Marvis Frazier

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Marvis Frazier
Statistics
Real name Marvis Frazier
Rated at Heavyweight
Height 6 ft 0 12 in (1.84 m)
Reach 76 in (193 cm)
Nationality United States United States
Born (1960-09-12) September 12, 1960
Beaufort County, South Carolina
Stance orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 21
Wins 19
Wins by KO 8
Losses 2
Draws 0
No contests 0

Marvis Frazier (born September 12, 1960 in Beaufort County, South Carolina) is a former professional boxer of the heavyweight division.

Personal

Marvis is the son of former heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer, Joe Frazier. His sister Jackie Frazier-Lyde was also a professional boxer, as was his brother Joe Frazier, Jr. (a.k.a. Hector Frazier).

Amateur career

Marvis was a highly touted prospect and among the top-ranked amateur heavyweights. He was the 1979 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion and 1980 National AAU Heavyweight Champion. His record was 56 wins and 2 losses.

Among his best amateur wins were against future pro contender Mitch Green, and future champs Tim Witherspoon, and Bonecrusher Smith. He also decisioned amateur star Jimmy Clark. He was KOd by James Broad in the 1980 Olympic Trials finals.

Professional career

As a professional, Frazier is best remembered for two fights, unfortunately both first-round knockout losses: to champion Larry Holmes (a TKO) in 1983 and a rising Mike Tyson in 1986 (a KO). Pitted against Holmes after just ten pro bouts (all victories), Frazier's camp touted his speed and youth as significant advantages over the champion. During the first minute of the fight Frazier dropped his hands to his sides and playfully moved his head back and forth, taunting Holmes: ill-advised behavior against an experienced veteran. Just 2:06 in, Holmes floored Frazier with a long right hand, knocking him down; Marvis took an eight-count and got back up. Dazed by the blow, Frazier was a sitting target and Holmes followed up, appealing for the referee to step in as he pummelled the younger man on the ropes. Finally, the referee stopped the bout with just a few seconds left in the first round, awarding Holmes a technical knockout. Many in the sports press criticized father/trainer Joe Frazier for changing his son's style from that of a boxer (which brought Marvis success as an amateur) to a puncher, which many thought did not suit Marvis.

After his loss to Holmes, Frazier continued to fight and won his next six bouts, including victories over future world cruiserweight champion Bernard Benton, heavyweight contenders Jose Ribalta and James "Quick" Tillis, and future champion James "Bonecrusher" Smith. With the exception of a first-round knockout in his first fight after losing to Holmes, all of Frazier's fights went the full ten round distance with him winning unanimous or majority decisions in each fight.

This set up the fight with the 24-0 Tyson, which was broadcast live from the Glens Falls Civic Center in Glens Falls, New York by ABC. Frazier quickly proved to be no match for the future champion; Tyson landed a vicious uppercut just 15 seconds into the bout then proceeded to club the defenceless Marvis Frazier unconscious. Due to the comprehensiveness of the knockout, referee Joe Cortez did not finish counting Frazier out before waving off the fight. Although Tyson had won the fight in less than twenty seconds, Joe Frazier appealed to have the time of the knockout changed to thirty seconds to spare his son the embarrassment of such a quick defeat.

Recalling the fight in later years, Marvis Frazier conceded that he had underestimated the young Mike Tyson, who had not yet won the first of his world titles. "Tyson was just another guy who was going to be a statistic. Yeah, that's what I thought. I threw a jab and that's all I remember."[1]

After Tyson, Frazier did not fight for a title again. After nearly a year away from the ring following the loss to Tyson, Frazier returned to fight twice in two months, winning both of his bouts over journeymen fighters. He won his final fight against Phillipp Brown in 1988, retiring with a career record of 19-2.

After Boxing

After retiring from boxing, he became an ordained minister and active participant in Prison Fellowship Ministries.[2] In 2013 Marvis completed his biography, entitled Meet Marvis Frazier: The Story of the Son of Smokin' Joe, with the help of co-author, Jamie Potter.

Professional boxing record

19 Wins (8 knockouts, 11 decisions), 2 Losses (2 knockouts)
Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 19-2 Philipp Brown Decision (unanimous) 10 1988-10-12 Tucson, Arizona
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 18-2 Robert Evans Decision (unanimous) 10 1987-08-10 Secaucus, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 17-2 Tom Fischer TKO 2 (10), 2:47 1987-06-01 Secaucus, New Jersey
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 16-2 Mike Tyson KO 1 (10), 0:30 1986-07-26 Glens Falls, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 16-1 James Smith Decision (unanimous) 10 1986-02-23 California, California
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15-1 Jose Ribalta Decision (majority) 10 1985-09-11 Atlantic City, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 14-1 James Tillis Decision (unanimous) 10 1985-05-20 Reno, Nevada
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 13-1 Funso Banjo Decision 10 1984-12-05 London, UK
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 12-1 Bernard Benton Decision (unanimous) 10 1984-10-23 Atlantic City, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 11-1 David Starkey TKO 1 (8), 2:50 1984-09-25 Pennsauken, New Jersey
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 10-1 Larry Holmes TKO 1 (10), 2:57 1983-11-25 Las Vegas, Nevada
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 10-0 Joe Bugner Decision (unanimous) 10 1983-06-04 Atlantic City, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 9-0 James Broad Decision (unanimous) 10 1983-04-10 Atlantic City, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 8-0 Mike Cohen KO 2 1983-03-07 Charleston, South Carolina
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 7-0 Amos Haynes TKO 5 (10), 2:23 1983-02-08 Atlantic City, New Jersey
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 6-0 Guy Casale Retirement 4 (8), 3:00 1981-09-16 Las Vegas, Nevada
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 5-0 Tony Pulu Decision (unanimous) 6 1981-08-22 Las Vegas, Nevada
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 4-0 Steve Zouski KO (unanimous) 6 (6), 2:13 1981-05-11 New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 3-0 Melvin Epps Decision (unanimous) 6 1981-04-10 New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 2-0 Dennis Rivera TKO 2 (4), 2:30 1980-10-10 New York, New York
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 1-0 Roger Troupe TKO 3 (4), 2:08 1980-09-12 New York, New York

References

  1. "The Ring". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 19, 2010. 
  2. http://www.operationstartingline.net/Bio.asp?ID=2327

External links

Achievements
Preceded by
Tony Tubbs
United States Amateur Heavyweight Champion
1980
Succeeded by
Mark Mahone
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