Boxer Joe Frazier dies of cancer
Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier has died of cancer, his family has said.
The 67-year-old boxer had been flooded with get-well messages from former boxers and fans before his death from liver cancer.
Frazier was diagnosed last month with the disease. His manager said the boxer had been in out and out of the hospital since early October and has been receiving hospice treatment since last week.
Frazier's death was announced in a statement by his family, who asked to be able to grieve privately and said they would announce "our father's homecoming celebration" as soon as possible.
Bob Arum, who once promoted Ali, said he was saddened by Frazier's passing.
"He was such an inspirational guy. A decent guy. A man of his word," Arum said. "I'm torn up by Joe dying at this relatively young age. I can't say enough about Joe."
World welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao learned of the death shortly after he arrived in Las Vegas for his fight on Saturday night with Juan Manuel Marquez. Like Frazier in his prime, Pacquiao has a powerful left hook that he has used in his remarkable run to stardom.
"Boxing lost a great champion, and the sport lost a great ambassador," Pacquiao said. "My prayers go out to his family."
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Billie Watson
Nov 8th 2011, 12:10
Joe Frazer was one the greatest Champion Boxer that ever lived, will be missed by a great many around the world. R.I.P Joe. My final thoughts are that no matter how great one is, or how popular we are and howmuch money we have or the amount of properties we own sooner or later we shall all end up going the same road as poor old Joe. God Bless my friend.
Mario Sammut
Nov 8th 2011, 12:10
He had one hell of a punch on him !!!!!! hE KEPT COMING AND COMING
Joseph Grima
Nov 8th 2011, 11:01
There goes a great fighter, an icon for those who follow the sport. I saw "smokin'" Joe Frazier fight Joe Bugner in London years ago. Frazier had just recovered from the mother of all beatings by Muhammed Ail just two months before. The take was that Joe Frazier had started the unenviable slide down to an early retirement. Bugner was a hulk of a man who towered over the shortish smokin' Joe and the whispering around the arena was directed at an ignominious end for Joe Frazier's boxing career there and then. Then the fight started. For the first time I understood where the "smokin'" Joe label had come from. Joe Frazier punched so fast and the hits were so diverse that you could hardly see his arms move. He pummelled Bugner round after round until Bugner went down on one knee in the eighth. He had to be helped back to his corner by his aides. Bugner did not come out for the ninth. One f the greatest heavyweight fights I had ever seen and I have been to quite a few. The passing of Joe Frazier marks the end of another boxing legend. There are not many left in Joe Frazier's league and since his time in the ring there has been no one as fast with his punches as he. Rest n peace "smokin'" Joe. You will be forever remembered.
Mr Joe Camilleri
Nov 8th 2011, 09:05
Muhammed Ali vs Joe Frazier = Fight of the Century
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 8th 2011, 11:37
Brings back great memories of younger days...