RIP Joe Frazier: 1944 – 2011

 

"The world has lost a great champion," said 69-year-old Ali, who fought Frazier three times.

"I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration. My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones."

Muhammad Ali

 

"He was one of boxing’s greats. He was legendary."

The Briton added: "He has made his mark in boxing, everyone knows his history.

"Without him, other boxing heroes wouldn’t be great either because they really tested his talent against him.

Lennox Lewis

 

 

"I hoped I never had to fight him. He wouldn’t back down. If you hit him, he liked it.

"The first thing I remember is when he missed [hitting] me. Just missing scared me so much that I knocked him down six times.

"Even when they stopped the boxing match to award me the championship of the world he was still on his feet.

"When Ali and Frazier fought, there will never be a spectacular moment in sport like that again. It was big."

George Foreman

 

 

 

"Joe Frazier was relentless. Here was a man about 5ft 10in, he weighed about a stone lighter than myself, but he was so courageous and ferocious. You literally had to hit him with a sledgehammer to put him away.

Joe Bugner

 

"He was a real throwback – fought the best, took on all-comers and was as brave as they come. They don’t make heavyweights like Joe Frazier any more.

 

Ricky Hatton

 

"It’s the perfect time to build the biggest statue in appreciation for all the heart and love he gave to Philadelphia. We didn’t realise we had a super-special person among us that we all, in a way, took for granted. I said this when he was living, I say this now."

Bernard Hopkins

 

 

 

 

"Boxing lost a great champion and the sport lost a great ambassador."

Manny Pacquiao

 

"He was part of that era when we had the best heavyweights there had ever been," said Warren.

"People talk about Mike Tyson at the age of 21 – Joe Frazier, when he was a young fella, was every bit [as good as], if not better than, Tyson."

Frank Warren