On this day in history, “Big George” smokes Frazier in two in Jamaica

January 22, 1973

George Foreman dropped Joe Frazier six times in two rounds to win the world heavyweight title in Kingston, Jamaica.

Undisputed champion Frazier was favored with a 29-0 (25KOs) record and had become the first man to defeat Muhammad Ali in the “Fight of the Century” 22 months earlier.

However, an untested Foreman sent “Smokin’ Joe” to the canvas three times in each round before referee Arthur Mercante called a halt.

Both, George Foreman and Joe Frazier, are considered among the best heavyweight fighters of all time.

Other Sports Events on Jan. 22:

1920 — The New York Yankees announce they will be the first team to wear uniform numbers, according to the player’s position in batting order.

1960 — Paul Pender beats Sugar Ray Robinson in a 15–round split decision to capture the world middleweight boxing title.

1962 — Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Robinson, who had the distinction of becoming the first black to play in the Major League, is also the first to enter the Hall.

1983 — Houston becomes the first NBA team not to score a point in overtime as the Portland Trail Blazers outscore the Rockets 17–0 for a 113–96 victory.

1984 — Marcus Allen rushes for a Super Bowl–record 191 yards on 20 carries and scores two touchdowns as the Los Angeles Raiders trounce the Washington Redskins, 38–9.

1988 — Mike Tyson knocks out Larry Holmes in the fourth round at Atlantic City to retain his world heavyweight title.

1989 — Joe Montana caps an 11–play, 92–yard drive with a 10–yard pass over middle to John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining to give the San Francisco 49ers a 20–16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl.

1998 — New York’s Pat LaFontaine reaches the 1,000–point mark, scoring his 19th goal in the Rangers’ 4–3 loss to Philadelphia.

2003 — Andy Roddick wins one of the longest matches of the Open era, beating Younes El Aynaoui in a fifth set that ended 21–19 to reach the Australian Open semifinals. The 20–year–old American won 4–6, 7–6 (5), 4–6, 6–4, 21–19 in a match lasting 4 hours, 59 minutes — the longest men’s singles match at the Australian Open since tiebreaker sets were introduced into Grand Slam events in 1971.

2006 — Kobe Bryant scores a staggering 81 points — the second–highest total in NBA history — and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 122–104.

2012 — The New England Patriots beat the stunned Ravens 23–20 in the AFC championship game after Baltimore’s Billy Cundiff misses a 32–yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds remaining that would have tied the score.

2012 — Lawrence Tynes kicks a winning 31–yard field goal in sudden–death overtime and New York beat the San Francisco 49ers 20–17 in the NFC championship game.

2017 — Atlanta’s Matt Ryan throws for 392 yards and four touchdowns and runs for another score, leading the Falcons to a 44–21 blowout of Green Bay in the NFC championship game.

2017 — New England’s Tom Brady passes for a Patriots playoff–record 384 yards, going 32 of 42 with three TD tosses to lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl with a 36–17 win over Pittsburgh.

2019 — Mariano Rivera becomes baseball’s first unanimous Hall of Fame selection, elected along with Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina. Rivera receives all 425 votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.