I was a freshman in college when what was billed then and still is known as "the fight of the century" took place. I was so excited, because I could only get updates on the radio. This was far and long before cable or pay-per-view TV. It was the talk of the entire campus. For the first time in history, there was going to be a match between an unbeaten, former, heavy-weight boxing champion against the current, unbeaten, heavy-weight champion. It was March 8, 1971, and it was the first fight between Smokin' Joe Frasier and Mohammed Ali.

Frasier was twenty-seven years old, 26 and 0 in his fights with 23 knockouts. Ali was 29 years old, 31 and 0 with 25 knockouts. Neither fighter had ever lost. The country, at the time, was still split in half over the Vietnam War.

Tickets were going for $15…