Joe Frazier, the former heavyweight boxing champion, is in Maine's largest city today to help campaign for Republican congressional candidate Charlie Summers.

The man known as "Smokin' Joe" appeared at Gritty McDuff's brew pub in the Old Port before stopping at the Portland Fire Department this afternoon to sign autographs and pose for photographs.

Tonight, Frazier is scheduled to appear at a Summers fundraising event inside a home in South Portland, according to Dwayne Bickford, spokesman for the Summers campaign.

Tomorrow, Frazier is scheduled to make appearances – not related to the Summers campaign – at the Togus veterans hospital and the Portland Boxing Club, Bickford said.

Frazier is assisting the Summers campaign because he is a friend of Peter Bouchard, who is a member of the campaign's finance committee, according to Bickford.

In 1999, Bouchard, who was the owner of Pioneer Telephone Corp., pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced to one year in prison.

Summers is running against Dean Scontras in the June 10 Republican primary. The winner will face the Democratic nominee in the Nov. 4 general election. The congressional seat is opening because Rep. Tom Allen is challenging Sen. Susan Collins.