# Smokin Joe Frazier died today **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 8, 2011, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257 "2011-11-08T06:54:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/21 "2011-11-10T05:49:33Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We’ll never know, but I think Ali’s pugilistic dementia is the result of a long career of training and fights, and probably extending that career several years beyond his prime. I think it’s tempting to blame his condition on a couple of fights, but I’m not sure it’s true. On the other hand after Frazier died I saw an SI writer say that the losses to Ali are one reason Frazier just died of cancer. _That’s_ stupid. > Ali was quoted as saying “Joe Frazier is an Uncle Tom. He works for the enemy.” That was on top of saying Frazier looked like a gorilla and an ape, which are both race-tinged. We are not really in disagreement. Pugilistic dementia is a result of long term trauma to the brain. What I am saying is that the Frazier fights and the success against Foreman gave Ali a false confidence. Foreman laid a beating on him that he somehow survived. Ali continued on. Larry Holmes was beating him to the point that Larry was begging the referee to stop the fight so that he could quit hitting his hero. The Berbick fight was the last straw. Ali was employing the rope-a-dope in both those fights. What I said before, if Frazier had dominated him and won all the fights Ali might have retired and been a pretty normal person at this point. The fact that he survived and, in a sense “conquered” Frazier led him into a false security that led to continue fighting and his current condition. You may be right on the quotes. Ali built his career on being inflammatory. Nevertheless, there is some evidence that they came to terms with each other and there was a mutual respect after the wars. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/22 "2011-11-13T01:40:21Z")
The _South China Morning Post_, out of Hong Kong, had a nice obituary but ran a big picture of George Foreman with it. Oops! See [here](http://www.opposingviews.com/i/sports/boxingmma/paper-mistakenly-posts-picture-george-foreman-joe-frazier-tribute). ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/23 "2011-11-13T01:47:19Z")
In a sad commentary on the state of boxers who made millions, Floyd Mayweather paid for Frazier’s funeral. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/24 "2011-11-13T02:35:09Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > In a sad commentary on the state of boxers who made millions, Floyd Mayweather paid for Frazier’s funeral. Frazier personally didn’t make as much as it may seem. He was syndicated early on by sponsors known as Cloverleaf Productions. That means the investors were getting a good chunk of his earnings. When he stepped into the ring the back of his robe said Cloverleaf Productions. That doesn’t mean that he should have gone broke. I’m not sure how that happened. I did read several years ago that he was being supported by guys like Mayweather. It is very sad. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/25 "2011-11-14T08:08:03Z")
Anyone remember the Canadian heavyweight George Chuvalo? He fought Floyd Patterson, Frazier, Foreman, and Ali twice! Amazing tough fighter. They claim he never got knocked off his feet. Frazier and Foreman got TKO’s against Chuvalo but couldn’t knock the guy down. I still remember those fights. He went the distance both times against Ali. He was one notch away from being heavyweight champ. The other boxers had a little better technique than George. I saw him recently on _Holmes on Homes_. A home reno show. They were fixing up a house for George and his Wife. George still looks really good. Doesn’t slur his speech and is very busy talking with kids about avoiding drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257/26 "2011-11-15T04:50:52Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > He’s punchin’ angels, now. Slow clap… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokin-joe-frazier-died-today/602257.md?page=1)