Ali/Frazier Day 3-8-2018 "Fight of the Century"

When it came to memorable sporting events of the 20th century there were great Super Bowls, World Series, NBA & Stanley Cup Finals. Those events featured great teams and players. One event that stands as one of the best sporting events of the century was a boxing match between two men on the evening of March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

To honor the moment and legacy of both Ali & Frazier there needs to be a Proclamation "Day of Recognition" to be held on March 8, 2018 simultaneously in the cities of  Louisville, Kentucky (home of Ali), Philadelphia, PA (home of Frazier) and New York City (place of the historic fight). The 3 cities also honors the 3 great fights that make up the Ali/Frazier Trilogy.

The fight on March 8th was billed as the "Fight of the Century" between Muhammad Ali & Joe Frazier for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World. Both fighters were undefeated Ali 31-0 with 25 KO's and Frazier 26-0 with 23 KO's. A combined 57-0 with 48 knock outs.

Ali was back in the ring 5 months after being out of boxing for 3 years & 7 months. He was stripped of his title in 1967 after refusing induction into the U.S. Army. This would be his 3rd fight back after successful wins over Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena.

Joe Frazier was the recognized heavyweight champ with big wins over Buster Mathis, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry & Jimmy Ellis. He wanted to show Ali more than the public that he was indeed deserving of the title and needed to beat Ali to prove it.

Frazier would win the fight by a 15-round unanimous decision on all 3 score cards (2 cards 9-6 for Frazier, 1card 11-4 Frazier). He would knock Ali down late in the 15th. Ali would show his championship spirit and heart and be back on his feet by the count of 4. Both men gave it their all as fans from all over the world were thrilled to a spectacular night of boxing and championship excellence by both fighters. This was the start one of the "Greatest" trilogies in sports.

Joe Frazier would start his career at 29-0 before losing to George Foreman on January 22, 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica. Ali would  later defeat Foreman on October 30, 1974 in a fight that was titled the "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire Africa. Muhammad Ali would become only the second fighter at the time (Floyd Patterson) to regain the heavyweight title.

Ali & Frazier would fight 2 more times on January 28, 1974 (Ali wins on 12 round unanimous decision). Their 3rd fight the physically demanding fight titled the "Thrilla in Manila" held in Quezon City, Philippines on October 1, 1975. Ali would stop Frazier after the 14th round. They would fight for  a combined 41-rounds of ferocious action that remain iconic moments in sports history.

To end their careers Joe Frazier would fight his last fight on December 3, 1981 a 10-round draw to Jumbo Cummings and Muhammad Ali would fight his last fight 8-days later on December 11, 1981 a 10- round unanimous decision loss to Trevor Berbick. Ali & Frazier created magic on 3/8/1971 and they both left the ring for the last time 8-days apart in December 1981.

Ali/Frazier Day- March 8, 2018- Louisville, KY- Philadelphia-NYC

Statue for Ali vs Frazier 50th Anniversary of "The Fight" at MSG (1971-2021)

September 7, 2017- For sports historians the date of March 8, 1971 is remembered as a clash of 2 undefeated heavyweight champions. One being the hard-working, bring your lunch pail, I have a job to do in Joe Frazier. The other a charismatic leader for a new young-generation that had different views than their elders and the establishment in Muhammad Ali.

The build up to their mega fight matchup in the ring became known as "The Fight of the Century" or just simply "The Fight". It  would be held at the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden in New York City. In the modern world this was the first time that a boxing contest became a national event.

Ali was returning to the ring from a 3-year, 7-month and 2-day exile with 2 tune up fights one with Jerry Quarry who was a rugged and tough contender, and Oscar Bonavena another tough contender from Argentina. Ali would stop Quarry after 3 rounds on 10-26-70 from a bad cut over his right eye. He would then go on and defeat Bonavena 6 weeks later on 12-7-70 to set up "The Fight" with Joe Frazier.

