Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III
Date / site: Oct. 1, 1975 / Quezon City, Philippines
Result: Ali TKO 14
Ali said after his third fight with his arch rival that “It was like death. Closest thing to dyin’ that I know of.” That gives you an idea of the brutality of the Thrilla in Manila. Ali and Frazier gave and took hard punches at a feverish rate in spite of the stifling heat in the arena, which Frazer guessed reached 120 degrees. They both grew weary but Frazier declined more rapidly than Ali, who handed out a vicious beating in Round 14. The great Eddie Futch, Frazier’s trainer, stopped it there to protect his beaten fighter. Thus ended arguably the greatest heavyweight fight ever.