On March 8th, 1971, Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier in Madison Square Garden in what was billed as the “Fight of the Century.” It was a golden age for boxing, and the boxers, themselves. It was the first of three epic fights between Ali and Frazier, and unlike the last two, Joe Frazier won by unanimous decision here, including a vicious knockdown at the 9:25 mark in this video:
Remembering Ali-Frazier And The ‘Fight Of The Century’, 40 Years Later
But even better than the video are these pictures from Life Magazine, none of which have been released before, and all of which act as a time capsule back to an era when boxing mattered, and the coolest athletes on earth still lived like normal human beings.
I’ve looked through them twice so far. It’s like HBO 24/7 in black and white snapshots, but instead of Antonio Margarito and Manny Pacquiao, we get a glimpse into one of the greatest rivalries we’ve ever seen. So... Yeah. On the anniversary of the “Fight of the Century”, take a few minutes to immerse yourself in a spectacle that most of us missed in real time.
The only thing missing is a picture of Frank Lucas ringside, wearing that Chinchilla coat that got him caught by the feds, but in fairness, this guy was definitely either dealing or taking heroin, so Life’s got us covered, I think.
(HT: Deadspin)
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