By Ronnie Nathanielsz: Five days before the "Thrilla in Manila" against Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali had to appeal to a large crowd of Muslims, who thronged to the Islamic Cultural Center in downtown Manila, to let him leave without being hurt after participating in the Jummah prayers.

Ronnie Nathanielsz continues his first hand recollections of the Thrilla in Manila, the crowning glory of the Ali-Frazier trilogy.

By Ronnie Nathanielsz: Muhammad Ali confessed he was "a little nervous" 24 hours before climbing into the ring at the domed Araneta Coliseum, which was named the Philippine Coliseum for the "Thrilla in Manila".

By Ronnie Nathanielsz: On the night before his third showdown with Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali was in a rather pensive mood. He spoke about the meaning of the Thrilla in Manila, indicating that this fight was "different".

In the first of an exclusive new series, SecondsOut.com’s Ronnie Nathanielsz documents the run-up to the classic Thrilla in Manila on October 1, 1975.

Ronnie Nathanielsz continues his fantastic first-hand account of “The Thrilla in Manila” with Muhammad Ali’s triumphant arrival in the Philippines.