Joe Frazier Discusses Muhammad Ali, the Current State of Boxing, and the Greatest Fight of All Time
Historians often tell stories that are incomplete. For nearly 40 years, Joe Frazier hasn’t had his shot at telling his side of the story regarding the epic battles that took place between him and Ali. Looking for a new perspective on an old story, director John Dower gives Frazier his just due in the HBO documentary, Thriller in Manila. Rolling out sports recently traveled to Joe Frazier’s Gym in Philadelphia for the former heavy weight champion’s accounting of a time when boxing was the most intriguing sport on earth. –amir shaw
How does it feel to know that there is a new perspective on the relationship between you and Muhammad Ali?
I thought that life was great for all of us. There was a time when a guy your color could not do an interview. It took a while, but things have changed. Back in those days, Ali and I got along. Before he got his boxing license back, President Nixon wanted to talk to me. He asked me if I should let Ali fight again. I was the first one there to speak up in his defense.
You have always been a guy of high moral standards. Why is your image so important to you?
I don’t know another way to live. I was raised under animosity, bigotry and racism. But that didn’t bother me because I knew I wanted to be a champion. I knew something good was waiting for me. My family had to struggle, and I didn’t want them to continue to … I wanted to do something about it.
What changes do you hope for in boxing?
We need to get back to the fight game where we left it. The boxing game has been good, so we need to give back. We have to teach young men how to be men. This ultimate fighting stuff is something I don’t agree with. Once a man is down, you have to let him have a chance to prove how good he is. They’re bringing the fight game down.
What would you say to young brothers about taking advantage of opportunities?
You can do what you want to do because there are opportunities available that we didn’t have. The black kids can go to school with anyone. I couldn’t go to school with whites. Now there are schools that educate everyone. Look at what President Barack Obama has done.
