Highlights, having defeated challengers Muhammad Ali, Leon Spinks and Gerry Cunay.
On March 8, 1971, Ali challenged WBC and WBA champion Frazier at Madison Square Garden in New York City, attracting more than 20,000 rabid fans to the venue, with 300 million people around the world watching the bout on television, with the best tickets at $150 a piece speculated at $1,000, and the two fighters being paid $2.5 million apiece, the then record for a boxing match.
Nobody expected that the fight, known as the "Fight of the Century," would set a record for the highest fees ever paid to a boxer at the time, but also a record that will probably never be broken -- seven of those involved in the fight were eventually inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and seven were inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in addition to the two big protagonists, Frazier and Ali, were referee Mercante, event organizer Brenner, then-Garden president Markson, Ali's trainer Dundee and Frazier's trainer Futch.
When Frazier and Ali, referee Mercante, tournament organizer Brenner, then-Garden president Markson, Ali's trainer Dundee and Frazier's trainer Fudge, the seven recalled the segment, they all echoed a similar sentiment, "An experience like that probably only happens once in your life.
Yes, it is the dream of every boxing professional to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, and it is amazing that seven of the people who competed in, enforced, organized, and coached a fight were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
June 14, 2009 Sports Special: Former British boxing superstar Lennox Lewis was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 14th.
Lewis, 43, who retired from boxing in 2003, entered this international boxing club of fame in the shortest time possible. He said at the 14th ceremony that while most people think boxing is full of blood, he wants to impress the sport as a "wonderful skillful, magical dance."
"Boxing is often thought of as a barbaric sport, but I think it's full of wonderful skills, a magical dance. I've always wanted to realize that, to keep the human side of the sport, the positive side," he said.
Lewis was born in 1965 in London, England, and is of Jamaican descent. He stands at 1 meter 94 and weighs more than 100 kilograms.
His illustrious career brought him the 1988 Olympic title and numerous professional titles.
On Nov. 14, 1999, in his second heavyweight title unification bout with Holyfield, he fought 12 rounds against his opponent and finally won on points, thus owning three gold belts of the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, and becoming the most deserved heavyweight champion at the end of the century, as well as the 20th century's top boxer in the world. Heavyweight Champion and the first British World Champion of the 20th century.
Mike Tyson was born in 2011 in the United States. Tyson was officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 12, 2011, U.S. time. Tyson said: "I feel honored, boxing has given me a lot. It is a gift for me to be in the same Hall of Honor as these legends of boxing who paved the way for my boxing career."