Description
On October 1st 1975, in Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Before the fight, Ali trained very little thinking Frazier was washed up by the way he handled him in their rematch on January 28th 1974 and with the way George Foreman dealt with him on January 22nd 1973. Meanwhile, Frazier was training hard, he was determined to beat Ali and win back the World Championship.
Round 1 – Frazier was known to be a slow starter, Ali came out to take advantage of this, instead of being on his toes dancing, he was flat footed unleashing combinations as Frazier kept coming forward trying to punish Ali’s body at close range. That was a big round for Ali. In the following round, Ali caught Frazier with some powerful right hands to his face. Frazier trapped Ali against the ropes unleashing his hooks but most were blocked.
Round 3 – Frazier tried to get in close but Ali kept him at away pawing his jab then firing his right cross into Frazier’s face. Frazier had Ali against the ropes, but Ali immediately covered up and done the rope-a-dope technique that he used against George Foreman nearly a year earlier. Frazier pounded away at Ali’s arms with the occupational punch getting through. Ali opened up with a flurry, both were exchanging punches, Ali came off the ropes turning Frazier and backing him up against the ropes and still throwing combinations, the onslaught stopped Frazier in his tracks. Ali then backed up to the centre of the ring as Frazier bobbed and weaved after him trying to slip his jabs.
Round 6 – Frazier began to smoke, pilling on the pressure, trapping Ali against the ropes punishing him with powerful hooks to the body and head. Ali coved up doing the rope-a-dope, but Frazier was getting through. At the beginning of the 7th, Ali came out dancing picking Frazier off. Frazier had Ali against the ropes, when he whispered in Frazier’s ear, ‘Joe, they told me you were all washed up.’ Frazier growled back, ‘they lied.’ Frazier came on strong and dominated the middle rounds. Ali threw his combinations catching Frazier as he pressed forward. Frazier took Ali to the ropes unleashing his bombs.
Round 8 – This fight was proving to be something spectacular from the non-stop action these both warriors were giving. Ali came on very strong at the beginning of this round with powerful combinations catching Frazier. Ali threw a good left hook and right hand which staggered Frazier but he didn’t take advantage of it. Then towards the end of the round Frazier took the fight to Ali, trapping him against the ropes showing a relentless assault and power. The following round was non-stop action where Frazier kept piling on the pressure. At the end of the round, Ali went back to his corner and said to Angelo, ‘man, this is the closest I’ve ever been to dying.’ In the opposite corner, Frazier was suffering from pronounced swelling about the face
Round 11 – Ali came out dancing using his speed, throwing his jabs and right hands then came off his toes landing some fast-heavy combinations. Frazier’s face was severely disfigured by the end of the round. The round ended, Frazier was sat on his corner stool when his trainer Eddie Futch confronted him, ‘what’s with this right-hand business?’ Frazier said he couldn’t see some of the punches he was being hit with. At this point, Futch gave him what turned out to be poor advice. He told Frazier to stand more upright when approaching Ali rather than being in his usual bobbing and weaving style crouch.
Round 12 – Ali seized upon this immediately and throughout the 12th round, Ali piled on the pressure increasingly overwhelming Frazier, hitting him with one right hand after another catching his swollen face. About a minute into the 13th round of this fast pace fight, Ali landed another blistering combination sending Frazier’s mouthpiece flying into the crowd. Frazier kept moving forward throwing punches but took a lot of punishment in doing so. His right eye was cut, the swelling was getting worse. Adding to Frazier’s problems was his corner’s inability to maintain a functional ice bag to apply to his eye past the middle rounds because of the oppressive heat inside the Philippine Coliseum.
Round 14 – Frazier’s left eye was almost blind as he stepped into the centre of the ring. Ali threw his jabs and right crosses, right-hand leads and combinations. Frazier staggered, he was hurt from these punishing blows but was relentless, he kept coming for Ali but Ali was finding his target.
The bell rang for the end of the 14th round, a battered Frazier sat on his corner stool. Immediately the doctor was called in. Eddie Futch wouldn’t allow Frazier to go back out for the final round. Frazier protested, ‘I want him boss.’ Futch simple replied, ‘It’s all over, no one will forget what you did here today,’ then signaled to the referee Carlos Padilla to end the fight. Ali was declared the winner, he retained his title. Ali got up from his stool, raised his arm in victory then collapsed onto the canvas. He was completely exhausted.
After the fight, Ali said, ‘Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now brings out the best in me. A’hm gonna tell ya, that’s one helluva man and God Bless him. Joe Frazier is the greatest fighter in the world next to me.’ Frazier said, ‘Man, I hit him with punches that’d bring down the walls of a city.’
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier nearly killed each other that night. The “Thrilla in Manila” is known as the most brutal World Heavyweight Championship fight in the history of boxing.
