Let’s take a look at the two former Olympic Gold Medalists and world heavyweight champions Muhammad ‘The Greatest’ Ali and ‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier.
Both were born in the south. Ali in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942 and Frazier in Beaufort, South Carolina on January 12, 1944.
Frazier would end up moving to New York before settling into North Philadelphia, PA. Ali would eventually move to 70th and Overbrook in Philadelphia, then Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Their amateur records have been given with numerous statistics. Usually, Ali’s amateur career record was given at 69-6 with 22 stoppages. Frazier’s usually listed at 38-2 with 37 stoppages.
Ali went to the 1960 Rome Olympics in Italy. It’s been said he lost in the heavyweight trials to Percy Price, but it could never be verified. In the Olympics, he won the light heavyweight Gold Medal, winning all three bouts. He would sign with a group of investors called the Louisville Sponsoring Group.
Frazier was 2-1 in the Olympic trials losing to Buster Mathis who broke his right middle finger so Frazier went as the alternate in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He scored three knockouts, breaking his left thumb stopping the Soviet boxer in his third bout. Then defeated the German by decision to win the Gold Medal. He would sign with a group of investors called Cloverlay, Inc. when he turned pro.
In March of 1968 Frazier 19-0, stopped Mathis, 23-0, in 11 rounds for the vacant NYSAC world title at Madison Square Garden, NY.
While Frazier was winning the Olympics in 1964, Ali, 19-0, won the heavyweight title in February of that year, stopping Sonny Liston, 35-1, after six rounds at the Convention Center in Miami, FL.
In February of 1970 Frazier won the world title stopping Jimmy Ellis after 4 rounds at Madison Square Garden. Ellis had split with Ali (then Cassius Clay) in the amateurs losing to him in the pro’s.
Ali had 9 title defenses before having his license revoked in June of 1967 due to refusing induction into the military. He was able to go to court and not to prison but was not able to get his boxing license renewed in any state.
From August of 1967 when he knocked out Zora Folley, 74-7-4, at Madison Square Garden until October of 1970 he was inactive earning a living doing speaking engagements at colleges throughout the states.
The state of Georgia re-instated Ali’s license in September 1970, when he returned to the ring the following month, stopping Jerry Quarry, 37-4-4, in 3 rounds in Atlanta. Next, in December, he stopped Oscar Bonavena, 46-6-1, at Madison Square Garden before signing to fight Frazier, 26-0, the then-world champion at Madison Square Garden in March of 1971. Ali was knocked down in the final round, losing the decision to Frazier.
Ali would win his next 10 fights before losing to Ken Norton, 29-1, by split decision, having his jaw broken supposably in the second round. He won the rematch over Norton and two fights later defeated the then former world champion Frazier, 30-1, in January of 1974 for his NABF title by decision at Madison Square Garden.
In Ali’s next fight, he knocked out the 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and then world champion ‘Big’ George Foreman, 40-0, who had defeated Frazier for the title. Ali stopped Foreman in Zaire, Africa, in eight rounds, winning the title for a second time.
After three title stoppages, Ali, 48-2, met Frazier for the third time in the Philippines, ‘The Thrilla in Manila’ while well ahead after 14 rounds when Frazier, 32-2, was unable to continue.
Frazier would again be stopped by Foreman and draw with Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings, 15-1, ending his career in December of 1981 with a 32-4-1 and 27 stoppages record.
Ali would go on to win his next six fights, including another win over Norton in February of 1978, losing to the former 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist Leon ‘Neon’ Spinks, 6-0-1, by split decision in Las Vegas, NV. Ali won the rematch, winning a record world title for the third time. He announced his retirement after that, only to return to the ring, losing to Larry Holmes, 35-0, by stoppage for the only time in his career, after ten rounds in October of 1980. Then, in December of 1981, he lost his final bout to future world champion Trevor Berbick, 19-2-1, in Nassau.
Ali’s daughter Laila ‘She Be Stingin’ Ali, 9-0, would defeat Frazier’s daughter Jacqui, 7-0, in June of 2001 by majority decision. She ended up at 13-1, winning several minor titles. Ali ended with a 24-0 record before retiring. She won the WIBA Super Middleweight title in 2002 and the WBC title in 2005 before retiring.
Last Updated on 03/17/2025
