"hockey games through the mid-1970s. HBO has long been known for its telecasts of boxing matches (which usually air on Saturday nights every two to three weeks on average), including those shown on its flagship sports program ""HBO World Championship Boxing"". On September 30, 1975, the ""Thrilla in Manila"" boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier aired on HBO and was the first program on the pay cable network to be broadcast via satellite. That same year, HBO began airing coverage of Wimbledon; it held contractual rights to coverage of the tennis tournament through 1999, when it lost the"
"the world. Four and a half years after the Fight of the Century, Frazier and Ali met for a third and final time in a fight known as the ""Thrilla in Manila"" in September 1975. Futch served as Frazier's manager and chief second for the fight, having inherited those duties from Durham who died from a stroke shortly after Frazier's defeat by George Foreman in 1973. Futch's chief concern for the fight was that Ali not be allowed to repeat the illegal tactic of holding Frazier behind the neck, as Ali had in their 1974 second fight. This had created"
"I get that gorilla in Manila."" The bout is consistently ranked as one of the best in the sport's history and was the culmination of a three-bout rivalry between the two fighters that Ali won, 2–1. The fight was watched by a record global television audience of 1billion viewers, including 100million viewers watching the fight pay-per-view on closed-circuit theatre television and 500,000 pay-per-view buys on HBO home cable television. The first bout between Frazier and Ali took place on March 8, 1971, in New York's Madison Square Garden. Frazier was the champion and won by unanimous decision over previously undefeated"
"in 1974, Ali continued to insult Frazier, who took exception to Ali calling him ""ignorant"" and challenged him to a fight, which resulted in the two of them brawling on the studio floor. Ali went on to win the 12 round non-title affair by a decision. Ali took things further in the build-up to their last fight, The Thrilla in Manila, and called Frazier ""the other type of negro"" and ""ugly"", ""dumb"" and a ""gorilla"" At one point he sparred with a man in a gorilla suit and pounded on a rubber gorilla doll, saying ""This is Joe Frazier's conscience..."
"to the city's land area were made by Republic Act No. 1575, which defined its area as . According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Geoscience Australia on their study earthquake impact and risk assessment on the Greater Metropolitan Manila Area, the total area of Quezon City stood at . On October 1, 1975, Quezon City was the actual site of the ""Thrilla in Manila"" boxing fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, which took place at the Araneta Coliseum. It was renamed as the ""Philippine Coliseum"" for the event. On November 7, 1975, the promulgation of"
"and final time in Quezon City (a district of Manila), the Philippines, on October 1, 1975. Prior to the fight, Ali took opportunities to mock Frazier by calling him a '""gorilla"", and generally trying to irritate him. The fight was a punishing display on both sides under oppressively hot conditions. During the fight, Ali said to Frazier, ""They said you were through, Joe"". Frazier said, ""They lied"". Ali repeatedly held Frazier around the back of his neck with his right hand, a violation of the rules which went unpunished by the referee. After 14 grueling rounds, Futch stopped the fight"
"went on to defeat Frazier in their third and final bout, The Thrilla in Manila. By the time of the rematches the social climate in America had settled down, with the Vietnam War coming to an end. Many dismissed the notion that Ali was a traitor and he was once again accepted as an American hero. Without either fighter representing the social divide in the country, neither their second nor third fight lived up to the hype of the first. Ali shocked the world for a second time with a victory in October 1974 over the heavily favored Foreman to"
"A pioneer, Bagatsing was among the first City Mayors to establish a Manila Tourism bureau. The following year, adding to its global acclaim, the city's name became renowned in the sporting world due to the Thrilla in Manila between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The legendary match was actually held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, but the promoters decided to highlight the City of Manila, with Ali enjoying his stay at the historic Manila Hotel, often jogging around the boulevards of Manila, mingling and interacting with the locals. Because of this, Bagatsing gladly provided Ali with a rather"
"against the odds, regaining the title against a younger and stronger Foreman. It is shown several times annually on the ESPN Classic network. After this fight, Ali once again told the world he was the greatest. A year later Ali won an epic battle with Joe Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila. Although his skills and reflexes deteriorated noticeably in later bouts, he remained champion until 1978, when he was dethroned by Leon Spinks. Ali regained the title for an unprecedented third time after beating Spinks in a rematch. His later comebacks proved less successful, however, and he was beaten"
"Carlos Padilla Jr. Carlos ""Sonny"" Dolorico Padilla Jr. (born 1934/35) was a boxing referee and judge from the Philippines. Padilla was a recognizable movie star but when his career began to decline, he rejoined the world of sports and became a boxing referee. The son of actor Carlos Padilla Sr., Padilla first came to international prominence when he refereed the third fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, known as the ""Thrilla in Manila"". Before the fight Frazier's trainer Eddie Futch had objected to all three American referees, so the little-known local official Padilla was selected as a late replacement."
