?Smokin? Joe Frazier, one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all-time whose epic trilogy with Muhammad Ali was capped by the famous ?Thrilla in Manila? on October 1, 1975, has passed away at the age of 67.
Manila Standard learned that the 67 year old Frazier who was diagnosed with liver cancer only weeks ago died in his hometown in Philadelphia.
Pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao?s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza said Frazier?s passing ?is hard to bear. It's painful and is a big loss to boxing.?
Frazier battled Ali in three memorable fights winning the first in what was billed as the ?Fight of the Century? when he dropped Ali in the 15th round with his thundering left hook but lost the second and was stopped in the 14th round in the third held at the Araneta Coliseum.
With his left eye swollen shut Ali, was peppering Frazier with stinging combinations forcing Frazier?s renowned trainer Eddie Futch to inform referee Sonny Padilla at the end of the 14th round that they were quitting because Frazier couldn?t see.
Some years ago Frazier was featured in an award-winning documentary that was telecast several times by HBO Sports in which the bitterness he had towards Ali who taunted him by referring to him as a ?gorilla? before the Manila championship bout surfaced, However, some months later Frazier indicated he had forgiven Ali and was quoted as saying if he was in an elevator alone with Ali and had a loaf of bread, he would give Ali half.
Frazier had a career record of 32-4-1 with 27 knockouts.
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