Did the 1975 Ali-Frazier boxing event, referred to as ‘The Thrilla in Manilla’, have a legitimate outcome, or was this fight “fixed” by promoters in favor of Ali? I have a friend who swears he saw a 1990s report that claimed the outcome of this fight was predetermined in advance, but I highly doubt it. Frazier was nearly blind by the end of the fight as Ali kept pummeling!
I’ve never heard anyone seriously suggesting it was fixed.
There were rumors that Ali’s second fight with Sonny Liston in Lewisberg, ME was fixed. Liston was knocked out (by a single punch) early in the first round, and many spectators missed the punch (Ali also had his back to the camera, so that didn’t show it well). Liston also supposedly had links to organized crime. Also, at the time, a lot of people didn’t take Ali seriously – he had a big mouth, he fought in an unorthodox style (arms at his waist instead of up and ready), and he didn’t seem as big as Liston. So the stories started to fly that Liston took a dive.
As time went on, the rumors died a bit, since Ali continued to win and show he wasn’t a fluke.
It’s possible that your friend is confusing the fights.
If I were going to take a dive, I would do before I got my face punched into oatmeal.
Both Ali and Frazier should have quit the ring after that fight. They may not have wound up as punch-drunk as they did.