"192. In 1975, Nathanielsz was appointed by then-President Marcos as a liaison officer between the Philippine government and the organizers of the Thrilla in Manila boxing match (Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier). A few years' later, he became the news director and general manager of the Maharlika Broadcasting System, the former brand of Channel 4. His staunch loyalty to Marcos received some criticisms. In ""Face of the Nation"", a talk-show that Nathanielsz hosted, his independence was challenged by Benigno Aquino Jr.. He turned down an offer from his father's friend to handle a weekly boxing show in Australia, much to"
"George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II, billed as ""Battle of the Gladiators"", was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976 for the NABF heavyweight championship. On March 18, 1976, former undisputed heavyweight champions George Foreman and Joe Frazier agreed to face one another in a rematch of their 1973 heavyweight title bout. In their previous encounter, Foreman had brutalized the then-champion Frazier, scoring six knockdowns in less than two rounds to capture the WBA and WBC heavyweight championships. Foreman had then successfully defended the titles twice, easily defeating José Roman and Ken"
"subscribers. Muhammad Ali had several fights on early pay-per-view home television, including Cassius Clay vs. Doug Jones in 1963, and Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston which drew 250,000 buys on cable television in 1964. Professional boxing was largely introduced to pay-per-view cable television with the ""Thrilla in Manila"" fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in September 1975. The fight sold 500,000 pay-per-view buys on HBO. There was also another major title fight aired on pay-per-view in 1980, when Roberto Durán defeated Sugar Ray Leonard. Cable companies offered the match for $10, and about 155,000 customers paid to watch the"
"further punishment. Foreman was then named the winner by technical knockout at 2:26 of the fifth round. George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II, billed as ""Battle of the Gladiators"", was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976 for the NABF heavyweight championship. On March 18, 1976, former undisputed heavyweight champions George Foreman and Joe Frazier agreed to face one another in a rematch of their 1973 heavyweight title bout. In their previous encounter, Foreman had brutalized the then-champion Frazier, scoring six knockdowns in less than two rounds to capture the WBA and"
"Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), nicknamed ""Smokin' Joe"", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and as an amateur won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Frazier was known for his sheer strength, durability, formidable punching power, and relentless pressure fighting style. Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating opponents that included Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo, and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed"
"fight was its pioneering use of communication technology. On September 30, 1975, HBO became the first television network in history to deliver a continuous signal via satellite by broadcasting the ""Thrilla in Manila"". This revolutionary event linking satellites with cable turned cable television from a re-transmitter to a program provider. The ""Thrilla in Manila"" was also the very first boxing bout to be on pay-per-view home cable television, which was transmitted through HBO. In 2006, the Manny Pacquiao vs. Óscar Larios fight in the Philippines was billed as ""Thrilla in Manila 2"". Thrilla in Manila The Thrilla in Manila was"
"This led to a rematch with Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 1974; Frazier had recently lost his title to George Foreman. Ali was strong in the early rounds of the fight, and staggered Frazier in the second round. Referee Tony Perez mistakenly thought he heard the bell ending the round and stepped between the two fighters as Ali was pressing his attack, giving Frazier time to recover. However, Frazier came on in the middle rounds, snapping Ali's head in round seven and driving him to the ropes at the end of round eight. The last four"
"known as ""The Bayonne Bleeder"", stunned Ali with a knockdown in the ninth round; Ali would later say he tripped on Wepner's foot. It was a bout that would inspire Sylvester Stallone to create the acclaimed film, ""Rocky"". Ali then agreed to a third match with Joe Frazier in Manila. The bout, known as the ""Thrilla in Manila"", was held on October 1, 1975, in temperatures approaching . In the first rounds, Ali was aggressive, moving and exchanging blows with Frazier. However, Ali soon appeared to tire and adopted the ""rope-a-dope"" strategy, frequently resorting to clinches. During this part of"
"Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman, billed as ""The Sunshine Showdown"", was a professional boxing match in Jamaica contested on January 22, 1973 for the WBA, WBC and ""The Ring"" heavyweight championships. In a matchup of two undefeated future hall-of-famers, undisputed heavyweight champion Joe Frazier and the number one ranked heavyweight George Foreman reached an agreement in November 1972 for a January title fight in Jamaica's National Stadium. Frazier was 29–0 and had won 10 consecutive heavyweight title fights at the time of his match with Foreman, first winning the NYSAC heavyweight title in 1968 and"
"and future champs Tim Witherspoon, and Bonecrusher Smith. He also decisioned amateur star Jimmy Clark. He was KOd by James Broad in the 1980 Olympic Trials finals. As a professional, Frazier is best remembered for two fights, unfortunately both first-round knockout losses: to champion Larry Holmes (a TKO) in 1983 and a rising Mike Tyson in 1986 (a KO). Pitted against Holmes after just ten pro bouts (all victories), Frazier's camp touted his speed and youth as significant advantages over the champion. During the first minute of the fight Frazier dropped his hands to his sides and playfully moved his"
"punches despite Quarry's reputation as an excellent counter punching heavyweight. On February 16, 1970, Frazier faced WBA Champion Jimmy Ellis at Madison Square Garden. Ellis had outpointed Jerry Quarry in the final bout of the WBA elimination tournament for Ali's vacated belt. Frazier had himself declined to participate in the WBA tournament to protest their decision to strip Ali. Ellis held an impressive win over Oscar Bonavena among others. Beforehand, Ali had announced his retirement and relinquished the Heavyweight title, allowing Ellis and Frazier to fight for the undisputed title. Frazier won by a TKO when Ellis's trainer Angelo Dundee"
"defending that title four times before knocking out Jimmy Ellis to claim the vacant WBA and WBC titles in 1970 that had been stripped from Muhammad Ali. Frazier's most notable defense would come against Ali himself in what was billed as the ""Fight of the Century."" After defeating Ali by unanimous decision, Frazier captured ""The Ring"" heavyweight title and became recognized as the lineal champion. In between his first Ali fight and his bout with Foreman, Frazier successfully defended his title twice against fringe contenders Terry Daniels and Ron Stander. Following his knockout of Stander, Ali attempted to gain a"
"the Philippines as a 'great' nation, having declared martial law three years earlier (1972). In the lead-up to the Manila fight as well as each of their other two encounters, Ali verbally abused Frazier. Ali nicknamed Frazier ""The Gorilla"", and used this as the basis for the rhyme, ""It will be a killa and a thrilla and a chilla when I get the Gorilla in Manila,"" which he chanted while punching an action-figure-sized gorilla doll. Ali told reporter Dick Schaap that it was part of a longstanding pre-fight strategy of his: ""I like to get a man mad, because when"
"1973. Frazier turned professional in 1965, defeating Woody Goss by a technical knockout in the first round. He won three more fights that year, all by knockout, none going past the third round. Later that year, he was in a training accident, where he suffered an injury which left him legally blind in his left eye. During pre-fight physicals, after reading the eye chart with his right eye, when prompted to cover his other eye, Frazier switched hands, but covered his left eye for a second time, and state athletic commission physicians seemed to not notice or act. Joe's second"
"next five fights. He lost a split decision to Boone Kirkman, fought a draw with Larry Middleton, dropped decisions to Ron Lyle and Joe Bugner, and was stopped in nine rounds in a rematch with Joe Frazier. The rematch with Joe Frazier took place in Melbourne, Australia, on March 2, 1975. Ellis trained at the Golden Bowl Gym in Camberwell, Melbourne with martial arts 4th Dan Gerry Scaife. Ellis won the first three rounds, but Frazier then picked up the intensity and took control. With Ellis bloody and battered, Angelo Dundee signaled for referee Bob Foster to stop the fight"
