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(SPORTS--BOXING.) ALI, MUHAMMAD. The Fight. The World Heavyweight Championship. Color poster by Celestino Piatti, 44x35. New York: Congress on Racial Equality (CORE). 1971
The first matchup between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, referred to as "The Fight of the Century," was telecast on closed circuit television. This was indeed to be "the fight," pitting the unbeaten ex-champion against the unbeaten current champ. Ali had been stripped of his title after refusing to be inducted into the U.S. Armed Services on religious grounds. His record thus far: 31-0 with 25 knockouts; Frazier's 26-0 with 23 knockouts. The bout was fairly even until the 11th round when Frazier caught Ali with a left hook than nearly floored him. Ali tried to come back in the next three rounds, but Frazier was ahead on the scorecards. In the 15th round Frazier connected with a right cross, sending Ali to the mat, thus ending the first of three encounters. Ali won the next fight and the last, the famous "Thrilla in Manila," effectively ending Joe Frazier's boxing career.
