc,
After the fight agains Ali frazier is no longer thé same
Agree! RIP Smokin Joe. Frazier is the reason is Ali walks around druling on himself! Frazier took great pride in doing that to Ali. Frazier was toughest man to ever step in a ring!
You fool.
Ali's culmination of the blows he took for ALL fighters, is what contributed to his condition. Frazier only fought SEVEN times, after A-F 1, while Ali, fought 20+ times. Frazier did not fight Shavers, Norton or Lyle.
Besides, you think, Frazier spoke like a Rhodes Scholar?
George Foreman a écrasé' frazier