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Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier

Actor · 1944 – 2011 · Beaufort, South Carolina

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.

Movies19

  • Movie7.8

    Rocky

    1976 · 8.9K votes

  • Movie5.5

    Just the Ticket

    1998 · 31 votes

  • Movie4.3

    Night of 100 Stars III

    1990 · 3 votes

  • Movie5.0
  • Movie7.3

    Facing Ali

    2009 · 55 votes

  • Movie6.4

    WrestleMania II

    1986 · 32 votes

  • Movie5.6

    NWA Starrcade 1984

    1984 · 5 votes

  • Movie2.8

    Ghost Fever

    1987 · 14 votes

  • Movie
  • Movie7.7

    Tokyo Olympiad

    東京オリンピック

    1965 · 51 votes

  • Movie
  • Movie8.0
  • Movie
  • Movie
  • Movie8.3

    Champions Forever

    1989 · 4 votes

  • Movie8.0
  • Movie10.0
  • Movie
  • Movie8.0

    The Fighters

    1974 · 1 votes

Series14

  • TV7.5
  • TV8.0

    The Simpsons

    1989 · 11K votes

  • TV6.8

    Raw

    1993 · 374 votes

  • TV5.8

    The Mike Douglas Show

    1961 · 11 votes

  • TV7.3

    The Jeffersons

    1975 · 130 votes

  • TV6.8

    The Dick Cavett Show

    1968 · 22 votes

  • TV5.3

    Wogan

    1982 · 7 votes

  • TV9.0

    Tuesday Night Titans

    1984 · 2 votes

  • TV6.3

    Movin' On

    1974 · 6 votes

  • TV6.8

    TV Funhouse

    2000 · 10 votes

  • TV8.5

    Glory Days

    1990 · 2 votes

  • TV10.0

    A Whole New Ballgame

    1995 · 1 votes

  • TV
  • TV9.0

    Die Muhammad Ali Story

    1996 · 1 votes