He was responsible for Muhammad Ali's first defeat in the ring. The two eventually sparred in three epic bouts in the early 1970s.
Mr. Frazier was labeled the "official" champion. He lobbied privately for Ali's return to boxing and even loaned him money. But as a match between the two became inevitable, he found himself in a mean-spirited psychological battle with the media-savvy Ali, who goaded him, calling him an "Uncle Tom" and a "gorilla." Mr. Frazier, who preferred to speak through his actions, called Ali a draft dodger and referred to him by his original name, Cassius Clay.
The two came to represent the wider rifts in the nation during a turbulent era.
"Joe was a champion - and Ali was a hero," Merchant recalled. "Joe was an ordinary guy, and Ali was an exceptional guy. . . . People lined up on both sides."
Mr. Frazier's 1971 win over Ali at Madison Square Garden was his crowning achievement.
"He said if I whipped him that night, he would get on his knees, crawl across the ring, and say: 'You are the greatest,' " Frazier said. "But he didn't do that. I think he was trying to get to the hospital."
The Ali-Frazier fights probably won't remain on YouTube, but here they are:
Ali-Frazier I:
Ali-Frazier II:
The "Thrilla in Manila":
_____
Actor Sid Melton, who apeared on seemingly every sitcom in the 1970s, including Green Acres,, died at the age of 94.
Mr. Melton’s acting career covered more than 70 years, from his stage debut in a road production of the Broadway play “See My Lawyer” in 1939 to a recurring role as the husband (deceased, appearing in flashbacks and dreams only) of Sophia, the mother of Bea Arthur’s character, on “The Golden Girls,” between 1985 and 1992.
No comments:
Post a Comment