TBT - The Fight of the Century: Ali vs Frazier I (1971)

On March 8 1971 two undefeated champions stepped into Madison Square Garden. Muhammad Ali, returning from a three‑and‑a‑half‑year ban for refusing the draft, aimed to reclaim the heavyweight crown stripped from him. Joe Frazier, the reigning champion, sought respect and confirmation of his supremacy. The pre‑fight hype reached unprecedented levels; the bout generated more than $30 million in revenue and guaranteed each fighter $2.5 million, huge sums for the era. Celebrities and politicians jostled for seats while millions watched on closed‑circuit television around the world.

Inside the ring, Frazier refused to be intimidated by Ali’s jab or taunts. He relentlessly attacked the former champion’s body, making Ali fight at a pace he was unused to after years of exile. Ali boxed beautifully in spurts but absorbed heavy punishment to the ribs and hips. The fight was tight through the middle rounds, yet Frazier’s pressure told. In the fifteenth and final round he uncorked his trademark left hook, dropping Ali for only the third knockdown of his career. Ali rose, but the knockdown sealed the verdict; Frazier won a unanimous decision, retaining his title and handing Ali his first professional defeat. The pro‑Ali crowd was stunned as “Smokin’ Joe” exited the ring with the championship belt and the knowledge that he had bested the sport’s biggest name. Their rivalry would later produce two more epic battles, but the Fight of the Century remains the most lucrative and widely viewed of the trilogy and set a new standard for sporting spectacle.