THE PASSING OF A BOXING LEGEND | EX-BOXER ALEX MASKEY REMEMBERS HIS TIMES WITH A CHAMPION

When Smokin’ Joe Frazier came to Belfast

Joe and Alex in Belfast

I WAS INTRODUCED to Smokin’ Joe Frazier in Philadelphia by his good friend the late Mike Doyle. Mike’s family emigrated to the United States from Roscommon when he was a three-year-old but he never forgot his roots travelling home regularly to maintain contact with his wider family circle and old friends, including a number of republican prisoners.
Mike was tireless in his support for Irish republicanism for many years right up to his death in recent years. I first met Joe early in 2003 when I visited his city during my term as Mayor of Belfast. Upon hearing some of the initiatives we were developing in City Hall, Joe asked simply if he could help in any way. When I told him he could by coming to Belfast he agreed immediately. Within a few weeks, and with the help of Mike Doyle, Joe Frazier arrived in Belfast for a hectic schedule of events.
Joe’s itinerary included an award night in City Hall during which we presented certificates to some 130 athletes from over 30 sporting disciplines, including Gaelic sports, soccer, athletics, martial arts and boxing. The former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion attended a photograph-signing and autograph-signing event for boxing fans in the Wellington Park Hotel. Joe visited a number of amateur boxing clubs on a cross-community basis and spent a lot of time with the young boxers. On one visit to a local community centre Joe added to the magic by entertaining senior citizens and singing with them.
Joe also visited the late Con McHugh, a big boxing fan, who was undergoing treatment in the City Hospital. This visit was a great success in that Con and many other patients, medical staff and visitors alike had lots of photos taken and autographs signed but especially because Joe had taken the time to visit the hospital. It was a tremendous occasion and lifted everyone’s spirits there. Joe Frazier also visited the Hatfield Bar on the Ormeau Road.
Joe met up with a number of boxers, including Paddy Fitsimmons and Jim McCourt who had been with him at the Tokyo Olympic Games 1964. Joe’s visit here was a great success and received much positive media acclaim. Joe told me that Belfast people had made him feel like he was a world champion again for the whole time he was here. Joe was also very generous with his time when clubs or schools from Belfast visited Philadelphia after his Belfast visit. On one occasion he personally drove from his home city to Washington to meet two Belfast boxing clubs. Joe always spent a lot of time with those he had the opportunity to meet either here or in the US and hundreds of people have the photographs to prove it.
I had the great fortune to meet Joe Frazier and his son, Marvis Frazier (also a great boxer in his own right), through our mutual friends Mike Doyle and Pat Geeghan. I met Joe subsequently on a number of occasions in the US and indeed joined him and Marvis with Martin McGuinness, Dessie Mackin, Larry and Seán Downes in Madison Square Gardens to watch Derry boxer John Duddy fighting on March 16th in an arena packed with Irish boxing fans. On that occasion with Joe I had the additional great pleasure of meeting ‘Raging Bull’, the great Jake La Motta.
Joe Frazier was one of the greatest heavyweight world champions and was also an extremely modest and humble gentleman who was always keen to meet and support young people to give them what encouragement he could.
We shall remember Joe Frazier for his generosity and his kindness to many of us in Ireland and the US. Thank you, Joe.

Alex Maskey was a successful amateur boxer, having only lost 4 out of 75 fights. He shared fight cards with Hollywood actor Liam Neeson. Alex is now a Sinn Féin MLA for South Belfast.

‘The toughest man in the world’ – Muhammad Ali

JOE FRAZIER, former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, died of liver cancer aged 67 on November 7th.
Frazier won 32 fights in all, 27 by knock-outs, losing four times – twice to arch-rival Muhammad Ali and twice to George Foreman. He also recorded one draw.
The third and most memorable bout between Frazier and Ali came on October 1st 1975 in the Philippines. It was such a ferocious contest in front of 25,000 fight fans that it has gone down in history as ‘The Thrilla in Manilla’. After 14 drama-filled rounds, the referee stopped the bout (against Frazier’s wishes), and Ali retained his title against the doughty challenger Frazier.
Ali later told a news conference: “I’m so tired I want to rest for a week. My hips are sore, my arms are sore, my side is sore, my hands are sore.”
Ali called Joe Frazier “the toughest man in the world”.
“I couldn’t have taken the punches he took. I would have given in long before.
“I didn’t realise he was so great. He’s a real, real fighter.”