The heavyweight championship boxing match between Joe Frazier and Oscar Bonavena. Frazier wins by unanimous decision.             

September 13, 1967-May 12, 1971. 
 The 1967-1971 series version of "The Kraft Music Hall" was an hour variety show, which lasted four seasons. It was hosted by a guest celebrity each week.   

Host this week, Phil Silvers. 
*Some audio track variations at the beginning of the broadcast.
JIP (no opening recorded).           

October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992.
 
Muhammad Ali guests in his first public appearance since his Championship loss to Joe Frazier March 8th. He is interviewed by Johnny Carson in an 18 minute segment. Before Carson introduces him he mentions that Ali was suppose to appear on The Tonight Show prior to the fight but cancelled out at the last minute angering Johnny who stated that Ali will no longer be invited to appear on the show in the future. 
Muhammad explains the circumstances of the cancellation which appeases Carson. 

Topics covered...Ali stating that after the Frazier fight it was the first time he suffered facial swelling in a boxing match. Gives Joe Frazier great credit for having a powerful left hook. Ali believes he won at least 10 rounds. Rematch is of interest. Ali mentions that he has been doing a lot of college dates, personal appearances. He accepts the fact that Joe Frazier is now the champ..."till the next fight."
Ali debunks  the rumor that he was drugged before the fight. Muhammad confirms that in his boxing career he has never been offered a bribe to throw a fight. Johnny asks Ali what he will do differently next time he faces Frazier. Ali responds that he will respect Joe more, and clown less in the ring, and do more dancing. Ali states that at 29 years of age he is old as a boxer...at it for past 18 years. Johnny mentions that he use to box (had six fights)  in the Navy when he weighed 140 pounds. He asks Ali if he needs to work up a "killer rage" before a fight to be effective. Ali disagrees and states that is always best to remain "cool." 

Muhammad confirms that his trainer Drew Bundini Brown was suspended after the fight for his verbal yelling from the corner. 
Ali admits that he has faced defeat in the ring twice before as an amateur and knows how it feels to lose a fight.Carson asks Ali if he had to do it all over again would he become a boxer, or pick a different profession. Ali has an interesting answer to convey. 

Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.                                                                                                         

Bob Hope closes out his 21st season on television with this "Comedy Tonight" Special.      


Duplicate of #5109.       

Wide World Of Sports covers the world heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier (The Thriller in Manila) taped October 1st, 1975 in Manila. Ali came back from near exhaustion to win via a 14th round TKO. Howard Cosell reports from ringside.                        

Ten Judges look back at the Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton heavyweight championship fight at Yankee Stadium in New York City on September 28th, 1976. Ali won by a controversial unanimous decision.