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"The Thrilla in Manilla" Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier III 1.10.1975

3,436 views · Published 20 June 2015 · 51:19 · Indexed 31 October 2026

Channel: Classic Boxing Matches · 2015 · Sports

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The 1975 Fight of the Year known as "The Thrilla in Manilla" between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the WBC and WBA World Heavyweight titles.  An all time classic!  More info below...

The Thrilla in Manilla is one of the greatest documented fights of all time.  You only have to watch the fight to see why.  Frazier was Ali's greatest rival, and this was their 3rd and final match together.

The history of Frazier vs  Ali stems back to their first encounter in 1971.  Joe Frazier at the time was the WBA and WBC World Heavyweight Champion and would successfully defended his belts that night against Ali.  In 1973 Joe Frazier lost his WBC and WBA belts to "Big" George Foreman in a very one sided affair, being knocked down 3 times in the 1st round and 3 times in the 2nd.  In 1974 Frazier and Ali went at it again, but this time no world titles were on the line and Ali would pick up the decision.  Immediately following this fight Ali went on to dethrone George Foreman and win the WBA and WBC titles he failed to win from Frazier 3 years earlier.  Then in 1975, Frazier would challenge Ali for the 3rd and final time for the World Heavyweight Championship, setting the stage for arguably the greatest fight in boxing history.  

Frazier entered with a record of 32-2, and had somewhat redeemed himself from his losses against Ali and Foreman with 2 big TKO wins over Jimmy Ellis and Jerry Quarry.  Muhammad Ali entered with a 48-2 record, and had already successfully defend his world title belts 3 times against Ron Lyle, Joe Bugner and "Bayonne Bleeder" Chuck Wepner.  Frazier was determined to beat his hated rival Ali and win back what he saw as HIS world titles.  The fight went 14 intense rounds, before Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, stepped in to stop the fight between rounds.  Frazier was effectively fighting blind due to severe swelling around his eyes and although Frazier wanted to continue, Futch didn't want to risk the health of his fighter and instead told Frazier, "Nobody will forget what you did here today" before informing the ref of their decision.  Ali upon realizing Frazier's corner had retired stood up off his stool to celebrate before collapsing on the canvas due to pure exhaustion.  Ali would say of the fight afterwards, "That was the closest I've ever come to dying".

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