Boxing has never known the heyday that it knew when the trip of Mohammed Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman were at the top of the game. Memorable fights with catchy names like the “The Thrilla in Manila” or “The Rumble in the Jungle” captured the hearts of sports fans and the media alike.
On Monday night, it was announced that the sports world had lost one of these legends, when Smokin’ Joe Frazier lost his last fight, succumbing to liver cancer at the age of 67. He’ll always be remembered as the man who stood toe-to-toe with the giants of the ring and held his ground. That said, Frazier will also be remembered for some of the memorable things he’s said during his brilliant career and beyond.
Here are a few of his most memorable quotes:
– “Boxing is the only sport you can get your brain shook, your money took and your name in the undertaker book.” – “Life doesn’t run away from nobody. Life runs at people.” – “When I go out there, I have no pity on my brother. I’m out there to win.” – “Kill the body and the head will die.” – “I want to hurt him. If I knock him down, I’ll stand back, give him a chance to breathe. It’s his heart I want.” – “I wanted him like a hog wants slop.” – “This is just another man, another fight, another payday.” – “I got a burlap sack, put a brick in the middle, and filled it with rags, corncobs, some Spanish moss, and sand. I hung that sack off the branch of an oak tree. I’d wrap my hands with a necktie of my daddy’s and punch at it. My mom gave me an hour a day. My brothers and sisters said, “Nah.” I said, “You’ll see.”” – “Nothin’ wrong with an ass whuppin’ every now and then. You take away the ass whuppin’s and what do you get? You get people wearin’ pants below their belly buttons. I’m tellin’ you, you go out these days and see the crack of a young lady’s butt. It’s crazy, man. They should be locked up for indecent exposure. Look here. See? Suspenders! And a belt! I ain’t takin’ no chances.“ – “I wasn’t a big guy. People thought the big guys would eat me up. But it was the other way around. I loved to fight bigger guys. Only one big guy I didn’t like to fight. That was George. Fightin’ George Foreman is like being in the street with an eighteen-wheeler comin’ at you.” – “I had my Olympic gold medal cut up into eleven pieces. Gave all eleven of my kids a piece. It’ll come together again when they put me down.”
Sources:
– Boxing Great Joe Frazier Dies After Cancer Fight, sports.yahoo.com – Joe Frazier Quotes, BrainyQuote.com – Joe Frazier Quotes, ThinkExist.com – Joe Frazier Quotes, searchquotes.com – Joe Frazier: What I’ve Learned, esquire.com