The Thrilla in Manila: 50 Years After the Final Bell

The pair of boxers never truly rekindled the short friendship they held in the late 1960s, though their paths would cross from time to time. On June 8, 2001, their daughters, Laila Ali and Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, faced off in a fight billed "March to Destiny". The fight was the first pay-per-view boxing card headlined by women. Laila won by majority decision after eight rounds, and went on to become the super middleweight champion, retiring undefeated after 24 bouts. Jacqui, who began boxing after seeing Laila Ali on television, retired as a heavyweight champion in 2004 with a record of 13-1.

Roughly three months before their daughters' fight, on March 14, 2001, Muhammad Ali stated: 

"In a way, Joe’s right. I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn’t have said. Called him names I shouldn’t have called him. I apologize for that. I’m sorry. It was all meant to promote the fight.”

Joe Frazier accepted Ali's apology in an article in the New York Times but stated he would never forget the hurt he felt from his rival's words and actions.

Frazier passed away on November 7, 2011, at the age of 67 after a short battle with liver cancer. Ali and his family attended the funeral to pay their respects, and left gifts at his grave, including a championship belt and a pair of boxing gloves.

Sports Illustrated Magazine, September 30, 1996