Remembering ‘Thrilla in Manila’

“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”-- Muhammad Ali

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- On October 1, 1975 or 39 years ago, the biggest heavyweight boxing title fight in the world was held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
It was a duel that defined Muhammad Ali both as sports icon and as human being.
Ali (48–2, 35 KOs) settled his feud with Joe Frazier on a spectacular 14th round TKO (technical knockout).
Frazier (32–2, 27 KOs) did not fall flat on his face from Ali’s barrage of howitzers.
Trainer Eddie Futch refused to let him continue before the 15thround sensing the fight Frazier and Ali were in no longer was a sport.
Referee Carlos Padilla terminated the bout as Frazier loudly protested to no avail wailing at Futch, “I want him, boss.”
"It's all over. No one will forget what you did here today," Futch barked at Frazier, whom Ali slandered earlier and called “ape.”
Both ring titans were exhausted and standing only on survival instinct.
Frazier’s lips had been busted and his face was crimson.

BLACKEYE

Ali also suffered a black eye in both eyes.
Ali described that third duel with Frazier as “next to death.”
The charismatic heavyweight champion admitted later that he asked Frazier to quit after 10 rounds.
“C’mon, Joe, that’s enough. There's still life after this fight,” Ali allegedly whispered to his nemesis while they were swapping bombs.
I asked Padilla if he heard those words when I had a chance to work with him in 1996 during the 12-round WBF welterweight fisticuffs between Amerasian William Magahin and Australian Brad Moderidge.
Padilla, who was the referee while I was a judge in the fight, told me he didn’t exactly hear the sentence uttered by Ali, but confirmed Ali was saying something that only the two boxers had understood.
I was a kid wearing shorts at that time of the historic tussle between two of the heavyweight’s most feared fisttossers.
We watched the fight on a black and white TV set in Molo district, Iloilo City after our classes at the Iloilo Central Commercial High School (ICCHS) in the morning.
My recollection of the astonishing showdown was based on the journals, magazines and newspaper clippings I gathered.
I also watched some of the videos of the fight and interviewed some personalities involved in the epic battle here and in the United States.

SCOOP

Three years ago, I met Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) president Eddie Alinea, who acted as Frazier’s press liaison officer, when we covered Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey in Arlington, Texas.
Alinea said he was assigned by the Office of Media Affairs (now the Philippine Information Agency) to accompany Team Frazier while the boxer was in Manila.
He described challenger Frazier as “a monster in the ring but a gentleman outside.”
Alinea showed to me a black and white photo of a press briefing taken at the Manila Hotel where he sat beside the behemoth champion from Louisville, Kentucky who called himself as “The Greatest” and was formerly known as Cassius Clay.
Alinea, now in his 60s, also kept some souvenir items bearing the signature of Frazier who thanked Alinea for the Filipino scribe’s services and presence in Team Frazier.

EXPERTS

According to some boxing experts and historians I met in the United States, the “Thrilla in Manila” is the greatest ever world heavyweight championship in history.
In terms of heated rivalry, intensity, brutality, action and courageous display of skills, talent and spirit, nothing can beat the “Thrilla in Manila.”
There have been great marquee names in world heavyweight that emerged after Ali's exit.
Trevor Berbick, Greg Page, Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, to mention only a few.
But none of them could match his charisma and impact in the hearts of sports fans all over the universe.
The record established by “Thrilla in Manila” has not been broken until today.
As a member of the world boxing fraternity and as a sportswriter, I agree.

Muhammad Ali's love for Manny Pacquiao

“If you lose a big fight, it will worry you all of your life. It will plague you-until you get your revenge.” Muhammad Ali

By Alex P. Vidal

IT’S not surprising why Muhammad Ali (56-5, 37 KOs) is enamored with Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs).

Ali, 73, personally likes Paquiao, 36, and his admiration has more to do with how the Filipino congressman conducts himself outside the ring rather than Pacquiao’s fighting styles.

Pacquiao, who considers Ali as his childhood idol and inspiration along with Sugar Ray Leonard, must have been ecstatic in his Wild Card gym training camp in Los Angeles when he heard the news.

Fans would have normally predicted that Ali will root for fellow American Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is also a flamboyant and scientific fighter like the former heavyweight champion.

Both Ali and Mayweather Jr. are known for their excellent footwork. 
Their dizzying lateral movements in the square-jungle have delighted millions of their fans worldwide.

RIVAL

Ali’s arch rival, the late Smokin’ Joe Frazier, could be compared to Pacquiao in terms of style, force and guts.

Like Pacquiao, Frazier loves to bob and weave and moves forward amid the avalanche of punches from their opponents.

Both Pacquiao and Frazier have solid jaws and good stamina, although they have been pulverized in their past battles.

