Uncredited / Associated Press
A statue commemorating Joe Frazier’s victory over Muhammad Ali on March 8, 1971 was unveiled on Monday in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
According to Dan Gelston of the Associated Press, the statue was on display in a gym owned by Joe Hand Promotions and is expected to be housed in a Pennsylvania sports museum.
Ali had a perfect 31-0 when he traveled to Madison Square Garden in New York to face Frazier. He suffered his first defeat, losing by unanimous decision in what many consider to be one of the best fights of all time. The two legends crossed two more times, with Ali coming out on top in 1974 and 1975.
While a native of South Carolina, Frazier adopted Philadelphia as his hometown.
“He just represents what Philadelphia is, “said Joe Frazier Jr. about his father.” Work hard. It is not just a matter of speaking with your mouth. It is talking to your action. That is what it is about. “
The city honored Frazier with his own statue in 2015, almost four years after his death from liver cancer in 2011.