Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier, known as "Smokin" Joe, is a former Olympic and World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981.
Frazier emerged as a contender in the mid-1960s, defeating Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali in the highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman. He launched a comeback, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali, and beating Quarry and Ellis again.
Frazier's last world title challenge came in 1975, but he was beaten by Ali in their brutal rubbermatch. He retired in 1976 following a second loss to Foreman. He made a comeback in 1981, fighting just once, before retiring for good. The International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) rates Frazier among the ten greatest heavyweights of all time. He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Frazier's style was often compared to that of Henry Armstrong, dependent on bobbing, weaving and wearing down his opponents with relentless pressure. His best known punch was a powerful left hook, which accounted for most of his knockouts. Compared to Ali's style, he was close enough to the ideal bruiser that some in the press and media characterized the bouts as the answer to the classic question: "What happens when a boxer meets with a brawler?"
Since retiring Frazier has made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, and two episodes of The Simpsons. His son Marvis also became a boxer - trained by Frazier himself - although was unable to emulate his father's success. Frazier continues to train fighters in his gym in Philadelphia. His later years have also seen the continuation of his bitter rivalry with Ali, in which the two periodically exchange insults, interspersed with brief reconciliations.
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 2.215 |
Birthday | 1944-01-12 |
Place of Birth | Beaufort, South Carolina |
Also Known As | Smokin' Joe Frazier, |
1975
Ali the Man: Ali the Fighter
0/0
Ali the Fighter was made in 1975, when the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fight was still fresh in everyone's minds. Filmmaker William Greaves frames Ali's...
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Ali the Man: Ali the Fighter
1974
The Fighters
0/0
Behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the Fight of the Century between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.
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The Fighters
1971
Fight of the Century
0/0
Legendary boxing match between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971.
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Fight of the Century
1986
WrestleMania II
6.4/27
Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper in a Boxing match Battle Royal featuring superstars and athletes from the WWF and NFL Hulk Hogan (c) vs. King Kong Bundy in a St...
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WrestleMania II
1971
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
0/0
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Fight Of The Century or simply The Fight, was a heavyweight championship boxing match between WBA, WBC, an...
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Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I
1974
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
0/0
Ali vs. Frazier II was a boxing fight, the second of three bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, that took place at the Madison Square Garden in...
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Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II
2000
Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
0/0
Previously unseen footage, seeing and hearing the champions interviewed and talking to each other at a private dinner party hosted by baseball’s legen...
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Champions Forever - World Heavyweight Champs!
1984
NWA Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge
7/2
One million dollars is on the line as NWA World's Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair takes on Dusty Rhodes with legendary boxing champion "Smokin" Joe Fra...
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NWA Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge
2012
Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears
8/1
They say that Philadelphia is the capital of boxing and Joe Frazier's Gym is the White House. This is the story of a father, a son and a forgotten leg...
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Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears
1987
Ghost Fever
2.5/13
Two policeman are sent on a routine assignment to serve an eviction notice. It becomes anything but run-of-the-mill when they become involved in the g...
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Ghost Fever
1976
George Foreman vs Joe Frazier II
0/0
A professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976, for the NABF heavyweight championship.
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George Foreman vs Joe Frazier II
1974
The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
0/0
George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Rumble in the Jungle, was a heavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of M...
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The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
2019
Thrilla in Manila
0/0
The 'Thrilla in Manila' was the third and final epic contest between the irrepressible heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali, and the hard-h...
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Thrilla in Manila
1996
Muhammad Ali The Whole Story
8.5/2
Muhammad Ali. He is known as the most thrilling athlete of all time... he is known as The Greatest. The remarkable story of how he became one of the m...
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Muhammad Ali The Whole Story
1999
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
0/0
Ali's greatest fights in full length with original microphone 1. I Shook Up the World: Clay vs. Liston (1964) 2. Rumble in the Jungle: Ali vs. Foreman...
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Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
1996
A Christmas Journey Home
0/0
Young Billy sneaks his grandfather out of the nursing home for one last Christmas. On their way home, they become targets of a New York City street ga...
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A Christmas Journey Home
1990
Night of 100 Stars III
4/2
A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.
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Night of 100 Stars III
1998
Just the Ticket
5.5/28
Gary Starke is one of the best ticket scalpers in New York City. His girlfriend, Linda, doesn't approve of his criminal lifestyle, though, and dumps h...
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Just the Ticket
1975
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
10/1
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier lll, billed as the "Thrilla in Manila", was the third and final boxing match between WBA and WBC heavyweight champion Muh...
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Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
1976
Rocky
7.789/7935
An uneducated collector for a Philadelphia loan shark is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight against the world heavyweight boxing champion...
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Rocky
2008
Thrilla in Manila
7.8/12
On October 1, 1975, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali was in the ring with his arch rival Joe Frazier for the third time. This fight in t...
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Thrilla in Manila
1973
Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman
0/0
Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman, billed as The Sunshine Showdown, was a professional boxing match in Kingston, Jamaica contested on January 22, 1973, f...
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Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman
2009
Facing Ali
7.4/47
Ten of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.
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Facing Ali
1996
When We Were Kings
7.705/229
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world....
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When We Were Kings
2000
Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
0/0
In sports history, there are moments that define the essence of competition. In boxing, it is a 1971 fight known as Ali-Frazier I. This documentary ch...
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Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible
1989
Champions Forever
8/2
No other film has the sweeping review of Ali's greatest fights, the legendary fight footage, and the real time relevant comments and conversations wit...
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Champions Forever
1994
Home of Angels
0/0
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Home of Angels
1974
The Fight
0/0
In 1971, maverick filmmaker William Greaves trained his cameras on both Muhammad Ali and his opponent, Joe Frazier, ahead of the “Fight of the Century...
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The Fight
2002
Jim Brown: All-American
5/5
Jim Brown: All-American is a 2002 documentary film directed by Spike Lee. The film takes a look at the life of NFL hall-of-famer Jim Brown. The film d...
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Jim Brown: All-American
1965
Tokyo Olympiad
7.8/43
This impressionistic portrait of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics pays as much attention to the crowds and workers as it does to the actual competitive...
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