Thrilla In Manila

About Thrilla In Manila

The Thrilla in Manila is the third and final famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the 'Heavy Weight Boxing Championship of the World', fought at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 1, 1975.

The bout is often ranked as one of the greatest fights of 20th century boxing, and is the climax to the bitter rivalry between Ali and Frazier over who was the legitimate Heavy Weight Champion. That situation came about after Ali was stripped of the title over his refusal to join the armed forces when drafted during the Vietnam war. Some years later after repeated weekly prodding from Ali, Frazier petitioned President Nixon to restore Ali's right to box thereby bringing about the so called Fight of the Century between two undisputed Heavy Weight Champions in 1971.

During the whole period between their first and their last face-off in Manila, including the years which preceded the restoration of Ali's right to fight, Ali had used his wit, sharp tongue, and position with the press to take characteristic verbal pot shots at Frazier (as was his practice with all opponents—and which made good copy and controversy) but these became controversial and at times ugly, after his loss in the fight of the Century, and this verbal battery heated the rivalry into new territory.