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Joe Frazier 205 lbs beat Buster Mathis 243 lbs by TKO at 2:33 in round 11 of 15 Date: 1968-03-04 Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA Referee: Arthur Mercante 5-5 Judge: Tony Castellano 7-2 Judge: Jack Gordon 6-4 NYSAC World Heavyweight Title (Vacant) Joe Frazier connected with a short, thunderous left hook in the closing minute of the 11th round to stop king-sized Buster Mathis and win a four-state piece of the world heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden. The punch sent the bloodied giant on his back over the bottom strand of the ropes. Mathis barely staggered to his feet at nine but referee Arthur Mercante immediately halted the fight. Frazier's mighty blow brought a huge roar from the near-capacity crowd in the 20,000-seat arena. Mathis gave his smaller rival a stiff battle for the first six rounds, but Frazier, putting on the pressure with thudding body punches that seemed to dig deep into Buster's body, wore the mammoth fighter down and then set him up for the staggering blow that ended the fight. It was the only knockdown of the fight and the first time Mathis was put down as a professional. Joe Frazier 19-0 (17 KOs) vs. Buster Mathis 23-0 (17 KOs) Bout official on January 4. The bout was the main event on a card that also included Emile Griffith vs. Nino Benvenuti III. This was the first boxing card to be held at the third incarnation of Madison Square Garden. A crowd of 18,096 produced a gate of $658,503, which was an indoor record at the time. Several hundred picketers organized by black power groups protested outside the venue for the recently deposed Muhammad Ali. After Ali was arrested for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1967, he was stripped of the World Heavyweight Title and had his boxing license suspended. Frazier's management declined an invitation to take part in the WBA's eight-man elimination tournament. Frazier entered as a 2-1 betting favorite. At 243½ pounds, Mathis was the heaviest opponent of Frazier's professional career. Mathis, who weighed almost 300 pounds as an amateur, outpointed Frazier in the heavyweight final of the 1964 U.S. Olympic Trials. However, Mathis broke his right middle finger and had to withdraw from the Olympics. Frazier took his place and won the gold medal. The bout was broadcast on closed circuit television in 70 cities. Frazier earned $175,000, while Mathis made $75,000. Frazier won recognition as World Heavyweight Champion by New York, Illinois, Maine, and Massachusetts. Frazier flooring Mathis in the eleventh round was the only knockdown of the fight, but Frazier was down in the seventh round from a slip.
