By Michael Swann

I watched the HBO documentary “Thrilla in Manila” with great anticipation and interest. That heavyweight championship bout between arch rivals Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali was held on October 1, 1975, the culmination of their great three bout series and in the minds of many the greatest fight of all time, and quite possibly the greatest trilogy as well.

I had expected an in depth analysis and background story of a pitched battle between two noble warriors who forced each other to fight at the top of their form. As Ferdie Pacheco, Ali’s physician at the time, said early in the show, “Never again will there be two guys so good and so important fighting each other.”

Regrettably, the story was told from Frazier’s point of view only, and it was Joe who was on camera throughout the show. The story states directly, “Ali provoked a blood feud which lasts to this day.”

Ali had regained his title against George Foreman the previous year and thought Frazier was shot and in need of a big purse. Ali also found the prospects of fighting out of the country appealing so that he could escape the reach of his wife Belinda and enjoy his love affair with Veronica Porche, who would ultimately become Laila’s mother.

As for Joe Frazier, he genuinely hated Ali, taking umbrage at Ali’s barbs over the years that were intended to build up their three fights. By the time that Ali called him “ugly” and “gorilla” before Superfight III, he took it very, very seriously. He was hurt and angry, a powder keg training to kill Ali.

The film indicates that there was racial motivation, that Joe began to hate because Ali stole his blackness and self respect. There is another school of thought that Frazier made himself a victim because he was no match for the Ali wit, and he was embarrassed to compete in the trash talk.

After the fight Ali said, “Usually I bring out the best in my opponents.  Joe Frazier brings out the best in me. That’s one helluva man and God bless him.” He’s made similar commentary over the years but Frazier is intractable except when they make a joint appearance for money.

One important factor in the fight that was largely overlooked was the extreme heat and humidity without any air conditioning in the Philippine Coliseum. It was said that under the ring lights the temperature hovered around 120 degrees. Sweat filled their wrinkled gloves with perspiration as the fight went on, increasing their normal weight, and making it difficult for exhausted fighters to keep their hands up.

As the story was told, it was reminiscent of “Ghosts of Manila, The Fateful Blood Feud Between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier,” by the late Mark Kram. In the introduction to “Ghosts” Kram writes that “this book is intended to be a corrective to the years of stenography that have produced the Ali legend. Cheap myth coruscates the man…”

Kram covered the boxing scene for Sports Illustrated in the 1960’s and 1970’s. But in 1977 The Ring ratings scandal revealed that some of the fighter records in a televised boxing tournament were cooked and the story was that certain New York writers accepted payoffs to aid the cause. Fairly or not, an SI internal investigation alleged “gross misconduct” on the part of Kram and he was dismissed and disgraced.

I mention this solely because Mark Kram Jr., the author’s son and also now a journalist, is listed on the documentary credits as, “With Thanks To.” That might have been a factor in the point of view delivered on the tube.

Kram’s point regarding the “Ali legend” is his cultural legacy, his non significance as a social force. Nation of Islam aide Abdul Rahaman, referred in some texts as Leon X asserts that he was the one who gave Ali the line that, “I ain’t got nothing against no Viet Cong.”

So what? Many great men have had speechwriters. Many have received inspiration from others. Ted Sorensen is said to have written “Profiles in Courage” for John F. Kennedy. It’s a non issue.

The documentary devotes a great deal of time to Superfight I in March 1971. Frazier was at his very peak that night and Ali had been back just six months from his three and a half  year exile after his conviction for draft evasion. Ali probably needed another fight or two to return to his best condition for such a competitor as Frazier but there was urgency in the Ali camp to get the fight in before the Supreme Court ruled on his conviction.

Nevertheless it was a great fight and there is no problem here with Frazier taking a unanimous decision, even though he did spend two weeks in a hospital after the fight. He was aggressive all night, took the best that Ali had to offer and floored Ali in the final round.

However, Ali’s 1974 victory in Superfight II, also by unanimous decision was given little mention, except to say, “Ali, afraid of Joe’s physical power, was content to contain him, winning on points.” It was also mentioned that Joe’s trainer, Eddie Futch, accused the referee (Tony Perez) of favoring Ali by allowing excessive holding. In “Ghosts of Manila,” Futch claims a total of 133 holds by Ali in the fight. There was no mention in the documentary of Perez mistakenly stopping round two early when Frazier was staggered.

The Thrilla in Manila, Superfight III, was much like a play in three acts. Ali opened strong, looking for a knockout so that he could resume his holiday. Then Frazier began scoring with brutal body shots and left hooks which combined with the oppressive heat, wore Ali down through the middle rounds. Act Three was the championship rounds in the fight scheduled for 15, a slugfest down the stretch.

A couple of journalists interviewed indicated that they had the fight even or had Ali up by a point. The implication, I suppose, is what happens if Futch doesn’t stop it and Frazier comes out for round 15? It’s a fair assessment, but as close and as brutal as it was, Ali was pulling away on the scorecards. The film never mentions that at the end of 14, based on the five point must scoring system, Ali led on all cards, 66-60, 66-62, and 67-62.

At the time of the stoppage, Joe had been eating right hands (nine straight at one point, 30 plus in round 14) and had suffered a severe beating. Futch likely did save Frazier from more permanent damage. Round 14 was by far the most savage of the 41 the two men fought. Joe had been blind in one eye due to cataracts for years. Now his left eye was reduced to a small purple slit. Frazier had difficulty just finding his way back to his corner.

Still, the documentary moves on, telling of Ali asking to have his gloves cut off after the 14th. Maybe. But I’ve heard the same story about round 10, and for that matter the Cooper and Liston fights.

Futch told Joe, “No one will ever forget what you did tonight.” And Eddie was right--Joe will remain a boxing immortal until the end of time, and whether he likes it or not he will be forever linked to Ali.

As for the notion that Joe lives in a room above his gym while Ali received $50 million for an 80% stake in the commercial use of his name and likeness, it should be noted that three years ago Ali made his living from signing autographs. CKX, the American Idol and 19 Entertainment people, made that lucrative deal with Ali because it was good business. (Elvis Presley’s image was similarly sold for $100 million in 2004.)

Remember, he was always the draw, in the same way that Oscar De La Hoya earned $52 million for fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. Muhammad Ali was a man who stood up for his convictions and sacrificed three and a half years of his career along the way, a matter that the HBO show neglects. 

Despite Frazier’s warped pride in claiming credit for Ali’s impaired physical condition today, he doesn’t move or speak all that well himself for a man of 63. Truthfully, both men would have been best advised to walk away after such a savage encounter. In a moment of cinematic pathos, we see Joe wrap his hands and slowly work the speed bag.

For some reason executive producers John Smithson and Elinor Day seemed determined to reverse the mainstream’s love affair with the Ali of today. That would be the helpless, non speaking Ali who lit the Olympic torch with a shaking hand. It defies logic. Both Ali and Frazier deserve their place on the boxing pedestal.

John Dower of London produced and directed the film. HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg, who has been executive producer for so many award winning HBO films, was not a part of this production and it showed. HBO Documentary Films and HBO Sports acquired the film to present to its subscribers and provided Liev Schreiber for the narration.

The New York Times book review of “Ghosts of Manila” concluded with, “Kram seems unaware that many admired Ali not for all his rhetorical excesses, but in spite of them, that it is not necessary to accept him as a ‘social force’ or to see him as a profound thinker in order to admire his public stances.”

It would seem that that single sentence, written by Allen Barra, contained more insight than the entire 90 minutes of “Thrilla in Manila.”