Jesse Jackson insists Smokin’ Joe Frazier deserves a statue in Philadelphia
The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Joe Frazier’s funeral insisted a champion like Smokin’ Joe, who was widely considered as one of the best heavyweight champions in the world, deserves a statue in Philadelphia.
Joe Frazier was an Olympic gold medallist and an Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion. He was the first man who beat Muhammad Ali in a fight which was dubbed as ‘Fight of the Century’ and his two more fights with Ali especially ‘Thrilla in Manila’
cannot be forgotten by anyone yet Philadelphia does not have Joe’s statue. However, Philadelphia has a statue of a fictitious character from a boxing movie, Rocky, which stands at the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Jackson wants Rocky’s statue to be replaced with Smokin’ Joe’s, as he believes Joe was a true champion and not Rocky. Jackson stressed it was Smokin’ Joe who fought the likes of Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Larry Holmes and not Rocky.
“Tell them Rocky was not a champion. Joe Frazier was,” he said. “Tell them Rocky is fictitious, Joe was reality. Rocky's fists are frozen in stone. Joe's fists are smokin'. Rocky never faced Ali or Holmes or Foreman. Rocky never tasted his own blood. Champions
are made in the ring not in the movies. There deserves to be a statue of Joe Frazier in downtown Philadelphia.”
There were over 4,000 people present at Joe’s funeral including some of the boxing greats especially Muhammad Ali, who upon listening Joe’s news stated, “The world has lost a great champion. I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration.”
Joe Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011 and within a few weeks the cancer metastasized due to which Joe was admitted in the hospital by November 2011, where he died on November 7. The legendary boxer was laid to rest at Enon Tabernacle
Baptist Church in Philadelphia with his championship belt and a pair of gloves draped over his casket as if he was going for one more round.
All that is left to see is whether Philadelphia will make a Smokin’ Joe statue or not, as Joe is certainly the more deserving one.
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