Ghosts of Manila: The Fateful Blood Feud Between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier

Great account of two of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. A must for anyone curious about the blood feud between Ali and Frazier and their life-changing fight in Manila.

Mark Kram was the perfect journalist to write this book. He spent more time with Ali and Frazier than any other writer. The fact that he is the greatest sports writer ever -- his October, 1975, article for Sports Illustrated (Lawdy, Lawdy, He's Great!," about the Thrilla in Manila -- has for decades been regarded as the best deadline sports article ever written.Unlike most observers, who cannot shake free of Ali's charisma, Kram has seen the sides of Ali that put the lie to much of his public image. His cruelty, in particular to Frazier, but others as well, was savagely cutting. He knew he had a basically inarticulate opponent in Frazier and used that edge to berate a valiant man in ways that are especially cutting to blacks. In particular, his use of the rubber gorilla -- meant to symbolize Frazier in the press conferences in Manila -- was a vicious racial insult. He knew it would infuriate Frazier, who once loaned a broke Ali money while he was suspended for refusing the military draft. Ali did it because it rhymed with "Manila" and "Thrilla," but it cut Frazier to the bone, as did Ali's mendacious portrayal of Frazier as an Uncle Tom. In fact, it was Ali who grew up in a mixed middle class neighborhood in Louisville while Frazier lived the much more authentic black life in the ghettos of Philadelphia.On his reasons for refusing military service, Kram interviewed insiders who revealed the real reason was because Ali just did not want to be around white people. He figured the military would put him in with them, where he was uncomfortable, instead of with the blacks who idolized him. Most of the celebrated quotes attributed to "Ali the Poet" -- including "Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" and "I got no quarrel with them Vietcong" -- were taken from other people, many from Drew Bundini, a longtime member of his entourage, who never took credit.He became a Black Muslim -- and a tool for their recruitment of other blacks -- but was never an observant follower. He was a well-known womanizer before and after his religious conversion.Kram's book is rich with anecdotes, many observed firsthand, and all researched meticulously. They all are wrapped in Kram's transcendent writing style. Kram does not neglect Ali's good qualities. He was a great fighter -- a headhunter who almost never threw a body punch -- and a clever opponent, as George Foreman learned. He had one of the great chins in boxing history and his ability to take punches often was underestimated. Foreman beat his kidneys so viciously that Ali urinated blood for a week.But he was not the deity many believe him to be. He was a flawed, man, frequently a selfish one, and in many ways a racially prejudiced one. He had the capacity to gentle and fun loving with children and shockingly cruel to people who did not deserve it, including Frazier and his wives.This is a book that shines a much-needed light on a reality lived in shadows.

Many will say the 3rd fight between Ali and Frazier,was the best of the trilogy.I watched fights one and three on PPV, the nights theyhappened, and there was a marked difference betweenthe fighters in those few years, both in mind and body.Ali, ever the showman, promoter, trash talker, mind gamesexpert, and above all money maker, did his usual "thing",and as always, when the fight was over, Ali moved on to thenext one.No Harm No Foul.Smokin Joe, was not cut from that same cloth, he was not aglib showman, he did not trash talk, he brought his "work gloves"to the fight, and did the job.Joe, thought Ali crossed many lines in the weeks before this fight,and even said, I am really going to hurt him this time.And Joe kept his word, and really hurt Ali........The problem was, as I said earlier, Ali had changed since the othertwo battles, he had filled out, muscled up, and was just too big for Joeto handle any longer.The punches Joe used to walk through, now slowed him down, stopped himand finally backed him up, as Ali now was stepping into his punches, and notmoving side to side.The fight was controlled by Ali, then Frazier, and again and finally Ali.Joe, never got over, to the day he died, that he was stopped from comingout for a round, in which he would have been KO'ed or worse.That was something he could not forgive, along with Ali's disrespect of him.In today's rules and regs, this fight most likely would never have happened,because of Frazier's vision problems.The book goes on after the Manila fight, and has many other story lines, itis a must read for any boxing fan.Enjoy as you step back to the 1970's.

Ever since I read his SI article on the fight in 1975, I've read anything Kram has written. Don't know how I missed this till now, but gald I got it. Kram is fair to both fighters and writes well and movingly about them both. If you are a fight fan, read this; if not...well, I don't think you have to be a fight fan to enjoy and see the worth of this book, so read it anyway.

.A good way to remember the great days of heavyweight boxing.Sad to say that this is not provided by the present boxers

This book dug deep into the feud that lasted till both men went to there graves, a real piece of history told in a unique style no holds barred

Superb read

story well told