Smokin’ Joe

Today we mourn the loss of boxing legend Joe Frazier, who died of cancer at 67. “Smokin Joe” was one of the athletic giants of my childhood. Back in the 1970s, heavyweight boxing was a BIG DEAL and being Heavyweight Champion was about the most important individual title in sports.

Smokin’ Joe and Muhammad Ali had a great and bitter rivalry over the years. Frazier always lived in the shadow of the more bombastic Ali. But as Dave Anderson points out in his excellent New York Times column today, behind the bluster one could make the argument that Frazier was the better boxer in his prime.

Frazier was known for his intense work ethic, his relentless style in the ring and his humility outside the ring. As runners and as people, these are admirable qualities. Fortunately, Smokin Joe and Ali made up over the years.

Both men were part of the soundtrack of my youth; their frailty and mortality remind us all of the relentless march of time.