Marciano Frazier
08-25-2008, 02:39 AM
But he had to pull out due to hepatitis. This is from the Associated Press, April 16, 1978:
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe
Frazier, former heavyweight boxing
champion, was released from
Presbyterian Hospital Saturday
after being treated for viral
hepatitis, a hospital spokesperson
said.
The 34-year-old Frazier had been
hospitalized since April 4 with an
inflamed liver, forcing the indefinite
postponement of his May 14 fight
with Kallie Knoetze of South Africa in
Las Vegas. Nev.
Frazier checked out of the hospital
at 11:15 a.m., according to Barbara
Sigman of the hospital.
Here is the relevant text from his autobiography, the bottom of page 180 through the top of page 181:
The closest I came [to making a comeback] in those first few years after retiring was a May 1978 match against Knoetze, a South African policeman who had knocked out Bobick earlier in the year in Johannesburg. Knoetze and I were scheduled to fight in Las Vegas, but before the two of us could get it on I contracted hepatitis and had to cancel.
Why is this significant? Knoetze was the RING #6 contender and one of the most feared punchers around, described by the AP, January 15, 1979, as a "no-frills power puncher," with over 90% of his professional victories by knockout; 20 of 21 for a career total. Frazier was going to come directly out of a two-year layoff and face him. In addition to putting his title on the line against a Bob Foster who was coming off 13 consecutive knockouts, including some of the most frightening knockouts in history, doing the same optionally against George Foreman in 1973 and later taking an also-optional crossroads rematch with George in 1976 in which a loss put him out of the title picture- and keeping in mind here that this is all in a career of less than 40 professional fights- this demonstrates a decided willingness on Frazier's part to accept bouts against hard-hitting opposition.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe
Frazier, former heavyweight boxing
champion, was released from
Presbyterian Hospital Saturday
after being treated for viral
hepatitis, a hospital spokesperson
said.
The 34-year-old Frazier had been
hospitalized since April 4 with an
inflamed liver, forcing the indefinite
postponement of his May 14 fight
with Kallie Knoetze of South Africa in
Las Vegas. Nev.
Frazier checked out of the hospital
at 11:15 a.m., according to Barbara
Sigman of the hospital.
Here is the relevant text from his autobiography, the bottom of page 180 through the top of page 181:
The closest I came [to making a comeback] in those first few years after retiring was a May 1978 match against Knoetze, a South African policeman who had knocked out Bobick earlier in the year in Johannesburg. Knoetze and I were scheduled to fight in Las Vegas, but before the two of us could get it on I contracted hepatitis and had to cancel.
Why is this significant? Knoetze was the RING #6 contender and one of the most feared punchers around, described by the AP, January 15, 1979, as a "no-frills power puncher," with over 90% of his professional victories by knockout; 20 of 21 for a career total. Frazier was going to come directly out of a two-year layoff and face him. In addition to putting his title on the line against a Bob Foster who was coming off 13 consecutive knockouts, including some of the most frightening knockouts in history, doing the same optionally against George Foreman in 1973 and later taking an also-optional crossroads rematch with George in 1976 in which a loss put him out of the title picture- and keeping in mind here that this is all in a career of less than 40 professional fights- this demonstrates a decided willingness on Frazier's part to accept bouts against hard-hitting opposition.