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Joe Frazier Wins Olympic Gold in Tokyo

Oct. 23, 1964 - Joe Frazier, the only U.S. boxer to win a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, doesn’t know yet whether he wants to go the Floyd Patterson-Muhammad Ali route.

After outpointing Germany’s Hans Huber for the heavyweight crown last night, the Philadelphian said he wasn’t sure he would turn pro as did both Patterson and Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, after Olympic triumphs. Both wound up as world heavyweight champions.

But a few hours later, Madison Square Garden called Joe to offer him $1,000 for a six-round bout at the Garden on Nov. 13. And in telephone conversations with Philadelphia friends, Frazier reportedly expressed the desire to become a pro.

At Tokyo, Frazier said: “All I intend to do is go home and take it easy for a while. Then I’ll decide whether I’m going to turn professional or not.”

Frazier said the German “hit me a few times, but he didn’t hurt me. But I thought I really had him when I caught him with a good left hook in the third round.”

Frazier, 5-10 and 195 pounds, needed the third-round spurt to beat the taller, heavier German. He connected with a right to the body and then hurt Huber with two vicious lefts to the face.

This rally convinced the judges in favor of Frazier, who had scored knockouts in his three previous bouts. Three of the five judges voted for Frazier, the other two for Huber.

The 20-year-old Frazier, married and the father of two — his family lives at 1138 W. Somerset St. in Philadelphia — was on the U.S. team only because Buster Mathis, a 298-pound monster from Michigan, broke a knuckle while working out with Frazier.

Frazier, now employed as a butcher for Cross Brothers in their slaughtering plant at 3600 N. Front St., is a product of Philadelphia’s Police Athletic League, which conducts athletic programs for boys in boxing and other sports.

The youngest of seven children, Frazier came to Philadelphia from Beaufort, S.C., six years ago. Patrolman Hammond (Duke) Dugent, in charge of PAL in the 23rd District, encouraged Joe to take up boxing and has been instrumental in his progress. During the past year, Yank Durham, a professional trainer, has advised him.

Although he had never boxed previously, Frazier won 35 of 37 bouts, representing PAL. He won Philadelphia Golden Gloves titles in 1963-1964 and the Trenton Golden Gloves this year.



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