Frazier sang on the Las Vegas Strip, managed son in the ring

Throughout Joe Frazier's remarkable Hall of Fame boxing career, in which he reigned as world heavyweight champion for more than five years, he never fought in Las Vegas.

But Frazier did perform on the Strip -- as a singer.

Frazier, 67, who died Monday in Philadelphia after recently being diagnosed with liver cancer, loved to sing outside the ring. He performed classic soul and R&B hits with his group, The Knockouts, and had performed as recently as June at the Las Vegas Hilton. "Smokin' Joe" also was in town as recently as mid-September, signing autographs.

"You have to understand, when Joe was fighting, Las Vegas had not yet established itself as the 'Fight Capital of the World,' " said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promoted several of Frazier's fights, including his epic "Fight of the Century" win over Muhammad Ali in 1971 at Madison Square Garden and their rematch in 1974, which Ali won.

"But Joe was in Vegas a lot when he was managing his son Marvis. Joe was in his corner when Marvis fought in Vegas."

Marvis Frazier fought four times in Nevada, including a first-round knockout loss to Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace in 1983.

Arum said dealing with Frazier was a pleasure.

"You always knew where you stood with Joe," Arum said. "He was a very proud and wonderful human being, and he was totally without agendas."

Rival promoter Don King, who promoted "The Thrilla in Manila," the third and final Frazier-Ali fight in 1975, called Frazier "the embodiment of boxing. There would not have been a 'Thrilla in Manila' without Joe Frazier. He's a great human being and a great American.

"Joe was a sweet guy and an honorable man to deal with."

Frazier went 32-4-1 with 27 knockouts and ruled the heavyweight division from 1969 to 1973. In a 2008 interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Frazier talked about his rivalry with Ali, which was contentious and often hateful.

"I've made my peace with him," Frazier said. "I thought we made each other."

Arum said he's not sure Frazier ever truly forgave Ali, who called him an "Uncle Tom" and later a "gorilla" during their trilogy of fights.

"I think it bothered Joe to the end what Ali said about him," Arum said. "It hurt Joe so deeply. Ali did it to get under his skin, which Ali did with everyone he fought. ... But Joe wasn't an Uncle Tom. He was a proud man.

"History will treat Joe as one of the great heavyweight champions of all time. I have no doubt about it."

Despite never having fought here, Frazier said he gained great satisfaction by singing on stage in Las Vegas.

"I remember going to watch him sing at Caesars in the 1970s," said former Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Marc Ratner. "He actually was pretty good. It was entertaining to see him on stage."

But Frazier's greatest satisfaction came from his performances in the ring.

"I always made sure I was ready every time I fought," he said. "There's only one way to do things, and that's the right way. I never took any shortcuts. When I look back on what I did, I'm very proud.

"I came from animosity, bigotry and hatred. God's been good to me. I've got good family and good friends. Without boxing, where would I have been?"

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on twitter @stevecarp.