Pundits claim this to be the “greatest fight of all time”, but what major Ali fight does not hold that claim? The man was such a legend that every dictator lined up to get him to fight in their country. In this case, it was Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, leader of a country that was experiencing three years of martial law, who brought Ali to unite his land in a way that no single man could. It worked, and it also helped out the dictator’s image for a little while longer until he and his wife’s infamous shoe collection were ousted over a decade later.

As for the fight, this was the third and last meeting between these two great boxers, with its moniker being borrowed from the Ali quote: “It will be a killa… and a thrilla… and a chilla when I get the Gorilla in Manila.” It ended with Frazier’s chief second, Eddie Futch, throwing in the towel before the 15th round thus ending his chance to regain the heavyweight title. Some broadcasters felt that deciding blow came in the 13th round when Ali threw two heavy right hand punches that knocked the gum shield flying from Frazier’s mouth and the big man himself was sent flying backwards. After that, the momentum just swung in the champion’s favor.

As for the country itself, it got its own hero four decades later in Manny Pacquiao.