George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II

George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II, billed as "Battle of the Gladiators", was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976, for the NABF heavyweight championship.

Battle of the Gladiators

Date	June 15, 1976
Venue	Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York
Title(s) on the line	NABF heavyweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer George Foreman Joe Frazier Nickname Big Smokin' Hometown Houston, Texas Beaufort, South Carolina Purse $1,000,000 $1,000,000 Pre-fight record 41–1 (38 KO) 32–3 (27 KO) Age 27 years, 5 months 32 years, 5 months Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (182 cm) Weight 224 lb (102 kg) 224+1⁄2 lb (102 kg) Style Orthodox Orthodox Recognition NABF heavyweight champion Former undisputed heavyweight champion Former undisputed heavyweight champion
Result
Foreman wins by technical knockout in round 5

Background

On March 18, 1976, former undisputed heavyweight champions George Foreman and Joe Frazier agreed to face one another in a rematch of their 1973 heavyweight title bout. In their previous encounter, Foreman had brutalized the then-champion Frazier, scoring six knockdowns in less than two rounds to capture the WBA and WBC heavyweight championships. Foreman had then successfully defended the titles twice, easily defeating José Roman and Ken Norton by knockout in the first and second rounds respectively. Foreman, however, lost his titles to Muhammad Ali in "The Rumble in the Jungle" in October 1974, by KO in the eighth round. The following year, Frazier finally got his first chance to regain the heavyweight titles, challenging Ali in a fight dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila", though he lost by technical knockout in the 14th round.

After his defeat at the hands of Ali, Foreman was out of boxing for over a year, sitting out all of 1975. He returned in January 1976 to defeat Ron Lyle and capture the less-regarded NABF heavyweight title before agreeing to face Frazier. Foreman hoped a victory over Frazier would propel him to a championship rematch with Ali, while Frazier, who was close to retirement, hoped to avenge the blowout loss Foreman had bestowed him with three years prior. One Las Vegas bookmaker had Frazier as a 7-5 favorite entering the bout.

The Fight

At the start of the fight, Frazier abandoned his usual aggressive approach and utilized a more defensive style to avoid a repeat of his previous fight with Foreman. Frazier kept his distance throughout the first four rounds and even taunted Foreman by dropping his hands and daring him to land a punch. Foreman, however, took control of the action, getting Frazier against the ropes and weakening him with powerful body shots. In the fifth, Foreman finally broke through and landed a combination with Frazier against the ropes with the final punch being a devastating left hook. Frazier immediately returned with a jab, but slipped and fell down to the canvas. Frazier got back up and continued the fight, but Foreman quickly sent him back down with a powerful right hand. Frazier pulled himself back up at the count of seven, but his trainer Eddie Futch jumped on the ring apron and ordered the referee to stop the fight to prevent further punishment. Foreman was then named the winner by technical knockout at 2:26 of the fifth round.

"George Foreman: Too big! Too strong! In perfect shape! The punches crisp from the very beginning! Frazier: As game as ever. But now, inevitability, the boxing career over." - Howard Cosell, during the live broadcast of the fight.

Aftermath

Following the fight, Frazier went on a five-year hiatus, coming back only once more to do battle and draw with Floyd Cummings.

Legacy

Though often overlooked, Foreman's second fight with Frazier was a considerable point in both their careers. Foreman, who was still looking to solidify his comeback following his loss to Muhammad Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle, was able to convince the public that he was once again a genuine contender for the heavyweight title. Most notably, Foreman's success in doing away with Frazier for the second time began talks of a rematch between him and Ali, though this would ultimately never come to be. On the other hand, the fight signaled to the public that Frazier, after his two consecutive losses to both Ali and Foreman, had no more future in the sport.

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:

Broadcasting

Country	Broadcaster
Australia	Nine Network
Brazil	Band
Canada	CTV
France	TF1
Germany	ARD
Japan	TBS
Mexico	Televisa
Philippines	RPN 9
Spain	TVE
United Kingdom	ITV
United States	ABC