Joe Frazier

Acting

Joe Frazier

Born 1944-01-12 · Beaufort, South Carolina

Joseph William "Joe" Frazier, known as "Smokin" Joe, is a former Olympic and World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981. Frazier emerged as a contender in the mid-1960s, defeating Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali in the highly-anticipated "Fight of the Century" in 1971. Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman. He launched a comeback, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali, and beating Quarry and Ellis again. Frazier's last world title challenge came in 1975, but he was beaten by Ali in their brutal rubbermatch. He retired in 1976 following a second loss to Foreman. He made a comeback in 1981, fighting just once, before retiring for good. The International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) rates Frazier among the ten greatest heavyweights of all time. He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Frazier's style was often compared to that of Henry Armstrong, dependent on bobbing, weaving and wearing down his opponents with relentless pressure. His best known punch was a powerful left hook, which accounted for most of his knockouts. Compared to Ali's style, he was close enough to the ideal bruiser that some in the press and media characterized the bouts as the answer to the classic question: "What happens when a boxer meets with a brawler?" Since retiring Frazier has made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, and two episodes of The Simpsons. His son Marvis also became a boxer - trained by Frazier himself - although was unable to emulate his father's success. Frazier continues to train fighters in his gym in Philadelphia. His later years have also seen the continuation of his bitter rivalry with Ali, in which the two periodically exchange insults, interspersed with brief reconciliations.

Acting credits

Rocky poster
7.8

Rocky Balboa is a Philadelphia club fighter who seems to be going nowhere. But when a stroke of fate puts him in the ring with a world heavyweight champion, Rocky knows that it's his one shot at the big time — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go the distance and come out a winner!

Rocky

1976

Home of Angels poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Home of Angels

1994

Night of 100 Stars III poster
4.3

A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.

Night of 100 Stars III

1990

The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali poster
8.0

George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Rumble in the Jungle, was a heavyweight championship boxing match on October 30, 1974, at the 20th of May Stadium (now the Stade Tata Raphaël) in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), between undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. The event had an attendance of 60,000 people and was one of the most watched televised events at the time. Ali won by knockout in the eighth round.

The Rumble in the Jungle: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali

1974

Just the Ticket poster
5.5

Gary Starke is one of the best ticket scalpers in New York City. His girlfriend, Linda, doesn't approve of his criminal lifestyle, though, and dumps him when she gets the opportunity to study cooking in Paris. Gary realizes that he has to give up scalping if he has any chance of winning her back. But before he does, he wants to cash out on one last big score. He gets his chance when the pope announces he'll be performing Easter Mass at Yankee Stadium.

Just the Ticket

1998

WrestleMania II poster
6.4

Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper in a Boxing match Battle Royal featuring superstars and athletes from the WWF and NFL Hulk Hogan (c) vs. King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Championship

WrestleMania II

1986

Champions Forever poster
8.3

No other film has the sweeping review of Ali's greatest fights, the legendary fight footage, and the real time relevant comments and conversations with the men who made him "The Greatest." Muhammad Ali was simply the greets and he proved by going up against the most incredible fighters of all time, together they made the world of sports stand still as they battled for dominance.

Champions Forever

1989

Tokyo Olympiad poster
7.7

This impressionistic portrait of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics pays as much attention to the crowds and workers as it does to the actual competitive events. Highlights include an epic pole-vaulting match between West Germany and America, and the final marathon race through Tokyo's streets. Two athletes are highlighted: Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila, who receives his second gold medal, and runner Ahamed Isa from Chad, representing a country younger than he is.

Tokyo Olympiad

1965

No artwork available
NR

A collection of bizarre incidents and bizarre characters from the world of boxing. It includes knock-outs, ring invasions, mad parachutists, tears before bed-time and much more (no rabid ear-biting, though).

Boxing Crazy

1997

Fight of the Century poster
NR

Legendary boxing match between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971.

Fight of the Century

1971

The Fight poster
NR

In 1971, maverick filmmaker William Greaves trained his cameras on both Muhammad Ali and his opponent, Joe Frazier, ahead of the “Fight of the Century” at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The epic battle was supposed to be Ali's big comeback following the suspension of his boxing license in 1967. In addition to the media circus surrounding both combatants, Greaves shot the match in its entirety from a dizzying array of camera angles, making the director's cut of The Fight both an invaluable historical document as well as a virtuosic piece of filmmaking

The Fight

1974

No artwork available
NR

Documentary looking back at the golden era of heavyweight boxing which occurred at the dawn of global television broadcasting.

