Daily Madden: Remembering Joe Frazier
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Joe Frazier, the first boxer to beat Muhammad Ali in 1971's "Fight of the Century," died of liver cancer Monday at age 67. John Madden was a long-time fan. "I got to know him personally," Madden told the KCBS morning crew Tuesday. "We did those Miller Lite commercials together, and he was really a good guy. He was funny and just a regular guy. And you knew that in the ring he was so tough and all those things, and outside the ring he enjoyed a joke and a laugh as much as anyone."
Madden said boxing hasn't been the same since the days of Smokin' Joe and Muhammad Ali. "That was kind of the height of boxing," Madden said. "15 round fights in those days, heavyweight championships all over the world. If you just look at the effort that those guys gave and what great shape they were in and how hard they fought for so long -- they haven't made them like that in a heck of a long time."
Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.
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