Fifty years later, the awe remains as we watch Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier battle fiercely in the scorching heat of the Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines. Ali himself famously described their `Thriller in Manila` as “the closest thing to dyin` that I know of.” Their savage exchanges across three unforgettable fights have forever bound these two legends together. While countless accounts of their rivalry exist, here we delve into the fighters` own words, spoken in the build-up and aftermath of each epic encounter.
The Fight of the Century (March 8, 1971)
Leading Up to the Fight:
- Ali: “Mismatch of the century. You’ll be reporting that Joe Frazier didn’t land a blow. That’s what you’ll write next Monday.” (Chicago Tribune, seven days to fight)
- Ken Norton (working with Frazier): “You fight three rounds with Joe Frazier you feel like you fought 10… when he gets in the ring with Frazier he’s going to have to fight every minute of every round. I don’t see how he can do it.” (Chicago Tribune, seven days to fight)
- Frazier: “Yank [Durham] told me he’s seen what he wanted to see. I’m ready now. If they told me that fight was today, all I’d have to do is get my robe on and change trunks.” (San Francisco Examiner, six days to fight)
Fight Night – Madison Square Garden:
Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali on points.
After the Fight (March 9, 1971):
- Frazier (on knocking Ali down): “I reached back for that one. That one came from the country.” (Tucson Citizen)
- Angelo Dundee (Ali’s trainer): “Just a bruise. We had the jaw x-rayed. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” (Philadelphia Daily News)
- Bundini Brown (Ali’s hype man): “The first thing I asked him [Ali] was, ‘We ain’t through are we?’ He said ‘Get ‘em ready; we’re gonna set tracks.’” (Staten Island Advance)
The Rematch (January 28, 1974)
Leading Up to the Fight:
- Frazier: “You could say we couldn’t live in the same house, and we surely couldn’t sleep in the same bed.” (Seven days to fight)
- Ali: “Personally, I got nothing against him. I don’t like him as a fighter though. In the ring, he’s my enemy.” (The Signal, seven days to fight)
- Ali (on Frazier’s lifestyle): “That’s where Joe Frazier is now… Cadillacs, mink coats, diamonds… high heel shoes – don’t he look like a woman in them heels? I went through that stage, but that’s where he is now. That shows he’s ignorant. Cultivated people want to live like I’m living now.” (Four days to fight)
- Ali (on his own importance): “I am boxing. They need me. I don’t need none of them. I don’t need the title. I don’t need the rankings. I’ve got a billion people with me.” (Independent, one day to fight)
- Bob Arum: “I have never seen one fighter hate another fighter more than Frazier hates Ali – I mean, just absolutely hates him. Frazier is gonna come in and try to absolutely annihilate him.” (Independent, one day to fight)
Fight Night – Madison Square Garden:
Muhammad Ali wins on points, evening the score.
After the Fight (January 29, 1974):
- Ali: “Joe Frazier is good. I knew I was great. I didn’t know Joe Frazier was good.” (Los Angeles Times)
- Frazier: “I see no reason to stop. I definitely want him again. I want him one more time.” (Los Angeles Times)
The Thrilla In Manila (October 1, 1975)
Leading Up to the Fight:
- Ferdie Pacheco (Ali’s doctor): “If he doesn’t spar soon he’s going to lose his range, his sighting of the opponent.” (Evening Standard, six days to fight)
- Eddie Futch (Frazier’s trainer): “These aren’t fights when they get together. They’re happenings. And in the minds of most of the world, this next one’s going to establish the clear superiority of one man or the other.” (Detroit Free Press, six days to fight)
- Ali: “It is impossible for him to hit me with that right hand. Im-possible. I can take advantage of Frazier’s weaknesses, but he can’t take advantage of mine.” (Florida Today, six days to fight)
- Frazier: “I’m getting paid $2 million or more… there’s people get mugged all the time and get nothin’ to show for it. ‘Gettin hit… that’s part of the game.” (Philadelphia Daily News, one day to fight)
- Ali: “We’re like Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, like Joe Louis and Billy Conn, it’s a legendary fight. It’s like goin’ back into history.” (One day to fight)
- Frazier: “Anywhere from one to 15, I’ll be there. I ain’t going nowhere.” (One day to fight)
Fight Night – Araneta Coliseum:
Muhammad Ali wins the rubber match. Trainer Eddie Futch famously stops Frazier at the end of round 14, stating: “Sit down son, it’s all over. No one will ever forget what you did here today.”
After the Fight (October 2, 1975):
- Eddie Futch: “Maybe Joe could have been seriously hurt in those three minutes. Is it worth it?”
- Ali: “This might be my last fight. I’m gonna retire. Now let the young fellows fight.” (Daily News)
- Frazier: “I’m not thinking about retiring now. I got a little careless.”
- Mrs Florence Frazier: “He can’t take the punches any longer. I wish he’d retire.” (Florida Today)
- Frazier: “My man fought a good fight. When you see him and me in there together, you know it’ll be a good fight.”
- Ali: “I got nothing bad to say about Joe Frazier. Without me he wouldn’t be where he is today. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am. We’ve been a pretty good team for the last few years.”
