DID JOE FRAZIER RIDE THE GRAVY TRAIN?
The lyrics of a song by Pink Floyd may have summed up the whole situation. “Have a cigar, you’re gonna go far. That’s the name of the game boy…They call it ridin’ the gravy train “. After Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali in their March 8, 1971 classic, in my eyes he was never the same. He had future moments, the win over Quarry, the “Thrilla in Manila “but for all intents and purposes, Joe left his soul in that Madison Square Garden ring. I have followed boxing for close to forty years. In that time I have seen so many game warriors. I’ve seen men die in the ring or become disabled or suffer post career dementia. For all the horrible things I’ve seen one fight will always stand out for me. Frazier-Ali was the Fight of the Century. Please have no doubt about it. In that fight I have never seen a boxer with such a will to win then Joe Frazier had that night. He was NOT going to be denied. Ali could have had a tire iron and a billy club in the ring that night and he still would have lost
