Boxer 'Smokin' Joe Frazier dies of cancer at 67

R.I.P. Joe, one of the fighters who will always be remembered.

RIP too young.

One of the greats have left us today. One final bell for the man. RIP Joe!

A ferocious fighter. A man who always had time for fans and the wisdom to forgive Ali for the -essentially- racist diatribe Ali would spit his way. As others will write, far too young. Joe Smokin" Frazer. RIP.

Interesting reading Joe's obituaries ... Joe was slowed down physically and verbally ... Ali has Parkenson's Disease and can barely talk ... and Jimmy Ellis has Alzheimer's Disease. Seems as if all that punching took its toll on these three boxers. Plus there were others they fought who have since died ... some with evident brain damage. I like boxing, but modern slow-motion cameras show a lot of disfiguration in the face and head when punches land solidly. Inside the ol' noggin, of course, the brain itself is being battered about like a blob of gelatin. Joe, Ali, Jimmy and the others gave us a great show in the ring, but they paid dearly for it ...

Understatement of the century, but Smokin Joe was one tough man. Don't make them like that anymore. If you don't know about it and want to know more about not only boxing but US history and culture, read up on The Fight of the Century. Incredible. It's a sad day.

He passed away too young. I never saw him fight live, but to this day, I remember being mesmerized by the Thrilla in manila HBO Documentary. Smokin joe you'll always be a hero.

RIP to one of the toughest fighters ever....back then you had to be mentally and physically tough to deal with Ali. Of course Ali was the best at getting inside your head, but Joe was prepared for him.

With the knowledge being acquired about concussions in sports and the permanent damage it causes to brains, a sport whose sole purpose is to intentionally cause concussions will rapidly be decertified and get relegated to the back alleys and junk yards.

Rest in Peace Smokin' Joe.

Taka

I was a kid back in the day of Ali, Frazier and Foreman, watching the fights live on free TV. It seemed very normal back then, but we didn't have pay-per-view in those days. (There were occasional fights on closed circuit into theaters, but never the big championship fights.)

From one native Philadelphian to another, so long, Champ.

The only man who truly beat Ali, those boxers back them put to shame the new boxers of today, may them look as if they are pseudo boxers instead, Joe you were one tough yet humble fighter, plain and simple; not like that big mouth Ali, Mayweather or others alike.

I grew up with the myth of Muhammed Ali, and while I respect what he did in the ring, as well as the stand he took against the Vietnam war, I'm still hard-pressed to find anything in his life story that completely explains the level of adoration that he continues to enjoy, especially in contrast to some of the other great fighters of his era. Foreman reinvented himself as a smiling, friendly pitchman after his loss to Ali, but it always seemed as though Frazier wasn't able to completely get over not only losing to Ali, but being insulted and humiliated by him. Everything I ever saw and read about him indicated that he was a good man, but one that history had overlooked somewhat. I hope that he was able to find peace in his last years, and forgive Ali for his disgusting behaviour before, during and after their classic bouts, and that people might come to realize his real greatness.

RIP Joe. Thanks for the memories especially for the amazing "Thriller in Mania". That will be watched for all eternity. The hardest and toughest fight ever.