Beyond the Glory continues to be one of the finest programs on Earth. The episode on air right now is about Smokin' Joe Frazier. For us boxing fans who grew up in the 1970s, Muhammad Ali seemed to be the pinnacle of boxing, even professional sports. But the reality, looking back now, is that Ali was and still is a mirror of American society, whether it was the crisis over Vietnam, or his trash-talking ways as a contender and champion, or even today. He's still beloved, but not for his cockiness and flair.

Joe Frazier? He was never and "Uncle Tom," as Ali proclaimed. Frazier grew up on a farm, worked as a kid, moved to Philadelphia as a youngster and worked in a slaughterhouse to pursue his dream for becoming a pro fighter. A champion.

So who was and is more symbolic of America? I'd say both men were and still are. Ali was the conscience of America during the Vietnam War, speaking out with clout as no other ordinary citizen ever could. Today, as an elderly man living with Parkinson's disease, he is a devout, albeit quieter Muslim in the face of a hostile world divided partly along religious lines.

Frazier? He loved his children, as Ali did. Never wanted his kids to box, but gave his son Marvis all his support through ups and devastating downs. He's still himself, outgoing, but still the guy who loves tinkering with old cars.

It was quite an era in boxing. Kids like me would even carry a portable radio down to the park to hear the Thomas Hearns-Marvin Hagler brawl. As a Hearns fan, it was always hard to hear another loss, but the man never gave up.

Boxing provided a glimpse, back in the day, of America's soul. Today, things are much different. Marketing rules and the sport really has lost its vice grip over the public. Can you imagine an MME fighter holding the country captive as Ali once did with political statements?

Not gonna happen. Not necessary, either. It's a different time and the world's a different place. Right?

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