ali vs norton 2 - how did you score it

I also have it 7-5 to Ali. Being an Ali fan,I try to show inverted bias,but I really can't see it as any less than 6-5-1 Ali.

 

Ali 7-5.

This is my favourite version of Post-Exile Ali, his dancing footwork was beautiful.

 

And his punching was so fast too

 

Yes, his handspeed was blistering, & he used the same crazy unorthodox angles as he utilised in the '60s.

 

That Ali would definitely have shaded a prime Larry Holmes.

 

That i could bet on, he looked better, faster & harder to hit than Holmes ever did.

 

That version of Norton would have had a 60/40 shot at beating Holmes too.

 

60/40 with Norton as favourite or Holmes as favourite?

I would have Holmes as the close favourite.

 

I'm always changing my mind about this one It would have made a good series.

 

To me, it matters a great deal if the left shoulder injury Holmes claimed he had in their '78 fight was real. Norton was 2 years Past-Prime, & Larry apparently was injured. The fight was very close. It's often said Holmes wasn't "Peak" until fighting Shavers in '79, but this is hard to gauge, as the next fighter Holmes would face of comparable H2H quality to Norton, was a green Witherspoon in '83 who gave him a razor close challenge which certainly warranted a rematch. I want to believe Larry's reason for it being so close with Norton, but i admit he certainly didn't fight like an injured boxer, in my eyes anyway. Did Holmes ever provide documents to prove his injury, from a doctor?

 

I had Ali winning by 1 point. This was the only win for Ali in his trilogy with Norton, IMO.

 

Indeed, but Ali was a shot fighter in their '76 rubber match, so he was never going to beat a still Peak Norton* again.

*Or anyone else of that quality.

 

I had Ali winning in close one but I felt he won. I also felt he lost the last fight with Norton and felt Jimmy Young beat him but Ali was a major star and always got the edge....Ali intimidated everyone, the ref, the judges and the fighters,news reportors, he was the Star of boxing