Ali vs Frazier

Three fights between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier (1971, 1974, 1975) defined heavyweight boxing and transcended sport entirely. Ali called Frazier a "gorilla" and an "Uncle Tom" — racially charged insults that Frazier never forgave. The "Thrilla in Manila" (1975) is considered the greatest boxing match ever fought — both men were hospitalized afterward, and Ali said it was "the closest thing to dying that I know of." The trilogy's cultural significance went beyond boxing: Ali represented the anti-war movement, Black Power, and religious freedom. Frazier represented blue-collar dignity. They needed each other to become legends.