(left) Victor Adamus with Joe Frazier
1971
I first met the Champ in 1971 through a volunteer organization named "No Greater Love" who Joe supported. His contribution was to military kids in Philly whose Dad or Mom was serving in Vietnam. He ask me to head a Summer in the Parks program for underprivileged kids. Later that summer it was deemed so successful the Boys and Girls Club took it over along with a yearly program for the kids after school and I headed back to College. Joe Frazier was a Champ in many ways. The photo above was taken at his training facility before the Ali fight.
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011[1]), also known as Smokin' Joe, was a former Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981.
Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali on points in the highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman.
Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali on points in the highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman.
1 comment:
Wonderful photo - and no doubt a great memory.
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