'To have fought Ali the way he did, Joe Frazier had to be special' © PA Photos

When I was a little boy, I loved watching Joe Frazier.

I used to watch a lot of boxing and I admired his style. I liked the way he moved around the boxing ring, the way he moved his head. He could always weave out of a difficult position.

I looked up to his determination, his spirit, and just the way he fought. Anyone who fought Muhammad Ali the way Frazier did, as bravely as he did, had to be special. Despite taking as many licks as he did, he still stood up and fought.

To me, he was a joy to watch. He wasn't as tall as the rest of them, just 5 feet 10 inches, but his capacity to work was admirable. He always gave you the impression that he would hang in there till the end. He wasn't one to relax after five rounds but someone who would fight right from the start to round 15, throwing punches from left and right. He was just exceptional.

I remember the bout that he and Ali fought in 1971. Ali had predicted that Frazier would go down in the sixth, but it was Frazier who ultimately won, after the 15th round.

Maybe he wasn't as steady as Ali, but he was still a great, great boxer. Joe Frazier will always be one of my favourites.

As told to Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

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