Marvis Frazier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marvis Frazier |
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Frazier in 1996
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| Real name | Marvis Frazier | |||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Little Smoke | |||||||||||||
| Rated at | Heavyweight | |||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0+1⁄2 in (1.84 m) | |||||||||||||
| Reach | 76 in (193 cm) | |||||||||||||
| Nationality |  United States |
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| Born | September 12, 1960 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 21 | |||||||||||||
| Wins | 19 | |||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 8 | |||||||||||||
| Losses | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Draws | 0 | |||||||||||||
| No contests | 0 | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Marvis Frazier (born September 12, 1960) is an American former professional boxer. He competed in the heavyweight division. Marvis is the son of the famous boxer Joe Frazier. He once fought for the heavyweight boxing title.
Early Life and Family
Marvis Frazier was born on September 12, 1960, in Philadelphia. His father, Joe Frazier, later became a world heavyweight boxing champion. Marvis often watched his father's fights from the ringside. This included the famous matches against Muhammad Ali.
Marvis also has siblings who became professional boxers. His sister is Jackie Frazier-Lyde. His brother is Joe Frazier, Jr., also known as Hector Frazier. The Frazier family lived in a large home in Whitemarsh.
Marvis enjoyed many sports when he was younger. He played football, basketball, and wrestled. But he decided to focus only on boxing. He said he loved football, but once he chose boxing, he gave it his full attention. Marvis graduated from Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School in Philadelphia.
Amateur Boxing Career
Before becoming a professional, Marvis Frazier was a very promising amateur boxer. He was considered one of the best young heavyweights. In 1979, he won the National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship. The next year, in 1980, he won the National AAU Heavyweight Championship.
His father, Joe Frazier, helped coach him. Other coaches included Georgie Benton and Val Colbert. Marvis's father tried not to put too much pressure on him. Georgie Benton said Marvis was a great kid who grew up without special treatment. He even mowed the family's large lawn by hand!
Marvis had his first amateur fight on March 4, 1977, when he was 16. He won against David Bey in Philadelphia. He won many important amateur fights. These included wins against future professional boxers like Mitch Green, Tim Witherspoon, and Bonecrusher Smith.
Marvis had a goal to win an Olympic medal. However, his father advised him not to compete in some major events. Joe Frazier felt Marvis was too young to face certain strong opponents.
A very sad event happened when Marvis was an amateur. He was supposed to fly on LOT Polish Airlines Flight 7 with some teammates. But his father always avoided flying and told Marvis not to go. Sadly, several of his teammates died in the plane crash. Marvis said his father told him, "See, son, I told you those planes will kill you."
Marvis's amateur record was very impressive. He had 56 wins and only 2 losses. After his amateur career, Marvis thought about going to college and starting a business. But his coach, Georgie Benton, believed Marvis had amazing potential. Benton even predicted Marvis would be "the greatest heavyweight since Joe Louis."
Professional Boxing Career
Marvis Frazier became a professional boxer. He is mostly remembered for two fights where he lost by knockout in the first round. These were against Larry Holmes in 1983 and Mike Tyson in 1986.
In 1983, Marvis fought the champion, Larry Holmes. Marvis had won all ten of his professional fights before this. His team thought his speed and youth would help him win. But Holmes knocked Marvis down quickly. The referee stopped the fight in the first round. Many people criticized Marvis's father, Joe Frazier. They felt he changed Marvis's fighting style, which didn't suit him well.
After losing to Holmes, Marvis kept fighting. He won his next six matches. He beat good boxers like Bernard Benton, José Ribalta, James Tillis, and James "Bonecrusher" Smith. Most of these fights went the full distance, and Marvis won by decision.
This winning streak led to a big fight against Mike Tyson in 1986. Tyson was undefeated at the time. The fight was broadcast live from Glens Falls, New York. Marvis was quickly overwhelmed. Tyson landed a powerful punch that knocked Marvis out. The referee stopped the fight after only 30 seconds. This was Tyson's fastest knockout ever.
Marvis later admitted he had underestimated Tyson. He said, "I threw a jab and that's all I remember."
After the fight with Tyson, Marvis did not fight for a title again. He took a break from boxing for almost a year. Then he returned for two more fights, winning both. His final fight was in 1988, which he won. Marvis Frazier finished his professional career with 19 wins and 2 losses.
Life After Boxing
After retiring from boxing, Marvis Frazier became an ordained minister. He also became very active in Prison Fellowship Ministries, which helps prisoners.
In 2009, Marvis appeared on The Howard Stern Show with his father. They were promoting a documentary about the famous "Thrilla in Manila" fight.
In 2013, Marvis Frazier wrote a book about his life. It is called Meet Marvis Frazier: The Story of the Son of Smokin' Joe. He wrote it with Jamie Potter.