Frazier was the first heavyweight dynamo to score a knockdown against Ali en route to inflicting Ali’s first defeat by a 15-round unanimous decision on March 3, 1971 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Ali and Frazier fought three times and their epic third meeting known as “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975 went down in history as the best-ever world heavyweight championship that has not been broken until today.

Like Ali, Pacquiao has been hailed as the “people’s champion” and they almost have similar involvement in their respective civic and charitable activities.

“My dad is Team Pacquiao all the way,” confirmed Rasheda Ali. “My dad really likes Manny. He’s a huge fan of his.”

CHARITABLE

Rasheda said her dad likes the fact that “Pacquiao is such a charitable person.”

Rasheda told New York Daily News that Ali’s admiration for Mayweather, in contrast, apparently starts and stops with “money’s” fighting skills.

“My dad stood for things. Mayweather…I don’t think there’s a comparison,” Rasheda said.

Because of his health condition, Ali may not be able to watch the fight on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The daughter said Ali must settle for cheering Pacquiao on from his home in Louisville, Kentucky.

“There’s no question he’s going to order it (pay-per-view),” she said.

Remembering ‘Thrilla in Manila’

“Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”Muhammad Ali

By Alex P. Vidal

ON October 1, 1975 or 39 years ago, the biggest heavyweight boxing title fight in the world was held at the Araneta Colesium in Cubao, Quezon City.

It was a duel that defined Muhammad Ali both as a sports icon and as a human being.

Ali (48–2, 35 KOs) settled his feud with Joe Frazier on a spectacular 14^th round TKO (technical knockout).

Frazier (32–2, 27 KOs) did not fall flat on his face from Ali’s barrage of howitzers.

Trainer Eddie Futch refused to let him continue before the 15^thround sensing the fight Frazier and Ali were in no longer was a sport.

Referee Carlos Padilla terminated the bout as Frazier loudly protested to no avail wailing at Futch, “I want him, boss.”

"It's all over. No one will forget what you did here today," Futch barked at Frazier, whom Ali slandered earlier and called “ape.”

Both ring titans were exhausted and standing only on survival instinct.

Frazier’s lips had been busted and his face was crimson.

BLACKEYE

Ali also suffered a black eye in both eyes.

Ali described that third duel with Frazier as “next to death.”

The charismatic heavyweight champion admitted later that he asked Frazier to quit after 10 rounds.

“C’mon, Joe, that’s enough. There's still life after this fight,” Ali allegedly whispered to his nemesis while they were swapping bombs.

I asked Padilla if he heard those words when I had a chance to work with him in 1996 during the 12-round WBF welterweight fisticuffs between Amerasian William Magahin and Australian Brad Moderidge.

Padilla, who was the referee while I was a judge in the fight, told me he didn’t exactly hear the sentence uttered by Ali, but confirmed Ali was saying something that only the two boxers had understood.

I was a kid wearing shorts at that time of the historic tussle between two of the heavyweight’s most feared fisttossers.

We watched the fight on a black and white TV set in Molo district, Iloilo City after our classes at the Iloilo Central Commercial High School (ICCHS) in the morning.

My recollection of the astonishing showdown was based on the journals, magazines and newspaper clippings I gathered.

I also watched some of the videos of the fight and interviewed some personalities involved in the epic battle here and in the United States.

SCOOP

Three years ago, I met Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) president Eddie Alinea, who acted as Frazier’s press liaison officer, when we covered Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Joshua Clottey in Arlington, Texas.

Alinea said he was assigned by the Office of Media Affairs (now the Philippine Information Agency) to accompany Team Frazier while the boxer was in Manila.

He described challenger Frazier as “a monster in the ring but a gentleman outside.”

Alinea showed to me a black and white photo of a press briefing taken at the Manila Hotel where he sat beside the behemoth champion from Louisville, Kentucky who called himself as “The Greatest” and was formerly known as Cassius Clay.

Alinea, now in his 60s, also kept some souvenir items bearing the signature of Frazier who thanked Alinea for the Filipino scribe’s services and presence in Team Frazier.

EXPERTS

According to some boxing experts and historians I met in the United States, the “Thrilla in Manila” is the greatest ever world heavyweight championship in history.

In terms of heated rivalry, intensity, brutality, action and courageous display of skills, talent and spirit, nothing can beat the “Thrilla in Manila.”

There have been great marquee names in world heavyweight that emerged after Ali's exit.

Trevor Berbick, Greg Page, Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson, to mention only a few.

But none of them could match his charisma and impact in the hearts of sports fans all over the universe.

The record established by “Thrilla in Manila” has not been broken until today.

As a member of the world boxing fraternity and as a sportswriter, I agree.