Your scorecard for Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton III?

Norton holding back in round 15 and not going all out was one of boxings all time blunders. This was a very close fight. Mercante one of boxings greatest refs stated it was the most difficult to score bout that he was ever involved.

 

I doubt whether Eddie Futch would have been so complacent in his instructions to Norton prior to sending him out for the last round,had he still been Ken's chief cornerman at that time.

 

If I am not mistaken if Norton had won that last round he would have won the fight yes? No?

 

143-142 Norton

 

I was there too! Not as close as you maybe, I was in about row 19 or 20 ringside seats. No one thought Ali won, even guys rooting for him.

 

I remember Mercante talking about that last round. He said he breaks rounds down into 3, 1 minute sections. In that 15th round Norton did nothing but follow Ali around at distance for the first 2 - 2.5 minutes while Ali was working, boxing, moving and jabbing. Norton was not being aggressive and with this not an effective aggressor. It was only the last 30 seconds or soo where Norton trapped Ali in a corner and pounded away. Since Ali won the first two minutes of that round and Norton did nothing spectacular in that last minute Mercante gave that last round to Ali.

 

I was the biggest Ali hater in those days so for me to say it was a close fight back then I really thought it was a close fight! Ali kept landed his right over Nortons low left for many of the middle rounds and Norton kidded around in some of those rounds practically giving them away to Ali...keeping hands low and letting Ali hit him. Also Norton was keeping a arms length for many rounds just following Ali around rather than being truly aggressive. I have no doubt that if Norton went all out he would have beaten Ali that night without any controversy. Instead Norton thought he was breezing forgetting that this was for the championship and that the champ had an advantage in a decision bout.

 

I just see no way to vote for Ali in this bout... sure it was competitive... but I just can't score enough rounds for ali.. EVEN LOOKING FOR rounds to score for Ali.. Just can't see it

 

Well two judges and one of the most respected refs scored it real close all for Ali. Also there was a live showing of the bout on cbs tv several weeks later. A panel of a dozen or so boxing experts....pep, louis, writers, trainers scored the fight round after round. In the end a compilation of all their scores revealed...a draw. So a close bout!

 

I think he was one of the judges :-(

This content is protected

....

 

Hmm I saw this fight only a few weeks ago and posted this in the "what fight did you watch/score thread"

Ali vs Norton III

I scored this fight without any bias and even tho deep down I would've wanted Norton to win on my scorecard he didn't.

Norton won rounds: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 14

Ali won rounds: 1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15

Drew rounds: 4 and 12

Even round 4 could've been tipped in Ali's favour looking back so all in all there was no robbery I think Ali won fair and square.


Maybe I need to watch it again since damn near everyone has it in Norton's favour, which I could understand given he was the aggressor for majority of the fight.

 

Very probably.

 

Ali didn't land **** in the 15th. The jab did not land. We're not giving Ali credit for punches that hit air. Meanwhile, Norton landed the only significant shots of the round. Norton won the 15th.

 

These threads are always good to see who are the most delusional Ali nutnuggers on this site.

Ali didn't win the 15th.

Norton kicked his ass. Deal with it.

 

9-6 Norton, without any notably hard rounds to score.

Norton won and it wasn't really close.