Joe Frazier celebrated at funeral

He came from simple beginnings as the son of a sharecropper in North Carolina to achieve world-wide fame.

And on Monday morning, the life of the humble and reserved Joe Frazier was remembered with elegance and passion in a two-hour ceremony at North Philadelphia's Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Mr. Frazier, who moved to Philadelphia as a teenager, died Monday of liver cancer. He was 67.

Longterm adversary Muhammad Ali paid his respect to the former heavyweight champion, along with fellow boxers Bernard Hopkins, Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks, among other.

Ali was in visibly poor shape, clearly stricken from Parkinson's disease.

Mr. Frazier's white casket was placed in front of the alter draped in a tapestry and adorned by various bouquets of flowers. The heavyweight tile belt he won by defeating Ali in 1971's "Fight of the Century" sat atop the casket.

A 100-member choir sang hymns, while the preachers urged the crowd to rise from their seats and create an energetic scene.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson addressed the bi-level gathering along with other religious leaders from Philadelphia. The Rev. Al Sharpton was scheduled to speak as well but cancelled Monday morning.

The 46-year-old Hopkins remembered Mr. Frazier as someone who was not only a fighter but a vibrant member of the community. He said the courage Mr. Frazier displayed out of the ring served as an example for his own career.

"If you can take a page out of Joe Frazier's book, to get knocked down and get back up," said Hopkins. "Be true to what you believe in and what you do no matter what you do. . . . There are going to be challenges, and sometimes they look too big to defeat. But if you're Joe Frazier, you're going to put 100 percent in there."

Hopkins said Mr. Frazier never lost his will and determination to be a leader, fighting for causes that Hopkins said weren't always popular or noteworthy.

"When I be remembered, I want to be remembered of what Joe Frazier had done," said Hopkins. "If I can do one third of what Joe Frazier has done, then it's only a blueprint for me to leave a legacy."

In his remarks, Jackson chastised the city for not having a statue of Mr. Frazier. He questioned why the city so eagerly celebrated fictional boxer Rocky Balboa and not Mr. Frazier.

"Tell them Rocky was not a champion. Joe Frazier was," said Jackson. "Tell them Rocky's fist were frozen in stone. Joe's fists were smokin'."

Jackson incited a large cheer from the crowd as he demanded a statue of Mr. Frazier to be erected in Philadelphia.

On Friday, Mayor Nutter said the city was in discussions with the family plans for a lasting memorial.

Don King, who promoted Mr. Frazier's "Thrilla in Manila" bout with Ali, adorned his three piece suit with an American flag scarf and waived his signature American flag.

He said that the promoting Mr. Frazier "was a thrill because he was the embodiment of a heavyweight champion." King said that Mr. Frazier's reserved nature often made him misunderstood.

"He was really fighting for freedom, justice and inequality the same as Ali was doing," said King. "Only he couldn't articulate it as well as Ali. Therefore, he would use it in a competitive style with the courage and invincible spirit."

King said Monday's ceremony was a day of rejoicing as Mr. Frazier lived a good life and was able to fight for what he believed in.

"He thought his way was better than Ali's way because his way was more moderate," said King.

King said Ali's repeated verbal jabs at Mr. Frazier stayed with Mr. Frazier for a long time. The promoter said he would have to mediate between the two as Ali ridiculed Mr. Frazier with racial insults.

Holmes echoed those statements but said Mr. Frazier never showed the way he truly felt. He said Ali's insults hurt him more than anyone, but Mr. Frazier never talked about it.

"But, I will," said Holmes.