To honor this historic event and contributions that Ali & Frazier left to boxing and to Madison Square Garden there needs to be statue placed outside of the arena. Both Ali & Frazier have passed on but their legacy and trilogy have remained in the souls and minds of sports fans and historians.

The perfect occasion to unveil a statute of "The Fight" would be to honor the 50th Anniversary of the event on March 8, 2021. That's 3 1/2 years away almost the amount of time that Ali was gone from the ring.

Ali & Frazier have a combined 16-2 record at MSG only losing to each other once. Frazier in 10 fights was 9-1. Ali in 8 fights was 7-1. Joe fought for the first time at MSG on 3-4-66. It was his 6th professional fight against Dick Wipperman. Frazier won by 5th round TKO. When Frazier met Ali finally met it was his 8th pro fight at MSG. The date of the fight was March 8th.

Ali fought at MSG for the first time on 2-10-62 vs. Sonny Banks. It was his 11th pro fight. Ali won by a 4th round TKO. Banks floored Muhammad then known as Cassius Clay in the first round. It would be the first time that he tasted the canvas in his pro career.

Joe Frazier MSG Record: (9-1)

W-Dick Wipperman 3-4-66 (1st fight at MSG, 6th professional)
W-Oscar Bonavena 9-21-66 (only fighter other than Ali to go the distance with Frazier at MSG)
W-George Chuvalo 7-19-67
W-Buster Mathis 3-4-68 (New York State Heavyweight Championship)
W-Manuel Ramos 6-24-68
W-Jerry Quarry 6-23-69
W-Jimmy Ellis 2-16-70 (WBA & WBC Undisputed Heavyweight Championship)
W-Muhammad Ali 3-8-71 (Fight of the Century)
L-Muhammad Ali 1-28-74 (Ali vs Frazier 11)
W-Jerry Quarry 6-17-74 (Frazier vs Quarry 11)

Muhammad Ali MSG Record: (7-1)

W-Sonny Banks 2-10-62 (1st fight at MSG, 11th professional)
W-Doug Jones 3-13-63 (went the 10 round distance
W-Zora Folley 3-22-67 (last fight as Champion before being stripped of title)
W-Oscar Bonavena 12-7-70 (went to the 15th round TKO)
L-Joe Frazier 3-8-71 (Fight of the Century)
W-Floyd Patterson 9-20-72
W-Joe Frazier 1-28-74 (went the 12 round distance)
W-Earnie Shavers 9-29-77 (went the distance 15 rounds. Only his second fight as Champion at MSG)

Ali & Frazier went the distance at MSG a combined 8-times (Ali-5, Frazier-3). Both of their fights together at MSG went the distance 27 rounds. Ali & Frazier fought a combined 160 rounds at MSG (Ali-85 rounds - 8 fights, Frazier-75 rounds - 10 fights).

Joe Frazier fought 212 rounds in his career. With 75 rounds at MSG he fought 35.4% of all his professional rounds in the ring at MSG. Frazier's average length per fight at MSG was 7.5 rounds.

Muhammad Ali fought an incredible 548 rounds in his career. With 85 rounds at MSG he fought 15.5% of his total professional rounds in the ring at MSG. Ali's average length per fight at MSG was 10.62 rounds.

35.4 + 15.5 = 50.9,  2021 will be the 50th Anniversary of The Fight of the Century.

Joe Frazier fought a total of 80 rounds in New York. He lost by TKO in the 5th round to George Foreman on 6-15-76 at the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. Muhammad Ali fought a total of 100 rounds in New York. He won a 15 round decision over Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium on 9-28-76.

Frazier lost his last fight to Floyd "Jumbo" Cummings on 12-3-81. Ali lost his last fight to Trevor Berbick on 12-11-81. Their last fights were 8-days a part. The Fight of the Century was on March 8th.

More than just numbers and stats prove that there needs to be a statue of Ali & Frazier outside of MSG. This may shock yah, daze yah, and it might even amaze yay, but there will be a statue outside of Madison Square Garden of "The Greatest" & Smokin' Joe Frazier.

The 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump was 23-years old back in 1971 and was there to see The Fight of the Century".