BOXING : FRAZIER'S BITTERNESS TOWARD ALI REMAINS STRONG.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal

Asked whether he has sympathy for Muhammad Ali, who has Parkinson's disease, Joe Frazier rose to his feet, stood ominously over the person who asked the question and flexed his massive left bicep.

``You think he has Parkinson's? Feel here,'' he said, pointing to his arm. ``This is his Parkinson's. I call it `Lefthookitis.' It's a new word.

``This guy got hurt three, four times in every round we fought. That's not always what the (TV) commentator said but that's what happened.''

For much of the past 30 years it's been Ali who has done the talking. Now, it's Frazier's turn.

The former heavyweight champion, 52 and in fighting shape, was in town recently to promote his autobiography, ``Smokin' Joe,'' which takes the reader from his roots in rural South Carolina to his Olympic gold medal in 1964 and rise to the pinnacle of boxing to life after the ring.

What stands out, though, are his descriptions of his three epic battles with Ali and the bitterness he maintains for his rival, whom he believes cared about no one but himself. Frazier still won't refer to Ali by name, calling him Cassius Clay (the name his parents gave him), Butterfly (as in ``float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'') or simply: loudmouth.

At the time, it seemed like fun and games, Ali, the great self-promoter, publicly belittling his opponent in an apparent effort to sell the fight. To Frazier, however, it was hardly fun - it was painful.

For example, before the first of their three meetings, an unprecedented matchup between an undefeated champion and an undefeated former champion, Ali painted himself the African-American's champion, Frazier the white man's champion, which alienated Frazier from his own people.

And no one can forget Ali's portrayal of Frazier before the ``Thrilla in Manila,'' their final battle: ``It will be a killer and a chiller and a thrilla when I get the gorilla in Manila.'' A gorilla? Frazier, a proud man, didn't like the comparison.

``It wasn't about making publicity,'' Frazier said shortly after one in a series of television interviews. ``The publicity didn't matter because we were guaranteed (a certain amount of money). The gate didn't matter.

``It was his way of him looking down on his own brother. And the more he talked, the more I wanted to beat him up.''

Hence his lack of sympathy for Ali.

``Am I sad? No,'' he said. ``The man was a scamboogah (Frazier's word for a `disrespectful, lowdown and foul person'). He never thought it would come to this day. The Lord doesn't act while you're doing (bad) things but it comes back around and he collects.

``He wasn't a good man.''

Of course, the book doesn't begin or end with Ali.

Frazier, along with author Phil Berger, provide one anecdote after another - and some revelations - as they tell the story of how a boy who once helped his father make bootleg whiskey became one of the richest and most famous fighters ever.

There was the time when the men in the family had gathered around the ``snowy 15-inch Philco'' television to watch the fights. On that night, Joe's uncle Israel turned to the stocky 8-year-old and said, ``That boy there . . . that boy is gonna be another Joe Louis,'' a comment that served as a tremendous source of inspiration and resonates in his head to this day.

There was the time on the family farm that he fell - as he was chased by an angry hog - and severely injured his left arm, which he was never again able to straighten. ``It was as though it was cocked for a left hook - permanently cocked,'' Frazier said.

There was the job at the kosher slaughterhouse in Philadelphia, where he would pound sides of beef with his fists - many years before anyone had ever heard of ``Rocky.''

There was the time, when he was a young professional and about to receive his nickname, that trainer Yank Durham told him, ``Go out there . . . and make smoke come from those gloves. You can make smoke, boy. Just don't let up.''

There were the days after the gold medal, when instead of riches he struggled to feed his family because all potential financial backers thought he was too small to reach the top.

There was the fact he suffered from cataracts late in his career. He actually wore a contact lens on his left eye during the second of two knockout losses to George Foreman in 1976.

Mostly, though, there was Ali. Frazier made that clear when he was asked why he wrote the book.

``Over the years, everybody else has had something to say,'' Frazier said. ``. . . Butterfly said a lot of things. He had, what, three books? It's time for me to talk.''

Bold statement: Frazier, at home recovering from a toe injury, knows what George Foreman is capable of doing to an opponent. Twice he was knocked out by Big George.

And he believes Foreman, even the elderly version, would be too much for a fighter with a style similar to Frazier's: Mike Tyson.

``I think he'd beat him,'' Frazier said. ``(Foreman) is powerful, he's got the know-how. Mike hasn't learned anything (since his release from prison). How do you learn anything fighting two, three rounds?''

Chicken? Some believe that Lennox Lewis accepted $4 million to step aside and allow Mike Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for one reason: He doesn't really want to fight Tyson.

That he finally appeared to have his shot at Tyson after a drawn-out court battle and then backed off, at least temporarily, seems to support such a contention.

However, the most significant reason for the move had to be this: He was paid $4 million not to fight Tyson yet retains the right to face him in the near future.

Meanwhile, he appears headed toward a matchup with Riddick Bowe - a less fearsome opponent - for a reported $10 million. And if he wins, though he probably wouldn't, he then would be in a position to earn even more against Tyson.

Clearly, Lewis made a smart decision. Of course, if he doesn't end up in the ring with either Bowe or Tyson - which is possible - then he's going to look like a coward.

Lewis narrowly outpointed Ray Mercer on May 10.

Rabbit punches: The time is now or never for Pernell Whitaker. After a controversial victory over Wilfredo Rivera in April, Whitaker must prove he's still among the best pound-for-pound fighters by facing Felix Trinidad. . . . Taped comments by Bobby Czyz's trainer Tommy Parks moments before last week's bout against Evander Holyfield was stopped are damning. While Czyz complained of back pain, Parks said: ``It's not your back, I said it's your eye. Let me do it. Just let me do it. Let me do it. It's your eye. If I say it's your eye, that's what it is. You ain't fighting no more.'' Czyz seemed to be classier than that.

COMING UP Tonight: Big-punching Hector Quiroz (20-1, 18 KOs) faces Ameth Aranda in a 12-round junior welterweight bout at the Forum.

Quiroz, who comes from Julio Cesar Chavez's hometown of Culiacan and has been compared to the Mexican icon, has been sparring with Oscar De La Hoya, Chavez's opponent on June 7. Not a great way to make fans in Mexico.

After winning his first 18 fights, Quiroz, 21, injured a hand while dropping a 10-round split decision to Ray Collins in October.

Tuesday: Ivan Robinson fights Sammy Mejias in a 12-round lightweight bout in Philadelphia. The card is on USA TV.

Wednesday: Jaime Ocegueda takes on Angelo Patrick Nunez in a 12-round welterweight bout at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills.

Friday: Kostya Tszyu, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, defends his IBF junior welterweight title against capable Sharmba Mitchell in Sydney, Australia.

MEMO: Staff Writer Michael Rosenthal's column appears Mondays in the Daily News.

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PHOTO Joe Frazier shakes hands after signing his autob iography at Book Soup in West Hollywood.

Dusty Locke / Special to the Daily News

Box: Coming Up (see text)