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Why didnt Jergens suggest that Apollo fight Smoking Joe Frazier?

posted 7 years ago by riddick-11114
18 replies | jump to latest

Just saying because Apollo Creed and Duke and Jergens all wanted to find Apollo a ranked contender or fighter that was in shape or posed a challenge, someone that would draw a big gate, eventually they run down the fat and out of shape guys, the guys that dont scare Apollo and the cowards and finally the unranked local Club Fighters like Rocky Balboa.

Wouldnt it have been easy for Jergens to recommend Smoking Joe Frazier as a match for Apollo Creed? Especially considering how Joe was at ringside for the Rocky vs Apollo fight anyway, just run it by Apollo and "Hmmm, you guys know what? I havent ever fought with Smoking Joe and he wouldnt duck me and hes no pushover either, lets do this thing Baby!"

And suddenly Joe Frazier gets a call from Jergens and meets with him and Apollo Creed to talk about the fight, Joe is in shape but has to train and get ready first, there you have a world heavyweight title fight that is ranked and will sell out Philly.

Sucks for Rocky but Smoking Joe would kick Apollo's ass easily, or might last almost the entire fight, i would love to watch that.

[–] Tresix 7 years ago

In real life, Frazier was at the end of his career. Two months before this fight would take place, Frazier lost the "Thrilla in Manila" to Ali via TKO. Usually when a boxer is knocked out, they have to wait three months before fighting again. Six months later, he would lose again to George Foreman by KO. He wouldn't fight again after that loss until 1981 when he fought Chicago heavyweight Floyd "Jumbo" Cummings to a draw, and most people who saw that fight felt Frazier was given a draw out of sympathy. Then again, maybe in the Rocky universe, Joe still had the skills and he was going to be fighting somewhere else when Creed was going to fight on New Year's Day.

Annoying the world since 1960!

[–] cjh8504 7 years ago

Agreed, Willie. Plus, the movie is called Rocky. Not Joey. Lol.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

[–] Tresix 7 years ago

On the other hand, I'd like to see a movie about the three fights Frazier had against Muhammad Ali. I'd call it "The Championship of Each Other", a phrase a sports writer used to describe the "Thrilla in Manila".

Annoying the world since 1960!

[–] cjh8504 7 years ago

Interesting. Uhp. Jeopardy time!

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

[–] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] riddick-11114 7 years ago

Will Smith as Ali because he already did the role before anyway and Jamie Foxx as Joe Frazier or Jay Z.

[–] Tresix 7 years ago

I don't know about Smith. He's 15 years older now. However, I could still see James Toney, who played Frazier in "Ali", in that role. Toney was a real boxer too. Like Evander Holyfield, Toney started out as a cruiserweight and moved up to heavyweight.

Annoying the world since 1960!

[–] cjh8504 7 years ago

You're a wealth of information, Willie.

RIP Gene Wilder. RIP Robert Vaughn. RIP Carrie Fisher. RIP William Christopher. 2016 is the worst!

[–] Corky666 7 years ago

I never took Evander serious as a heavyweight, he was a gloried built up cruiser weight

[–] Tresix 7 years ago

My problem with Holyfield was that he seemed to fight better when he was a challenger than when he was the champ.

Annoying the world since 1960!

[–] Corky666 7 years ago

Word

[–] HourglassUppercut 7 years ago

Toney was a middleweight.

[–] marktayloruk (2422) 3 years ago

Just watch their actual fights .

[–] TMC-4 (19567) 3 years ago

Does Muhammad Ali even exist in the Rocky universe? It's an open secret that Apollo Creed was loosely based on Ali while Rocky Balboa was inspired by Chuck Wepner. So I would assume that Apollo in the movie continuity already fight Joe Frazier.

[–] Keelai (32664) 3 years ago

I doubt it.

[–] Thereviewer65 (22) 7 months ago

Yes, Ali exists. He's mentioned in Rocky Balboa that the simulation between Dixon and Balboa is based off the one between Ali and Marciano.

[–] Thereviewer65 (22) 9 months ago

Because Apollo ducked Frazier! He didn't want any part of old "Smokin" Joe!

[–] Sandman81 (1503) 7 months ago

Frazier would never have taken a title shot with only 6 weeks to train.