Boxing Legend Joe Frazier Dead At 67

Heavyweight boxing legend Joe Frazier is dead at the age of 67 after passing away from liver cancer Monday night.

Frazier burst on the scene in 1964 and won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and soon after turned pro. With Muhammad Ali out of boxing because of refusing the draft, Frazier rose up the heavyweight ranks in the 1960’s.

Ali returned to the ring after three and a half years in exile and Frazier became the champ in 1970, beating Jimmy Ellis. The two fighters finally met and Frazier stopped Ali before he lost to George Foreman a few fights later.

Ali and Frazier would fight two times more with Ali winning two brutal decisions. The 1975 “Thrilla In Manila” is still regarded as one of the greatest fights ever when Ali stopped Frazier when he did not answer the bell for the 15th round. Ali said it was the closest he ever came to dying.

Frazier would gith only two more times after that fight but his place in boxing history had long been secured.