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  • Smokin' Joe

  • The Autobiography of a Heavyweight Champion of the World, Smokin' Joe Frazier
  • By: Joe Frazier, Phil Berger
  • Narrated by: Bill Andrew Quinn
  • Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (206 ratings)
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Smokin' Joe cover art

Smokin' Joe

By: Joe Frazier,Phil Berger
Narrated by: Bill Andrew Quinn
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Summary

When boxing was bold, bright, and glamorous and the fights were the hottest sporting events of the year, Joe Frazier was king as the Heavyweight Champion of the World. From 1970 to 1973 he reigned. With a career record of 32-4-1 with twenty-seven knockouts and an Olympic gold medal, Frazier leaves little question that he was one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Well-known, loved, and revered as a gentleman and a fierce competitor in the ring, Joe Frazier speaks his mind in Smokin' Joe - about growing up poor and fighting in the first $2.5million bout; about the early days of his friendship with Muhammad Ali and how their relationship changed; and about the often corrupt world of boxing and what really went on inside and outside the ring.

Personable, good-natured, and funny, Frazier's story is a real delight.

©2013 Joe Frazier and Phil Berger (P)2013 AudioGO

What listeners say about Smokin' Joe

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

They don't make them like that any more!

Would you listen to Smokin' Joe again? Why?

Yes - easy to listen to, well read and motivational

What other book might you compare Smokin' Joe to, and why?

Hard to say - this book isn't quite as detailed and wild as, for example, Keith Richards' autobiography, but I found it interesting for different reasons, e.g. the social context (with ref to his feud with Ali)

Which scene did you most enjoy?

'Enjoy' is probably the wrong word, but it was quite shocking to hear the extremes that Ali went to when trying to get under Frazier's skin. Well beneath someone of Ali's stature, even then, and not surprising that it caused such bitterness

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Probably something like 'Relentless' - even when he'd made his money he didn't sit back and get sloppy, he was still getting back in the ring and taking on real fighters

Any additional comments?

The feud with Ali is a story that goes well beyond boxing and into issues of race, religion, money and media hype.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A real joy

Would you listen to Smokin' Joe again? Why?

This has been one of the most enjoyable audio books I have ever listened to - and I get through about two or three a month -. It was both honest (not always the case with autobiographies) and entertaining.
I used to be a big Boxing fan but do not follow it much now days but I am so pleased I picked up a copy of this great book.

What did you like best about this story?

The honesty and pace.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have loved to have listened to it in one sitting if I could,
I listened over about three days but normally a book of this size would have lasted me about a week but I could not wait to get back to it.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great insight to a true champion and loving man

absolute joy to read a true pro who lived to the full through hard work and will great farther friend fighter and all round champion in and out of the ring! smoking Joe frazier a TRUE legend!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Real Rocky!

What made the experience of listening to Smokin' Joe the most enjoyable?

The narration and the fact that Joe and his writer made each chapter with minimum fluff, getting straight to the point, easily followable, easily enjoyable

What other book might you compare Smokin' Joe to, and why?

Mike Tyson Autobiography and Muhammad Ali Autobiography - listen to them as well - all excellent!

What about Bill Andrew Quinn’s performance did you like?

Great performance trying to imitate Joe's voice - easily listening.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Real Rocky!

Any additional comments?

This is the real Rocky - similarities to Rocky Balboa:
1. Trained in Philadelphia.
2. Fought a loud brash fighter (Apollo Creed = Muhammad Ali)
3. Short fighter like Balboa known able to take a lot of punches.
4. Practice hitting meat carcasses at the Butcher to improve his punching power.
5. Started his own restaurant like Rocky.
6. Joe's trainer Yank like Rocky's Mick died of a heart attack.

Although Sly Stallone took from every fighter including Wepner, Mike Tyson etc he took a lot of it from Joe.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best boxing biographies

Great narration. perfect balance of life before boxing, during and after. Great behind the scene information with Ali too. Only issue was the narrator said Car-Vallo instead of Cha-Vallo 🤣 but Great story and narration was nearly perfect.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • J
  • 25-01-24

Frazier is quite the comedian

Learned a lot about the great smokin Joe Frazier. would read again and recommend to others.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Heavyweight

Good insight into the boxers life and fights training struggles and very much more worth a listen

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it, great to hear from he’s point of view

Smoking joe what a man. His view puts a lot of things In perspective. Great champ

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great account of a true champion

Superb story of a brilliant boxer. I heard of 'fight of the century' and wanted to know more. This lived up to my expectations and often exceeded them.
Smokin' Joe's portrayal of hard work should be inspirational to us all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Nice guy

Turns out Joe was a nice guy and a good father, I didn't know much about him but things I thought I knew were totally wrong. Too many people talked s##t bout him.

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