Why Thrilla in Manila is the greatest boxing fight of all time?

Thrilla in Manila is the greatest boxing fight of all time.

After almost five decades, the sensational match between the boxing legends Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, which took place in Manila, Philippines, still echoes in the mind of sports enthusiasts. The Thrilla in Manila was the third and final match between Frazier and Ali. On October 1, 1975, the bout was held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, regarded as one of the best and most brutal boxing fights.

But why is Thrilla in Manila still the greatest fight in boxing history? Read on to find out why this bout is worth recalling.

According to reports, the bout Thrilla in Manila was sponsored by the late President Ferdinand Marcos to show the world that the Philippines was in peace and order three years after putting the country under martial law.

The bout was held in October at the Araneta Coliseum. Frazier failed to win against Ali after his trainer Eddie Futch threw in the towel before the 15th round began.

Pre-Fight

Before the bout even started, it was believed to be mismatched. On the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali defeated George Foreman, making him think he was already invincible. In addition, Ali fought Frazier, assuming he was no longer challenging since he was past his prime.

Ferdie Pacheco admitted, Ali’s fight doctor, they agreed to fight with Frazier because they believed he was shot. When Frazier fought with Foreman two years earlier, Thrilla in Manila – Frazier was knocked down by Foreman six times during two ruthless rounds.

Meanwhile, Ali roamed Manila with his mistress Veronica as his second marriage was about to fall apart. He even introduced Veronica as “his wife” to President Marcos, which insulted Belinda Ali, the real wife, causing her to fly to Manila.

When Belinda arrived in Manila, she and Muhammad Ali had a huge public argument. Not a great way to prepare for the world title fight. On the other hand, Frazier went to a mountainside villa outside Manila five days before the bout. He left the hotel with his friend Butch Lewis.

The Bad Blood

Months before the Thrilla in Manila, Ali verbally abused Frazier to goad him. Billed as the Thrilla in Manila, the bout was named after Ali’s racist abuse of Frazier, referring to his rival as “The Gorilla.”

He taunted Frazier with a spiteful line: “It will be a killa and a thrilla and a chilla when I get the Gorilla in Manila.” While saying his sarcastic pre-fight line, Ali punches a gorilla doll, representing his rival. Many assumed that Ali feared Frazier.

Thus, he made the vicious rhyme to provoke him. Also, Ali even used a gun to threaten Frazier outside his hotel room. Ali was waving the gun and shouting, “I am going to shoot you!” But according to some sources, the gin was just a toy.

Moreover, Frazier offered money and support to Ali when he was suspended from boxing when he refused the Vietnam draft. However, Ali called his opponent a fake champion and an “Uncle Tom.” Ali even claimed that he won The Fight of the Century, causing their relationship to deteriorate further.

The Fight

On the day of the fight, the temperature reached 50°C, like fighting in the oven. After the referee said the final instructions, Ali was caught on cam shouting: “You don’t have it, Joe, you don’t have it! I’m going to put you away!”

Frazier smiled at him and said, “We’ll see.” During the first three rounds, Ali furiously attacked Frazier. He unleashed combinations of brutal assaults on his rival. Ali was determined to force his opponent to retire early. However, Frazier kept moving forward and took Ali’s attack.

While fighting, Ali kept taunting Frazier, saying: “Come on, you ugly gorilla – hit me!” But contrary to what Ali hoped for, Frazier did not lose his cool. Instead, he happily attacked Ali and took control. Meanwhile, Ali kept on hitting Frazier without success.

When Ali was already tired, Frazier let out his powerful punches hook after hook during the middle rounds. Frazier looked relentless and unforgiving, like his punches were payback for all the hate and crazy things Ali said to him.

During the seventh round, Ali clinched on Frazier and said, “Joe, they told me you were all washed up.” Frazier replied, saying, “They lied.” Once again, Ali regained his control after the ninth round. He told his corner: “This is the closest I’ve been to dying.”

But he endured the brutal attacks. When round 11 finally came, Ali used his unique technique to conquer the worn-out Frazier. On the following round, Frazier went blind. In 1965, Frazier got into an accident, causing his left eye to go blind.

So he’s fighting with a blind left eye for most of his boxing career. During the twelfth round, Frazier’s right eye was swollen, causing it to shut due to constant punches. Despite being blind and exhausted, Frazier didn’t quit and fought with Ali.

Finally, the fourteenth round was a legendary scene in the history of boxing. The two legends continued to fight. They’re both struggling to stand, and Frazier can’t see. Both combatants used their last energy and unleashed their final attacks on each other.

At this point, both boxers were on the brink of death. But neither could knock the other down. After one hellish round, a completely exhausted Ali said to his corner to remove his gloves. However, trainer Eddie Futch, Frazier’s corner, decided to take off the gloves first.

Despite his desperate plea to continue the fight, Frazier can no longer count Futch’s fingers. Futch quickly threw the towel and said, “It’s all over. No one will forget what you did here today.” Thus, Futch prioritized Frazier’s safety over potential glory, a decision he never regretted until his death.

The Outcome

As a result, Ali won by technical knockout (TKO) after Futch asked to end the bout when the fourteenth round ended. The Thrilla in Manila was the final bout in the trilogy between the match of Ali and Frazier. In 1971, Frazier won against Ali in their first match billed Fight of the Century.

This was Ali’s first defeat in his professional boxing career. The second bout, billed as the Super Fight II, a non-title match, was held in 1974. Ali won by a unanimous decision.

With over a billion viewers worldwide, the Thrilla in Manila is undeniably the greatest boxing fight of all time, where legendary boxers have given their very best to the point of death. So we can say this match is truly the most remarkable fight in boxing history.

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