Boxer Joe Frazier Dies At 67, After Fight With Cancer

By Osagie Alonge

Former Olympic and undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion Joseph William ‘Joe’ Frazier has died at the age of 67 after battling with Liver Cancer. The boxing great passed away last night Monday, November 7, 2011.

Frazier was diagnosed just last month with the disease. His personal and business manager for seven years Leslie Wolff had disclosed the sad news and said he had been visiting the hospital where he was receiving treatment.

The 67-year-old boxer popularly called ‘Smokin’ Joe’ rose to fame after three momentous fights with boxing legend Muhammad Ali in the ‘70s (including the epic ‘Thrilla in Manilla’). Having the record for being the first person to Ali, he lost the final two and for many years was bitter about the way Ali teased him. He recently said he had forgiven Ali for taunting him over the years.

Frazier won the heavyweight title in 1970 by stopping Jimmy Ellis and defended it successfully four times before George Foreman knocked him down six times in the first two rounds to take the title from him in 1973.