Philippines, 20 Feb 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Thrilla in Manila: The war of nerves starts upon Ali?s arrival


PhilBoxing.com




Right upon landing at the Manila International Airport on September 15, 1971, Angelo Dundee, defending world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali?s chief trainer, declared that challenger Joe Frazier ?had already lost the fight.?

?The fantastic welcome today seals Frazier?s doom,? Dundee told co-promoter and Games and Amusements Board chair Louie Tabuena, who welcomed Ali?s party in their arrival. He was referring to the lavish welcome hundreds of greeters accorded them.

?It?s really juiced up my guy. They?ve really never has things go this well,? Dundee assured.

The defending belt-owner though started changing his mind as the plane came down at 5:55 a.m., saying, ?beautiful, beautiful country. I gotta see lot of this. Look, what great people. I?ve got to do a work out for them.?

And so the Louisville Lip did a brief workout just after settling down in his Manila Hilton Hotel suite to accommodate his welcomers after which he met several members of the press who had earlier flew in at the steps of the hotel talking about anything from humorous, serious, philosophical.

Ali?s change of heart, scheduling a snap workout would have indicated of how things are going to be in the next fortnight leading to the October 1 face title-face off, especially to Frazier.

?Smokin? Joe felt this when Ali scheduled his gym work at 2 p.m., half-an-hour earlier than the normal 2:30 p.m. Frazier?s turn at the gym strts at 1 .m. Tabuena spoke with Dundee on the matter.

Frazier though save the situation. Since it?s Ali?s first day, he agreed to hurry out of FAT before 2 o?clock. But whether the set wound apply in the remaining days remained to be seen though.
Ali cancelled his work out in second day in Manila which came a no surprise to those who know how his organization works. He obliged to meeting with Filipino former world junior-lightweight champion Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde and wife Laura in his Hilton suite in the afternoon.

He asked Elorde to teach him how to throw a left hook, Frazier? best weapon, which the latter obliged. Boxing promoter Jun Sarreal, Laura?s younger brother, was in the meeting and Ali agreed to put his name in the trophy on Jun?s TV pro-boxing show.
Ali and Elorde first met in 1994 when the Filipino beat Frankie Narvaez in 12 rounds at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

There was no guessing what will be the scenario for the Marcos-Ali-Frazier meeting at the Palace scheduled two days later. Ali and Frazier were saying they would not enter the room together except when they stepped in the ring. The invitation was for them to meet the President together.

The final batch of equipment for Super Fight III arrived earlier that morning. Included are those left out in the shipment that arrived on Frazier?s flight. Among these were the heavy bags to be used in training, poles and ring canvas.

There were talks of getting the ring used in the Ali-Bugner fight earlier in Kuala Lumpur, but the Malaysians wouldn?t let the souvenir out of their sight. No words yet as where the ring in the October 1 fight will be used.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • GOLDEN BOY STATEMENT REGARDING FLOYD "KID AUSTIN" SCHOFIELD JR.
    , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • Cebuana Lhuillier Tennis Team Ready to Defend Title at Penang Sports Club Invitational
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • The Past Week in Action 18 February 2025: Davis KOs Berinchyk in 4; Zayas Stops Spomer in 9; Barbosa Edges Catterall
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • HERLAN, SOLEDAD, ZAMORA MAKE WEIGHT IN BRICO SANTIG’S HIGHLAND BOXING SHOWDOWN IN THAILAND!
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • ADLI, RUF, SIGURD MAKE WEIGHT; READY FOR HIGHLAND’S SPECTACULAR SHOW IN THAILAND!
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • PPV.COM RETURNS TO THE RING LIVE STREAMING IN FULL HD "RIYADH SEASON'S THE LAST CRESCENDO" ARTUR BETERBIEV vs. DMITRY BIVOL 2
    , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • Brothers on warpath
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • All Star Boxing Kicks off March 7th in Managua
    , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • World Boxing’s Executive Board approves six new applications from Kosovo, Syria, Hungary, Malawi, Estonia and Switzerland to take its membership to 78 countries
    , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • USA Boxing Announces 2025 Women’s Elite High Performance Team Roster
    , Wed, 19 Feb 2025
  • Avious Griffin For WBC Title Headlines Club Boxings return to NYC Thursday Night in Times Square.
    , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • Canelo vs. Crawford: A Deep Dive into the Tactics, Strengths, and Potential Outcomes of the Mega-Fight
    By T. Chin-Te, , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • Diosdado Posadas: Call me Speedy
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • Sadam Ali/World Kid Promotions’ “The Return” Postponed
    , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • FAELDONIA CHESS TEAM DOMINATES SIBUYAN OPEN TOURNAMENT
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • Dutch Boxing Federation accepted as IBA provisional member
    , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • Trifon Petrov unveils the signing of undefeated prospect VeShawn Champion
    , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • VIC MANUEL, MIKE TOLOMIA LEAD VALIENTES PAST BENILDE IN SIBUGAY INVITATIONAL
    , Tue, 18 Feb 2025
  • IM Chito Danilo Garma rules 5th AQ Prime Standard Open chess tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 17 Feb 2025
  • Ryan Clark defeats Ross Rodriguez in Old-fashioned barnburner fight
    , Mon, 17 Feb 2025
  • Vince Paras Secures Impressive TKO Victory in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
    , Sun, 16 Feb 2025
  • Concio unbeaten for IIEE Quezon to advance to Finals of PTC-WED
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 16 Feb 2025
  • OSCAR "LA MIGRAÑA" DUARTE HANDS MIGUEL "EXPLOSIVO" MADUEÑO HIS FIRST CAREER KNOCKOUT LOSS TO CLAIM WBA CONTINENTAL AMERICAS SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
    , Sun, 16 Feb 2025
  • US Olympics Silver Medalist Nabs Pro "Gold"; Keyshawn Davis Wins WBO Crown by Knockout
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sun, 16 Feb 2025
  • Roy Jones Jnr and Israil Madrimov Break Down Canelo-Crawford Fight
    , Sun, 16 Feb 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.