THE THRILLA IN MANILA AT 50
ROUND 6: FORM GUIDE (EACH FIGHTER’S PREVIOUS SIX BOUTS) Muhammad Ali Date Opponent Result Oct. 20, 1973 Rudi Lubbers UD 12 Jan. 28, 1974 Joe Frazier UD 12 Oct. 30, 1974 George Foreman KO 8 March 24, 1975 Chuck Wepner TKO 15 May 16, 1975 Ron Lyle TKO 11 June 30, 1975 Joe Bugner UD 15 Joe Frazier Date Opponent Result May 25, 1972 Ron Stander TKO 4 Jan. 22, 1973 George Foreman L TKO 2 July 2, 1973 Joe Bugner UD 12 Jan. 28, 1974 Muhammad Ali L UD 12 June 17, 1974 Jerry Quarry TKO 5 March 2, 1975 Jimmy Ellis TKO 9
ROUND 7: TRAINING TEAM BREAKDOWN Ali
Chief Second: Angelo Dundee Cornerman: Wali Muhammad Cornerman: Drew “Bundini” Brown Advisor: Dick Sadler Physician: Ferdie Pacheco Frazier Chief Second: Eddie Futch Assistant Trainer: George Benton Cutman: Milt Bailey
ROUND 8: THE PROMOTER Ali vs. Frazier III was the brainchild of Don King, who was promoting his fourth Muhammad Ali fight. Following The Greatest’s title-regaining triumph over George Foreman on October 30, 1974, King had put together defenses against Chuck Wepner, Ron Lyle and Joe Bugner. To put into context how far King had come, the flamboyant hustler from Cleveland had listened to the first Ali vs. Frazier fight on the radio in his prison cell at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, where he served time for second-degree murder.
ROUND 9: OFFICIALS AND SCORING The fight was scored by referee Carlos Padilla and ringside judges Larry Nadayag and Alfredo Quiazon, all of whom hailed from the Philippines. The scoring was done on a five-point must system. At the time of the 14th-round corner stoppage, Ali was comfortably ahead on all three scorecards. Frazier would have needed a knockout in the final round to secure victory. Padilla: 66-60 (8-2-4 Ali) Nadayag: 66-62 (8-4-2 Ali) Quiazon: 67-62 (8-3-3 Ali)
ROUND 10: COMPUBOX STATS
ROUND 5: FIGHTERS’ RECORDS COMING INTO THE BOUT Ali, the champion, was 48-2 (34 KOs) coming in. His two losses, to Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971, and Ken Norton on March 31, 1973, had both been avenged via decision. Frazier, the challenger, was 32-2 (27 KOs). His setbacks came at the hands of George Foreman, who relieved him of the heavyweight championship on January 22, 1973, and Ali, who comfortably outpointed his rival on January 28, 1974.
“The breakfast time fight of a lifetime!” – Harry Carpenter during commentary, BBC
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