{"id":1304539,"date":"2021-01-30T06:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T11:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1304539"},"modified":"2023-06-20T12:48:01","modified_gmt":"2023-06-20T16:48:01","slug":"muhammad-ali-and-joe-frazier-were-never-the-same-after-their-most-destructive-matchup-it-was-like-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/muhammad-ali-and-joe-frazier-were-never-the-same-after-their-most-destructive-matchup-it-was-like-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier Were Never the Same After Their Most Destructive Matchup: ‘It Was Like Death'"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Muhammad Ali<\/a>‘s illustrious career is filled with incredible matches. But the “Thrilla in Manila” against Joe Frazier stands out as a particularly epic bout. It ended a trilogy between two historic boxers<\/a> with wildly different personalities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fight was so brutal and taxing that it left permanent scars on both of them. The men exited the ring in 1975 as different fighters than when they entered.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ‘Thrilla in Manila' was the end of an incredible sporting trilogy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The “Thrilla in Manila” is the fight that derives hushed tones and deep reverence from boxing fanatics, but it wasn't the first time<\/a> Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met in the ring.\u00a0They first fought in the “Fight of the Century” in 1971 in New York's Madison Square Garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frazier, then the heavyweight champion of the world, delivered Ali's first pro loss (and the only knockdown in their three meetings) in the 15th round and won by unanimous decision<\/a> — although he did have to spend three weeks in a hospital to recover. The next fight, “Super Fight II” — marketers didn't try with this one — went Ali's way<\/a>, although there was some controversy about referee Tony Perez's conduct during the fight.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Rumble in The Jungle,
The Thrilla in Manila; Then a Cup Of Tea in Great Britain.
pic.twitter.com\/OUM3xJbUlI<\/a><\/p>— George Foreman (@GeorgeForeman) June 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>