Muhammad Ali gets knocked down by Joe Frazier in the 'Fight of the Century' at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971. Frazier 1 at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971? Frank Sinatra was a ringside photographer for Life Magazine at the 'Fight of the Century.'īoxer Muhammad Ali crouches on the canvas after Ali slipped during the 11th round of the 'Fight of the Century' against Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. Muhammad Ali, red trunks, and Joe Frazier, green trunks, are shown during of their bout in New York's Madison Square Garden, March 8, 1971. Heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, left, has challenged Muhammad Ali, right, on the ropes during the fourth round of their heavyweight title bout, Monday, March 8, 1971, New York. Title holder Joe Frazier extends his right army during physical examination in New York on Mabefore the 'Fight of the Century' against Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali and his assistant trainer and friend Bundini Brown sing a song in the ring after Ali weighed in at 215 pounds for his bout at Madison Square Garden in New York with heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, March 8, 1971. Joe Frazier, left, hits Muhammad Ali during the 15th round of their heavyweight title fight at New York's Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971. All that, and the fight actually lived up to its billing as the 'Fight of the Century.' After 15 rounds of thrilling toe-to-toe action, Frazier won a unanimous decision.

Burt Lancaster was part of the closed circuit broadcast team.

Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Hugh Hefner, Dustin Hoffman and Diana Ross were ringside. Frank Sinatra was a ring-side photographer for Life magazine. Frazier was cast as a champion fighting for the establishment. Army, was considered radical chic and seemed to embody the culture of the 1960s. When Joe Frazier met Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, the storyline went much deeper than two undefeated heavyweights clashing for the belt.

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