Matt Slocum / AP

A visitor pays his respects to boxing great Joe Frazier as he lies in repose at the Wells Fargo Center Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in Philadelphia.

Matt Slocum / AP

Visitors pay their respects to boxing great Joe Frazier as he lies in repose at the Wells Fargo Center Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Smokin' Joe Frazier's casket is now on view in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center, where fans of the boxing legend will be able to pay their respects over the next two days. Frazier famously was the first man to defeat Muhammed Ali during a fight in 1971. Ali will be attending the funeral for his former opponent on Monday.

See images of Smokin' Joe's career in our slideshow

For more information: 'Smokin' Joe Frazier dies after bout with liver cancer

Matt Slocum / AP

Boxing great Joe Frazier lies in repose at the Wells Fargo Center Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, in Philadelphia.

It was billed 'The Fight of the Century'. The date was March 8, 1971, the venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. Two undefeated champions, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, meeting for the first time.

On the other side of the rope, an unlikely line-up of stars were on media duty. Burt Lancaster was commentating, and he was joined by LIFE magazine's reporter/photographer duo: Norman Mailer and Frank Sinatra.

AP file

Sizing up a possible photograph (and being photographed at the same time) at Madison Square Garden, March 8, 1971, is film star Frank Sinatra, center. The movie star was photographing ringside for Life Magazine at the Muhammad Ali - Joe Frazier heavyweight title bout.

Frank Sinatra / LIFE

The cover of Life Magazine with photo taken by Frank Sinatra

"I got some good pictures that night, but I kept watching Frazier putting his head too far out for Ali to punch it," Sinatra later recalled in a conversation with Bill Gallo, a sportswriter with The New York Daily News. "He was defying Ali, and I said to the newspaper guy next to me: 'He may win, but if he keeps that up, he's going to the hospital, taking all those punches.' "

Frazier defeated Ali in 15 rounds.

As pointed out by the blogger Tim O'Shea, Sinatra's skills as a photographer were not universally appreciated. LIFE's letters page of April 9, 1971 contained a critical missive from Robert W. Kelley of Seattle, Wash.:

Sirs:  I'm so mad I could chew nails and spit tacks. I've been a professional news photographer 34 years (about 18 on LIFE's staff) and what irks me is your cover .. It was obviously selected because Frank Sinatra took it, rather for any photographic excellence. In fact, it was a bad picture. What millions of LIFE readers wanted to see was Frazier's fist firmly implanted against Muhammad Ali's mouth.

What do you think? Would Sinatra have been better off sticking to the day job?

Related content:

• Smokin' Joe Frazier dies after bout with liver cancer.
• More photos of the Ali-Frazier fight from LIFE Magazine.
• More photos of Joe Frazier's life in our slideshow and on PhotoBlog.

AP, file

Joe Frazier, six-foot, 186-pound Philadelphia Olympic champion boxer, poses in his hospital bed in Philadelphia on Oct. 30, 1964 after he underwent surgey on his injured left hand. Frazier broke his hand in a semi-final fight in Tokyo hut went on to to win the gold medal despite the injury.

AP, file

Joe Frazier looks over the crumpling Jimmy Ellis, on canvas, after tagging him and dropping him for the second time in the fourth round of their title bout in New York City on February 16, 1970. Referee Tony Perez sent Frazier to a neutral corner and picked up the count. Frazier won when Ellis didn't come out for the fifth round.

AP, file

Former heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali appears outside present champ Joe Frazier's gym in Philadelphia on Jan. 28, 1971. The two were preparing for a bout at New York's Madison Square Garden in March 1971.

AP, file

Muhammad Ali. right, takes a left from Joe Frazier during the 15th round of their heavyweight title boxing bout in New York on March 8, 1971. Frazier won a unanimous decision.

Bill Ingraham / AP, file

Heavyweight champion Joe Frazier stops to shake hands with an elderly patient as he leaves St. Luke's Hospital in Philadelphia after a 12-day stay, March 27, 1971. Frazier entered the hospital following a successful defense of his title, after being diagnosed with fatigue and high blood pressure.

Al Bello / Getty Images, file

Joe Frazier, the former Heavyweight Champion of the World poses for a portrait at his boxing gym on March 18, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pa.

NY Daily News via Getty Images

Joe Frazier gets off in his customary smoking style and fires sweeping left hook as Muhammad Ali gets up right to fend off blow, March 8, 1971.

The AP reports:

Joe Frazier, the former heavyweight champion who handed Muhammad Ali his first defeat yet had to live forever in his shadow, died Monday night after a brief final fight with liver cancer. He was 67. Read the full story.

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