NO. 6 (TIE) JOE FRAZIER
Height: 5-11½
Active: 1965-76; 1981
Record: 32-4-1 (27 KOs)
Reign(s): 1968-73
Background: Frazier was a bobbing, weaving ball of energy with a left hook that could topple a building. And he was Muhammad Ali’s greatest nemesis. Frazier first made news by winning the 1964 Olympic gold medal. He then went on a tear through the heavyweight division, stopping one opponent after another to earn a shot at the title after Ali was stripped for refusing induction into the U.S. Armed Forces. He stopped the hulking Buster Mathis to win the New York version of the championship in 1968 and unified by KO’ing WBA titleholder Jimmy Ellis in 1970. Ali then returned, setting up one of the great trilogies in history. Frazier outpointed Ali in “The Fight of the Century” in 1971 before losing his title when he was stopped by George Foreman. He wasn’t through. He lost in two subsequent fights to Ali – including the “Thrilla in Manila,” arguably the greatest fight ever – but gave Ali hell both times. Smokin’ Joe was a beast.