Boxing · 1975 · Quezon City, Philippines
The Thrilla in Manila
In stifling heat, two ageing rivals fight their third and final bout to a level of brutality that leaves both men unable to continue, until one corner mercifully stops it before the final round.
Ali def. Frazier, TKO after 14 rounds
Result
3rd of 3 (Ali leads 2-1)
Fight number
~100°F+
Ringside temperature
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had already fought twice, splitting the results, but their third meeting in Quezon City on 1 October 1975 was the one both men later described as something closer to a war than a boxing match. Fought at midday local time to suit American television schedules, the ring-side temperature reportedly climbed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The fight swung violently across its length, Ali dominant early, Frazier surging back through the middle rounds with his relentless body attack, before Ali regained control in the later rounds, targeting Frazier's badly swelling eyes. By the end of the 14th round Frazier could barely see, and his trainer Eddie Futch made the decision to stop the fight before the 15th and final round began, overruling Frazier's own wish to continue.
Ali, exhausted and battered himself, said afterward it was the closest thing to dying he had ever experienced. The fight is still widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight bout in boxing history, and the toll it took on both men's bodies has long been cited as a factor in the serious health problems each suffered in later life.
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