Former boxing champ Frazier passes

(CNN) — Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier died yesterday, after he was diagnosed with liver cancer, his family said in a statement.
Frazier was 67.
“We The Family of … Smokin’ Joe Frazier, regret to inform you of his passing,” the statement said. “He transitioned from this life as ‘One of God’s Men,’ on the eve of November 7, 2011 at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.”
He fought fellow boxing legend Muhammad Ali three times, including the famous “Thrilla in Manila” fight in 1975.
“He’s a true gentleman,” personal and business manager Leslie Wolff said Saturday when confirming Frazier’s illness. “Along with Muhammad Ali, (he is) one of the two most recognizable athletes in the world.”
Fans and well-wishers were encouraged to post their thoughts and prayers on a Facebook page at joefrazierscorner.com.
Frazier, nicknamed “Smokin’ Joe,” used his devastating left hook with impunity during his professional career, retiring in 1976 with a 32-4-1 record and staging one last comeback fight in 1981.
The son of a South Carolina sharecropper, Frazier boxed during the glory days of the heavyweight division, going up against greats George Foreman, Oscar Bonavena, Joe Bugner and Jimmy Ellis. He made his name by winning a gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo.