Joe Frazier retired after his second knockout loss to George Foreman in June of 1976, and instead pursued his singing career. But eventually as most boxers do, the thrill of the ring brings them back, and the limelight that accompanies it.
Seeing Ali’s return in 1980 and 1981 further motivated Joe, and he signed to fight ex-con Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings on December 3, 1981. Cummings had been on NBC a few times, and was a muscular bruiser with a 15-1 padded record, but no real skills to speak of. The fight took place in Chicago, and I saw it on video tape years later. It was kind of sad and depressing to watch, and the dud of a fight wound up in a draw. It also thankfully ended rumors of an Ali-Frazier 4th fight, which would have been pathetic.
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