Ranking The ‘Champions Forever’ – Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes, Norton

Heavyweight great “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier would have been 81 today. And Frazier, who was and is everything that represents desire, drive, heart, courage, and honest hard work, oh, so deserved to live well into old age, not pass away at the still quite young (ish) age of 67, as he did in 2011. Frazier, in his prime, was an unstoppable tank of a fighter; not even Muhammad Ali could put a dent in him (not in their first fight, this, of course, the ‘Fight of the Century.’)

Together, Frazier and Ali thrilled the planet, their savage, unforgettable rivalry bringing out the best in both legends. But there is, of course, way more to Joe’s career and legendary status than his three wars with Ali.

As documented in the fabulous ‘Champions Forever’ film of 1989 (remember it?), the boxing world was, during a superb run, treated to the epic fights of not only Frazier and Ali, but also the magnificent battles Larry Holmes, George Foreman, and Ken Norton engaged in. These greats didn’t swerve, cherry pick, or mess about. No, they tested one another by fighting one another. The way it should be done. The way it once was in this great sport.

But how do the ‘Champions Forever’ rank in terms of greatness?

Let’s have some fun (and nothing more, so don’t get nasty here, not on Joe Frazier’s birthday)

1: Ali

Joe would not have agreed (he never did), but Ali was the “Greatest.” Wins over Frazier X2, Foreman, Norton X2, and other notables such as Sonny Liston X2, Floyd Patterson X2, Earnie Shavers, Ron Lyle, George Chuvalo X2, Jerry Quarry X2, Oscar Bonavena, and many more make for an immensely impressive resume.

Ali, simply put, WAS boxing in his heyday (actually his two heydays, in the 1960s and in the 1970s). Aside from when he was badly faded, and possibly suffering from the early symptoms of Parkinson’s, and was stopped by Holmes, Ali always found a way to win. Frazier went to his grave fully believing he “won all three” against Ali, but Ali’s 2-1 edge over Joe really does give the first ever three-time heavyweight champ some serious ammo as far as this (fun) debate goes.

Now, how do the other four giants rank?

2: George Foreman

Foreman, of course, hammered Frazier two times, yet he fell to Ali. Foreman crushed Norton, but he never (through no fault of either man) fought Holmes. But Foreman’s other credentials are hugely impressive: KO’s over Ron Lyle, George Chuvalo, Chuck Wepner, Gerry Cooney, and Michael Moorer. And of course, Foreman made history by becoming the oldest heavyweight champion ever. It’s close, and no doubt numerous fans will have Holmes at #2, or maybe Frazier. But “Big George” gets the #2 vote here.

3: Larry Holmes

Holmes, as hard a worker as Frazier, and a man who found out how tough it can be living and fighting whilst in Ali’s shadow, had a heck of a run as heavyweight champ. After making steady progress and learning lots whilst sparring with Ali, Holmes won the WBC belt with a stirring win over Norton, and then Larry reigned for over seven years. With fine wins over Earnie Shavers X2, Gerry Cooney, Tim Witherspoon, Renaldo Snipes, Mike Weaver, Bonecrusher Smith, and, later, as an older guy, Ray Mercer, Holmes showed so much in the ring. It is possible Holmes had the finest left jab in heavyweight history. And as for Holme’s astonishing chin and recuperative powers, well….. Holmes was special. If only he’d been born five or six years earlier.

4: Joe Frazier

Joe was far from ideally built to be a heavyweight, his height and reach seeing him at a disadvantage when facing almost all of the guys he fought. But Frazier, with relentless perpetual motion, with his rapid head movement, with an ability to put on the fiercest of pressure, and with his wicked left hook, took away the heart and soul of many a bigger man.

Frazier’s style, of taking two or three to land one, wasn’t conducive to a long career, but Joe ruled for three years. And of course, Frazier was the first man to defeat Ali. Along with big wins over Jimmy Ellis X2, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry, Buster Mathis, and George Chuvalo, it’s clear Frazier didn’t duck or dodge anyone.

It simply wasn’t in his DNA to do so.

5: Ken Norton

Coming last in this particular race is no bad thing, nor anything like a disgrace. Norton was an unlucky fighter in some ways, with many fans and experts feeling he deserved the decision in two of his big fights with Ali, not just in the first one. While Norton, who was never crowned champion in the ring, came within a whisker of topping Holmes in their superb 1978 battle.

Norton, who sparred Frazier harder than hard but would never fight him, friends as they were, picked up significant wins over the following fighters not named Ali, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, and Randy “Tex” Cobb. Norton always said he’d have loved to have “met the man when he was in his prime,” the man, of course, being Ali. As good as he was, maybe Norton would have given any version of Ali nothing but hell?

Of these five greats, only one is still here, able to wish Joe a posthumous happy birthday; this, of course, is Larry Holmes.

Holmes is the final member of the unique ‘Champions Forever’ club.