MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III OCT. 1, 1975 By Tom Gray • Photographs by Neil Leifer
ROUND 1: WHAT ELSE WAS HAPPENING IN OCTOBER 1975? • The Soviet Venera 9 probe landed on Venus, capturing the first images from the surface of another planet. • 90% of Icelandic women participated in a “Day Off” strike “to protest wage discrepancy and unfair employment practices.” • The Cincinnati Reds defeated the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 to win the World Series. • The first episode of Saturday Night Live aired on NBC. • Queen released “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which became one of the band’s signature songs. • Jaws had just finished a 14-week run as the number one box-office movie in the U.S. ROUND 2: TALE OF THE TAPE (NOTE: EVERYTHING EXCEPT AGE AND WEIGHT WAS TAKEN FROM THE JANUARY 1974 ISSUE OF THE RING). Ali Frazier 33 Age 31 224½ lbs. Weight 215½ lbs. 6-foot-3 Height 5-foot-11½ 78 in. Reach 73 in. 42 in. Chest Normal 44 in. 44 in. Chest Expanded 45½ in. 34 in. Waist 33 in. 16½ in. Biceps 15 in. 25 in. Thigh 24½ in. 17 in. Calf 16 in. 12 in. Fists 13 in. *Note: The weigh-in took place five days before the bout. ROUND 3: ARENA HISTORY The Araneta Coliseum, which is located in Quezon City, Philippines, adjacent to the capital city of Manila, was built between 1957 and 1959. It opened on March 16, 1960, and for a few years was the world’s biggest covered coliseum. In the inaugural event, Filipino lefty and future Hall of Famer Gabriel “Flash” Elorde knocked out Harold Gomes in an upset to claim the junior lightweight title. To date, there have been 240 fight cards held in the arena, which also hosts other sporting events and music concerts. ROUND 4: COST OF FIGHT TICKETS The cheapest seats in the stands cost $20. A ringside seat would have cost you $150, which in 2025, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to about $900.
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