?SMOKIN? JOE FRAZIER SERIOUSLY ILL WITH LIVER CANCER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Nov 2011
Joe Frazier.
Former world heavyweight champion ?Smokin? Joe Frazier is seriously ill with liver cancer.
His manager Leslie Wolff said the 67 year old Frazier was diagnosed with the deadly disease some four or five weeks ago and had been in and out of hospital since October.
Frazier is best remembered for the famous ?Thrilla in Manila? against Muhammad Ali which ended an epic trilogy in a fight that is regarded as probably the greatest heavyweight championship of all-time.
Both Ali and Frazier were totally exhausted in the hot and humid Araneta Coliseum which was packed to the rafters with a crowd that included President Marcos, First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and top officials from government, business and industry and a slew of Hollywood stars.
Frazier?s celebrated trainer Eddie Futch decided to call a halt to the fight at the end of the 14th round when Frazier?s left eye was almost totally shut and he couldn?t see the telling right hand of Ali.
Frazier initially objected but eventually gave in to the better judgment of Futch who was in turn praised by Ali?s trainer Angelo Dundee for thinking about his fighter and doing the right thing.
Frazier was clearly bitter over the insults hurled at him in the pre-fight buildup with Ali calling him a ?gorilla.? .
That bitterness if not anger carried through for several years before Frazier ultimately forgave Ali who is himself suffering from the debilitating Parkinson?s disease.
Veteran sportswriter Eddie Alinea was the officially appointed liaison officer of Frazier while we were privileged to be named liaison officer of Ali. While Ali stayed at the then Hilton Hotel Frazier was billeted at the Hyatt on Roxas Boulevard.
We recall that as Frazier went after Ali in the middle rounds and nailed him with vicious body shots. Ali, at one point whispered to Frazier that he had been told Frazier was ?all washed up? to which Frazier replied ?they told you wrong pretty boy!?
After the bout a totally drained and exhausted Ali said it was the nearest he had come to death and praised Frazier in his usual manner by saying he was the greatest fighter, next to him.
Shortly after the epic ?Thrilla in Manila. Frazier retired from boxing and started a singing career with a group that was known as ?Joe Frazier and the Knockouts.?
He was an ever present spectator at the Olympic Games boxing in Atlanta and emerged as an ambassador for the sport.
He was featured in a widely watched and well-received documentary telecast several times by HBO since last year.
The New York Post quoted a source close to the former heavyweight champ as saying ?They?re only giving him a short time to live. We need to have as many people as possible praying for Joe right now.??
For sure, millions of Filipinos who became part of the historic ?Thrilla in Manila? will pray as fervently as they can for one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time and a genuine gentleman and tribute to a sometimes brutal sport.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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