Date: 1st October 1975
Venue: Araneta Coliseum, Barangay Cubao, Quezon City
Title: WBC & WBA World Heavyweight Titles
Promoter: Don King Productions
Tv: Closed Circuit Television
Muhammad Ali
(
48
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 224 1/2 lbs
Joe Frazier
(
32
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 215 1/2 lbs
On October 1, 1975, a monumental event unfolded at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines. It was the third and final bout between the legendary Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, a fight that would be forever etched in the annals of boxing history as 'The Thrilla in Manila '. This was not just another fight, but a battle of epic proportions, a testament to the sheer determination and resilience of these two heavyweight champions.
As the two fighters stepped into the ring, the air was thick with the palpable animosity that had been brewing for years. Ali, the reigning WBC and WBA Heavyweight champion, weighed in at 224 pounds, ready to defend his title for the fourth time. His opponent, Frazier, at 215 pounds, was not just a challenger, but a man driven by a deep-seated animosity towards Ali, a result of years of personal insults and unresolved tension.
The fight, promoted by the legendary Don King, was not just a local event but a global phenomenon. It captured the imagination of boxing fans across 68 countries, with 380 U.S. locations tuning in via closed-circuit television. The early morning start time was a testament to its global appeal, accommodating the American audience. The stakes were high, with Ali guaranteed $4.5 million and Frazier $2 million, a testament to the fight's global attention and potential earnings.
From the opening bell, the fight was a war of attrition. Ali started aggressively, surprising many by standing toe-to-toe with Frazier instead of using his typical mobile style. Frazier, however, weathered the early storm and began to assert his signature pressure fighting in the middle rounds.
The brutal heat inside the arena added to the fight's intensity. By the later rounds, both men were exhausted, but neither would yield. Ali found a second wind in the 10th round, targeting Frazier's increasingly swollen eyes with precise combinations.
Ali was victorious when Frazier's cornerman Eddie Futch signalled to referee Carlos Padilla in the break between the 14th and 15th rounds that his man could not continue, saying to Frazier who was protesting the retirement "It's all over. No one will forget what you did here today."
Officially, Ali won by TKO at 3:00 of the 14th round. At the time of stoppage, the scorecards were 66-60, 66-62, and 67-62, all in Ali's favour.
Both fighters were pushed to their absolute limits. Ali, declared the victor, collapsed from exhaustion shortly after the fight's conclusion. In the aftermath, he praised Frazier's incredible toughness and heart.
This fight not only concluded the Ali-Frazier trilogy but also stands as a testament to the heights of human endurance and will in professional boxing.