Joe Frazier Biography

Joe Frazier, nicknamed ‘Smokin' Joe, was among the most illustrious boxers in the history of the sport. He shot into the limelight when he won the gold medal in the heavyweight category in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Turning professional, he went on to become the heavyweight champion of the world, the first American Olympic champion to do so. In his three-year reign, he had the highest percentage of knockouts while never ever suffering the same fate himself. Frazier’s three fights with Muhammad Ali are legendary and regarded as some of the finest examples of classic boxing, endurance, and athletic courage. His first defense of the title, facing Ali, is hailed as ‘the fight of the century’, while his last world title challenge, dubbed the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ was a career highlight. Frazier was famous for the relentless fighting style he used to wear down his opponents. His sheer endurance, strength, agility, formidable punching power, including the left hook that he used successfully to knock out his opponents, are regarded as his most awesome qualities. Frazier died of complications arising out of liver cancer.