Thrilla Aftermath
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 07 Oct 2017
?When the Thrilla in Manila was over, one man was left with a ruin of life, the other was battered to his soul.?
That was how Mark Kram, in his book Ghosts of Manila, aptly described the end of the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier trilogy dubbed as the ?Super Fights I, II and III.
Eight years later after the Thrilla, a grim sight in a small hospital on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina demonstrated what Ali?s two-decade of fighting atop the ring brought to his body. Six years later, in 1989, there was no turning away from the truth ? The ?Greatest? was suffering from a decease called ?Pakinson?.
Ali laid on his hospital bed with droplets of sweat above his lip and on his forehead, his hands and head trembling. Looking him on his room, one was reminded of his face during the latter rounds inside the Philippine Coliseum.
The three fights with Frazier had done great damage to Ali and Manila should have signalled the last in his long, long journey in a game where longevity kills. Every organ, every centimeter of bone in his body was asking for mercy.
But there is an unwritten runle in boxing that there is no such thing as a fighter who leaves the sport ?on time.? No one walks away. He just limps. Ali was determined to break that rule. The temptation of money, more money, power adulation and celebration.
He pressed on, fought four times in 1976 alone against mostly unheard of opponents. He was in the ring twice more in 1977 and was severely punished by Ernie Shavers. The following year, he lost and regained the world heavyweight championship, the only man to win the title three times against small Leon Spinks.
Ali retired in 1979 as his condition worsened. He had boxed roughly 15,000 rounds in actual fights and in training. He had married Veronica Porsche, his third, and believed to have been spending $30,000 to $35,000 a month.
One year later when everything looked to have been settled down, he decided to comeback once more, this time vs Trevor Berbick. He climbed the ring fat in the middle, his hand speed nowhere to be found.
After Manila, Frazier fought just twice more an effectively retired after that and stayed in good shape. He continued involving himself in boxing he loved most in hometown Philadelphia, developing young fighters, including son Marvis.
He remained revered in sports circle, with his stature assured by his classic, albeit brutal three-fight encounters with Ali.
The Thrilla was voted ?Fight of the Year? and Ali ?Fighter of the Year.? Eddie Futch, meanwhile was adjudged ?Trainer of the Year? and Filipino referee Carlos ?Sonny? Padilla Jr. ?Referee of the Year?.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
February 24: Junto Nakatani-David Cuellar Title Showdown Headlines a Bantamweight Bonanza in Tokyo LIVE on ESPN+
Fri, 27 Dec 2024Zamora, Soledad crush opponents in Bangkok
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 27 Dec 2024GOLDEN BOY LAUNCHES INTO 2025 WITH ERIC PRIEST HEADLINING FIRST-EVER SHOW AGAINST TYLER “HERCULES” HOWARD
Fri, 27 Dec 2024PH Fighter of the Year, Top Fighters of 2024
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 27 Dec 2024Three in line for title bids
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 27 Dec 2024Paciones wins WBA Asia light fly title
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 27 Dec 2024Yanong KOs Phayom in 2nd round
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 27 Dec 2024Cebuana Lhuillier Tennis Team Dominates, Defends Title at 41st PCA Open Championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 27 Dec 2024MIEL FAJARDO READY FOR YOHANA IN EXCITING WBO 112 GLOBAL TODAY IN TANZANIA
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 26 Dec 2024Today! Paciones, Yanong, Zamora, Soledad Ready for Action in Highland Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 26 Dec 2024LERASAN, KASSIM, MAKE WEIGHT FOR WBF 118 BELT IN TANZANIA
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 26 Dec 2024IIEE Metro Central scores 24-24 standoff versus IIEE Western Visayas in the 3rd D’ Engineers Cup
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 26 Dec 2024Ortega wins Laguna chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 25 Dec 2024Paciones to fight Li in Bangkok on Dec. 26
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 24 Dec 2024Antonio Vargas Seeks Showdown with WBA Bantamweight Champion Seiya Tsutsumi
Tue, 24 Dec 2024