When Boxing Ruled The World

2001

No artwork available
NR

Harry Carpenter quizzes ex-Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson on what it takes to get to the top in the boxing ring, analysing the styles of great fighters like Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Tyson himself.

Mike Tyson Presents: The Heavyweights

1988

Facing Ali poster
7.4

Ten of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.

Facing Ali

2009

Ghost Fever poster
2.8

Two policeman are sent on a routine assignment to serve an eviction notice. It becomes anything but run-of-the-mill when they become involved in the ghostly happenings.

Ghost Fever

1987

Thrilla in Manila poster
7.8

On October 1, 1975, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali was in the ring with his arch rival Joe Frazier for the third time. This fight in the Philippines, which has been nicknamed "Thrilla in Manila," is considered one of the most dramatic boxing matches in history - in the words of the voice-over, "They hated each other." With the help of archive material and eyewitness accounts (including Imelda Marcos), this documentary not only reconstructs the match, but shows us what was happening behind the scenes as well.

Thrilla in Manila

2008

Jim Brown: All-American poster
5.0

The film takes a look at the life of NFL hall-of-famer Jim Brown. The film delves into his life—past, present and future—focusing on his athletic career, acting and activism. Many people from Hollywood and sports backgrounds were interviewed for the film. Members of Brown's family were also interviewed for the film.

Jim Brown: All-American

2002

NWA Starrcade 1984 poster
5.6

One million dollars is on the line as NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair takes on Dusty Rhodes with legendary boxing champion Smokin' Joe Frazier as special guest referee. Tully Blanchard faces Ricky Steamboat for NWA World Television Championship. Jimmy Valiant takes on Paul Jones in a Loser Leaves Town Tuxedo Match and much more.

NWA Starrcade 1984

1984

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I poster
10.0

Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, billed as The Fight Of The Century or simply The Fight, was a heavyweight championship boxing match between WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight champion Joe Frazier and former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali, on Monday, March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I

1971

Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible poster
8.0

In sports history, there are moments that define the essence of competition. In boxing, it is a 1971 fight known as Ali-Frazier I. This documentary chronicles the events that led to what many call 'The Fight of the Century,' in which undefeated heavyweight champion Smokin' Joe Frazier went to war in Madison Square Garden against undefeated deposed champion Muhammad Ali.

Ali-Frazier I: One Nation... Divisible

2000

Thrilla in Manila poster
NR

The 'Thrilla in Manila' was the third and final epic contest between the irrepressible heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali, and the hard-hitting former champ Smokin' Joe Frazier. Now you can relive that extraordinary night in the Philippines on October 1st 1975 with this special video. Including all 14 rounds, this really is a must watch for all boxing fans.

Thrilla in Manila

2019

The Fighters poster
8.0

Documentary about Ali's rise to glory, beginning with his "Cassius Clay" days back in Louisville.

The Fighters

1974

No artwork available
NR

Ali's greatest fights in full length with original microphone 1. I Shook Up the World: Clay vs. Liston (1964) 2. Rumble in the Jungle: Ali vs. Foreman (1974) 3. Thrilla in Manila: Ali vs. Frazier III (1975)

Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection

1999

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II poster
NR

Ali vs. Frazier II was a boxing fight, the second of three bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, that took place at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, on January 28, 1974. The match was won by Ali. Before their rematch, Ali and Frazier visited the ABC studios in New York City to review their first fight for ABC's Wide World of Sports. While both fighters were reviewing round 10, Ali began trash talking and calling Frazier "ignorant" for saying he won the first bout. This enraged Frazier who stood up from his seat and squared up to a seated Ali, repeating "why you call me ignorant... how am I ignorant". While Frazier was not looking at Ali as the studio crew and his entourage tried to calm him down, Ali held Frazier by the neck forcing him to sit down which broke out into a fight on the studio floor. Both fighters were subsequently fined for this and the stage was set for their rematch in the ring.

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier II

1974