Joe Frazier was recognized as the undefeated champion of the world in January of 1973. He had defeated Muhammad Ali in the then called ‘Fight of the Century’ on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden, and then spent 2 years fighting limited boxers at best. His first real test as a champ would be against George Foreman, an undefeated 6’3″ 220 pound heavy hitter with a record of 37-0. The bout was set for January 22, 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, and the only way to watch the fight was on closed circuit theatre broadcasts. Me being in 7th grade and with a $1 a week allowance, I’d settle on the local sports stations to tell me the results. The bout itself was a one sided massacre. I still remember coming into our kitchen and my mom having having the radio on top of our refrigerator. Local Philadelphia sportscaster Charley Swift announced the decision that local Philadelphia favorite Joe Frazier had lost.
George knocked down Frazier 6 times before the referee stopped it in round 2. Howard Cosell was the ringside announcer and his call of “Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!” still echoes with boxing fans today. The mismatch showcased the power of a young George Foreman, and the heavyweight division had an exciting new champion of the world.
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