Thaindian News

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA (BNO NEWS) — Boxing legend Joe Frazier died on Monday after a brief battle with liver cancer, his family said in a statement on Tuesday. He was 67.

“We, The Family of the 1964 Olympic Boxing Heavyweight Gold Medalist, Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame Member Smokin’ Joe Frazier, regrets to inform you of his passing,” his family said in a statement.

‘Smokin’ Joe Frazier, of Beaufort, South Carolina, grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is probably best known for his boxing rivalry with Mohammad Ali, which resulted in three epic boxing matches.

During his amateur boxing career, Frazier won the Middle Atlantic Golden Gloves heavyweight championships on three occasions, in 1962, 1963 and 1964. He went on to win the gold medal in the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo for the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team.

Frazier turned to professional boxing shortly after the Olympics at the age of 21, and by 1967, he had won 14 boxing matches, all by knock out. He went on to win the WBA championship after defeating Jimmy Ellis on February 16, 1979 at the Madison Square Garden.

The first fight against Mohammad Ali came on March 8, 1971, after Ali had been stripped from his championship for refusing to induct himself into the military. Finishing his three-year-boxing suspension, an undefeated Ali faced an undefeated Frazier at the Madison Square Garden, where Frazier successfully retained his championship via 15-round decision.

His first loss came against George Foreman in the championship bout, which took place in Kingston, Jamaica on January 22, 1973. Ali would later beat Foreman in the famous ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ match in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). In their second and third fights, Ali would be beat Frazier in 1974 in New York and in 1975 in Quezon City, the Philippines.

Frazier, who had been suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, was diagnosed with liver cancer in September, and the cancer metastasized within weeks of the diagnosis. He was hospitalized earlier this month before passing away on Monday.

Despite the strong rivalry with Ali, whose taunts eventually became personal, Ali said it was hard to believe and accept that Frazier had fallen ill. “Joe is a fighter and champion, and I am praying, he is fighting now,” Ali earlier said in a statement.

Following his death, Ali said the “world has lost a great champion,” adding that he will always remember Frazier with “respect and admiration.”

“He transitioned from this life as ‘One of God’s Men,’ on the eve of November 7, 2011 at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” Frazier’s family said in the statement. “We thank you for your prayers for our Father and vast outpouring of love and support.”

“Respectfully, we request time to grieve privately as a family. Our father’s home going celebration will be announced as soon as possible,” the statement added. “Thank you for your understanding.”

He was 67.