“Smokin’ Joe” was the moniker given to Joseph William Frazier, an American professional boxer who faced off from 1965 to 1981. Frazier passed away on November 7, 2011. He was the first boxer to defeat Muhammad Ali and is widely recognised as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of his period. He was also known for his strength, toughness, devastating left hand, and relentless pressure-fighting style. From 1970 through 1973, Frazier held the uncontested heavyweight title. As an amateur, he took home a gold medal from the 1964 Summer Olympics.
In 1975, Frazier made one more run for the world championship, but Ali defeated him in the savage rematch, known as the Thrilla in Manila. After suffering a second defeat to Foreman, Frazier retired in 1976 but returned in 1981. Prior to his permanent retirement, he only engaged in one fight, ending his career with a record of 32 victories, 4 defeats, and 1 draw. Frazier is ranked among the top 10 heavyweights of all time by the International Boxing Research Organisation.
The boxing record of Joe Frazier is as follows,
| Total Fights | 37 |
| Wins | 32 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 1 |
We’ll talk about Joe Frazier’s life and achievements in this article along with Career statistics and some interesting personal life information that you should know about,
Joe Frazier Biography
Real Name: Joseph William Frazier
Read More
Nickname: Joe Frazier, Smokin’ Joe
Profession: American Professional Boxer
Boxing Stance: Orthodox Stance
Read More
Nationality: American
Net Worth: $100 thousand
Professional Debut: 1965
Coach/ Mentor: Eddie Futch
Joe Frazier Physical Status
Height: 1.81 m
Weight: Heavyweight
Read More
Body Measurements: Not Available
Build: Masculine
Eye colour: Dark Brown
Hair colour: Black
Joe Frazier Personal Life :
Date of Birth: January 12, 1944
Place of Birth: Beaufort, South Caroline, United States
Date of Death: November 7, 2011
Place of Death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cause of Death: Liver Cancer
School: Not Known
College: Western Reserve University
Highest Educational Qualifications: Not Known
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Hobbies: Hiking
Joe Frazier Family Life :
Mother’s Name: Dolly Frazier
Father’s Name: Rubin Frazier
Sibling’s Name: Marvis Frazier,
Marital Status: Married
Spouse Name: Florence Smith
Children’s Name: Joe Frazier Jr., Jacqui Frazier-Lyde
Joe Frazier Achievements
- Won the Philadelphia Golden Gloves novice heavyweight championship in 1960.
- Clinched the Middle Atlantic Golden Gloves heavyweight championship 1962-64
- Won the Olympic Gold Medal in heavyweight boxing in 1964.
- Was awarded the New York State heavyweight boxing title in 1968.
- Was felicitated with the World Boxing Association heavyweight boxing title in 1970
Here are some lesser-known facts about Joe Frazier
- By 1974, he had nearly lost sight of his left eye. The Philadelphian injured his eyes while using a defective speed bag during training in the 1960s. His coaches covered it up so he could keep fighting, but a decade later, the scar tissue caused him to acquire cataracts, which caused him to lose the majority of his eyesight in his left eye.
- When he won gold in boxing, he wasn’t actually selected for the US Olympic team. Frazier fell to Buster Mathis in the Olympic team trials, and despite being unfairly treated, he was unable to make the 1964 US Boxing Olympic Team. He initially travelled to Tokyo to serve as the team’s sparring partner, but when Mathis got hurt, he was called up. He would eventually take home the gold, despite competing with a hurt thumb.
- Some of the most well-known scenes in Rocky were modelled after him. When he was employed by Cross Brothers Meat Packers Inc., he would frequently punch beef that was kept in a refrigerator. This deed served as Sylvester Stallone’s inspiration for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa, a fictional Philadelphia heavyweight.
- One of the best-left hooks in boxing history was his. The majority of Frazier’s 27 knockouts were the result of his left hook. The illustrious Eddie Futch, who served as his trainer, also came up with a plan to defeat Muhammad Ali using it.
- He was a good musician. He formed a group called “Joe Frazier and the Knockouts,” and they recorded several songs. He ultimately went on tour around the USA and Europe.
Also Read: Unveiling the Camera Setup: Types of Cameras Are Used in a Cricket Match?
“Get more sports news, cricket news, and football updates, log on to sportsdigest.in. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.”
