Philadelphia, PA - The boxing heritage of Philly is up there with any city in the world. From Bernard Hopkins, Meldrick Taylor, or current greats like Stephen Fulton, the City of Brotherly Love has some seriously tough guys who could go toe-to-toe with the best of them and come out on top.
It isn't just boxing which has provided such a suitable starting point for talented sportspeople; Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, and superstar Kobe Bryant are all homegrown stars that went on to achieve global fame. Boxing hero "Smokin'" Joe Frazier is beloved everywhere in Philly. Although he's since passed, he is one of the icons of the golden age of boxing and one of the Godfathers of Philadelphian sporting heritage, leaving a remarkable legacy that will continue to stand for generations.
Philadelphia's Forgotten Son
For many years, Philadelphians were left upset that a bronzed statue of Rocky Balboa sat at the top of the museum steps. Sylvester Stallone brought a worldwide audience to Philly, and Rocky is one of the greatest boxing movies of all time, with a soundtrack that has transcended generations of fight fans.
However, a legitimate, bonafide world heavyweight champion was living just a ten-minute drive down the road with no such tribute to his name. This has been rectified, and Smokin' Joe's legacy is cemented with murals around the city and a statue of the great man.
The Man Who Beat Muhammad Ali
Although when boxing historians discuss Ali vs. Frazier, they often point to the Thriller in Manila, which resulted in Joe Frazier's trainer stopping the fight as he sat on his stool before the 15th and final round, some people don't remember their first fight, back when Joe was world heavyweight champion.
In 1971, one of the most anticipated boxing matches occurred in Madison Square Garden, commonly known as The Fight Of The Century. It was an event that captured the global imagination and was amongst some of the most exciting and engaging events. It'd be hard to fathom how big and exciting it was then.
Still, suppose you can picture yourself rising to the top and scooping up the jackpot in an intense, high-quality online poker tournament. In that case, you might be able to visualize the hysteria and edge-of-the-seat anticipation generated by this megafight, with gamblers worldwide betting big money on the outcome.
Frazier took his time, took his chances at the right moments, and calculated the likelihood of success, like many of the world's top online poker players in high-stake games. Joe landed hard-thudding shots to hand Muhammad Ali his first-ever defeat. Although Muhammad would come back and shock the world, the bout played out like a poker game, Ali played his hand too early, and Frazier called his bluff.
The Legacy Of Joe
Having held the world heavyweight title for three years and defending it convincingly against Ali in 1971, Joe was one of the world's biggest sporting names. How he defeated "The Greatest" propelled him into superstardom.
Ali was left with a broken jaw, on the canvas in the final round, and with his tail between his legs. Nobody had handed the 1960 Olympic gold medallist a defeat like that before, and for everything Muhammad achieved in the next five years, no other fighter could get close to a prime Ali.
Joe himself also had an Olympic gold medal, which he won in the Olympics after Ali in 1964. His left hook is still widely considered one of the greatest in the history of heavyweight boxing, and despite his small stature for a heavyweight, he could knock out men much heavier than him with his dynamite left hook.
The name Muhammad Ali transcends sports and time, he was bigger than boxing, and some would argue he was even more significant than sports, he was a global icon, and the fact that one of Philly's own pummeled him in such a one-sided fight meant Joe could walk around with his head held high.
Although there was infamous animosity between the two, even decades after their iconic trilogy, Joe was a notable attendee at Ali's funeral, alongside some of the most famous people on the planet, and paid a beautiful tribute to his legendary rival.
Final Thoughts
Joe is Philadelphia's greatest son because of his demeanor outside the ring. He was known as a gentle and kind man who spent decades after his retirement giving back to his community in Philadelphia. Although Rocky Balboa brings in millions in tourism, Joe is the real people's champion.
He spent much of his spare time teaching the younger generation how to box to steer them away from Philly's rough, crime-filled streets. But, for a man who was one of the toughest on the planet and could easily throw his weight around if he chose to, he was known as an approachable and down-to-earth gentleman.
The boxing community sorely misses him as he is a timely reminder that the sport has fallen from such incredible heights. While many sports stars come and go, very few command the aura, respect, and legacy that Philadelphia's world heavyweight champion has for the last few decades.
