At one of the most vulnerable moments in his life – the day after his brutal third fight with Joe Frazier, the fabled Thrilla in Manilla on Oct. 1, 1975 – Muhammad Ali revealed his true feelings about his arch nemesis. Ali had constantly ridiculed and belittled Frazier leading up to, and even during, the fight, fostering a lifetime of seething resentment from Frazier.

But as a battered Ali talked to a few reporters in his hotel suite after winning his 14-round brawl with Frazier – as recounted in this brilliant Sports Illustrated piece by Mark Kram – Ali paid tribute to the man:

“I always bring out the best in the men I fight,’’ Ali said, “but Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I’m gonna tell ya, that’s one helluva man, and God bless him.”

Even in his death this week, Frazier couldn’t shake Ali. The two remain inextricably linked forever. Every obituary, every tribute, has focused on their rivalry.

Their three fights in a four-year span between 1971 and 1975 were epic, Frazier winning the first one (Ali’s first defeat), Ali the final two, capped by the fight that most boxing scholars consider the greatest ever. To those of us who came of age in that era – which looks more and more like the golden era of boxing with each passing year – the Ali-Frazier battles resonates with significance.

In fact, it’s becoming clearer that what Ali was driving at in the wake of The Thrilla in Manilla was absolutely true. Without Frazier, the Ali legend would never have reached the heights it did. Yes, Frazier was Ali’s foil, but he was also his most noble challenger, the one who forced Ali to dig the deepest to summon his greatest accomplishments.

As Kram wrote of their last, best fight, “Once more had Frazier taken the child of the gods to hell and back.”

Ali himself said of that fight, and the beating Frazier gave him even in defeat: “It was like death. Closest thing to dyin’ that I know of.”

Every true champion needs a Joe Frazier to push him to reach their greatest heights. The history of boxing is filled with such symbiotic pairings, from Joe Louis-Max Schmeling and Sugar Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta to Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler and Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Sports is filled with transcendent rivalries that elevated both parties: Larry Bird had Magic Johnson, and vice versa. Bill Russell had Wilt Chamberlain. Ted Williams had Joe DiMaggio. Willie Mays had Mickey Mantle. Bjorn Borg had John McEnroe, who had Jimmy Connors. Chris Evert had Martina Navratilova. Affirmed had Alydar. Bo Schembechler had Woody Hayes. Jack Nicklaus had Arnold Palmer -- but Tiger Woods, in his peak years, never had a worthy foil emerge, perhaps marring his legacy in ways completely apart from his scandal.

We’re curious to know what other athletes you’ve linked in your minds as furthering the legend of both by bringing out the best in each.

If you'd like to write a Take 2 post, email Sports Editor Don Shelton at dshelton@seattletimes.com or sports@seattletimes.com