Editing Joe Frazier (section)

== Philadelphia Legacy ==

After his fighting career ended, Frazier remained in Philadelphia, operating a gym in North Philadelphia where he trained subsequent generations of boxers. His presence maintained connection to the city's boxing tradition while providing mentorship that formal institutions often cannot offer. The gym became a destination for boxing enthusiasts seeking to experience the environment that had produced a champion, while young fighters benefited from access to knowledge that Frazier's experience had accumulated.<ref name="hauser"/>

His relationship with Ali, marked by resentment over the verbal abuse Ali had inflicted during their rivalry, complicated his later years even as reconciliation eventually occurred. The wounds that Ali's taunts had inflicted—accusations of Uncle Tom-ism and mockery that Frazier considered racist—never fully healed, though public appearances together in their final years suggested accommodation if not complete forgiveness. This dimension of their rivalry, often overlooked in celebration of the fights themselves, revealed human costs that sporting competition can impose.<ref name="kram"/>