Thrilla in Manila

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The Thrilla in Manila was a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, fought at the Araneta Coliseum in the capital of the Philippines on October 1, 1975. Ali won.

Produced by Don King and broadcast to many countries worldwide with HBO's antenna, The Thrilla in Manila had a tremendous media following.

Some boxing fans call it the greatest fight ever. Ali and Frazier seemed honestly to dislike each other outside the ring as well as inside, and they had already split two fights between them, Frazier retaining his World Heavyweight crown on their first meeting, at Madison Square Garden in 1971, but Ali taking a 12 round decision over Frazier in 1974.

The city of Cairo had apparently been considered as a possible host to the fight: The August 1975 issue of Ring Magazine had a fictitious fight-poster of Ali-Frazier III on its cover, which listed Nasser Stadium in Cairo as the place the fight was taking place.

Ali spent his time in Manila taunting Frazier at every opportunity, even calling him "The Gorilla". So, when they got into the ring Frazier was, as he was in the first bout, an angry warrior. Ali trained for the fight, but may not have been in the best of condition because many considered Frazier to be a finished fighter.

Ali retained his title when, after 14 brutal rounds, Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch stopped the fight, giving Ali a technical knockout when Frazier did not answer the bell for round 15. Ali compared his third and last fight with Frazier to a near-death experience.

See also: Fight of the Century, Ali-Frazier II.

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