Marvis Frazier, Son of Joe Frazier, Reflects on Standing in the Light of a Legend
It can be difficult to follow in the footsteps of a legend. Marvis Frazier was never able to duplicate the success that his father, Joe Frazier, achieved during his boxing career. However, Marvis believes that having the “greatest father in the world” is more valuable than any world championship boxing belt. Frazier recently sat down with rolling out sports to discuss his relationship with his father and what the sport has done for his life.
–amir shaw
You have a special father. Discuss what it was like growing up as the son of Joe Frazier.
I have a great father. Every man would want to have a father like Joe Frazier. My father instilled discipline, but he would never badger or beat us. We have a great family. It’s a family that believes in community.
There is a point in the movie, ‘Thriller in Manila’ when you say, ‘Daddy stop playing.’ What was that in reference to?
My father fought George Forman in 1973 in Kingston. I was three seats away from ringside. It was my first time seeing my dad fight up close. I could hear Howard Cosell announcing. Forman hit my father with an uppercut. My father fell three times and the reality hit me. At that moment, I realized that my father was human. It didn’t change my love for my father. It showed me a different side of him. We all miss the mark at some point, but it’s how we bounce back [that matters].
How would you describe your father’s relationship with Muhammad Ali?
We were at the Olympics in 1996 when Muhammad Ali was lighting the torch. A reporter asked my father what he thought about Ali lighting the torch. My father said he believed that society picked one man to represent the entire sport. ‘People won’t look at Ali as a great champion, they will say look what boxing did to this man.’ We love the Ali family. Our heart goes out to those with Parkinson’s disease. We don’t believe in bashing and talking negatively about people.
What has boxing given you?
Boxing gave me courage and a good left jab. It’s given me a legacy to tell my grandkids about. I was a national Golden Glove champion and AAU champion. God has really blessed me as a pro. I only lost to two great fighters [Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes]. Boxing is a great sport, but you must sacrifice to be great.
