About the Book

The first book ever to delve into the life of the legendary heavyweight boxing champion.

Acclaimed sportswriter Phil Pepe explores the iconic boxer “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier’s early beginnings. From his dirt poor childhood and relationship with his father to his street fights and Olympic boxing championship, Pepe’s book follows Frazier’s rise, culminating in the “Fight of the Century” with Muhammad Ali. Pepe beat all other writers to the punch in his seminal work on the champ nobody knew. Originally published in 1972, now available in ebook format for the first time.