"to Ali, graciously stated that ""[m]y man fought a good fight""; while Ali declared Frazier to be ""the greatest fighter of all time next to me."" In the buildup to their bouts, Ali called Frazier ""dumb"" and an ""Uncle Tom"" before their first, ""ignorant"" before the second, and a ""gorilla"" before the third. Writers Dennis and Don Atyeo have noted that given Ali's warm words for Frazier in the past, his jibes about Frazier sounded hollow. On January 23, 1974, five days before their second fight, Ali and Frazier had a public altercation captured on television. ABC Sports' Howard Cosell"
"vs. George Foreman bout in Kingston, Jamaica, on January 22, 1973, he sat near Howard Cosell, who was recording a call for ABC for a tape delay re-broadcast. He was overheard on the call noting that Frazier had been hurt before he was knocked down by Foreman the first time in the first round; Cosell mentioned it immediately before his famous ""Down goes Frazier!"" call. Later in the bout, Dundee was overheard pleading for the fight to be stopped as Frazier was repeatedly knocked down. The fight was finally stopped after Frazier was knocked down for the sixth time, with"
"were both swollen shut. Ali, in his corner, winner by TKO, slumped on his stool, clearly spent. An ailing Ali said afterwards that the fight ""was the closest thing to dying that I know"", and, when later asked if he had viewed the fight on videotape, reportedly said, ""Why would I want to go back and see Hell?"" After the fight he cited Frazier as ""the greatest fighter of all times next to me."" Following the Manila bout, Ali fought Jean-Pierre Coopman, Jimmy Young, and Richard Dunn, winning the last by knockout. On June 1, 1976, Ali removed his shirt"
"rounds saw round-to-round shifts in momentum between the two fighters. Throughout most of the bout, however, Ali was able to circle away from Frazier's dangerous left hook and to tie Frazier up when he was cornered, the latter a tactic that Frazier's camp complained of bitterly. Judges awarded Ali a unanimous decision. The defeat of Frazier set the stage for a title fight against heavyweight champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire, on October 30, 1974—a bout nicknamed ""The Rumble in the Jungle"". Foreman was considered one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight history. In assessing the fight, analysts pointed out"
"to Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Although the scorecards in the Ali fight were somewhat lopsided, Bugner fought well, and he won the respect of the boxing media and public alike. After their bout, Ali declared that Bugner was capable of being world champion. Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee later echoed that sentiment. The fight with Frazier in July 1973 at Earls Court in London was deemed a classic. After being knocked down by a tremendous left hook in the tenth round, Bugner arose and staggered Frazier to close the round. Frazier took the decision, but only narrowly, and arguably only"
"his second title shot. By then, Joe Frazier had not yet KO'd Ellis to unify the two boxing belts, but was still considered by many to be champion. This first match against Frazier took place June, 23rd, 1969. It was Quarry's 38th pro fight and Frazier's 23rd pro fight. Both had turned pro in 1965. The fight was held at New York City's Madison Square Garden, which is where the Mathis fight had also been held three months earlier. This would be the site of a number of Quarry's fights in years to come. During this time, he called New"
"place in the fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman for the World Heavyweight Championship in Kingston, Jamaica in 1973. When Foreman knocked Frazier to the mat the first of six times, roughly two minutes into the first round, Cosell yelled out: His call of Frazier's first trip to the mat became one of the most quoted phrases in American sports broadcasting history. Foreman beat Frazier by a TKO in the second round to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Cosell provided blow-by-blow commentary for ABC of some of boxing's biggest matches during the 1970s and the early 1980s, including Ken"
"planned to fight Bob Cleroux in Montreal, but Cleroux lost what was supposed to be a tune-up fight against the lightly regarded Billy Joiner. Finally, Ellis was going to fight Gregorio Peralta in Argentina, but promoters canceled the fight 24 hours before it was to take place because of poor ticket sales. On February 16, 1970, Ellis fought Joe Frazier to unify the World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The undefeated Frazier, a heavy betting favorite, proved to be too strong and powerful. Ellis, who had never been floored as a heavyweight, was knocked down"