First post over here and I was searching for info on this fight. I gave up looking so just wanted some thoughts and insight on who you felt won ALI / Norton III. I feel like Norton was one of the few who would beat Ali 6 out of 8 times had they went that far. The styles were Oil an Water which made for some damn good exchanges. The 3 fights are just classic IMO. So who won III ? I feel Norton pulled it off by a rd but I could be off base. THANKS :smoke
No worries it's easy to see on the tape except for die hard Ali fans The fact is the commission were riding the Ali gravy train. Think about it from this point of view Ali - the whole world will pay to watch him box any bum Norton - probably had less fans in his home town then Ali did
Norton wins on conditioning. ALI: 1,3,7,9,10,11 NORTON,2,4,5,6,8,13,14,15 EVEN: 12 8-6-1 Norton. Incidently, the broadcast teams panel of experts who scored the fight - if you score EVERY round at least one of these guys gave to Ali you can make it 8-7 for him. That is, they all scored for Norton individually, but if you give every round any one of them deemed possibly Ali's, you come up with the same scorecard as the referee and judges.
Norton won 10 rounds easily. You don't even have to use the word 'robbery'. It was just people voting with their hearts. Just two days ago I was talking to a 27 year old man who told me Ali was the GOAT, and 'could take you out with either hand'. Ha ha. When pressed, he confessed to having seen none of his fights. He thought Ali had beaten Foreman several times, that he had dominated Holmes. Ha ha. I mention this simply because it's typical. You tell the general public what to think, and they'll think it. People like heroes and images of perfection. Ali is just an athletic Jesus to them. People spout off bull**** constantly without knowing anything. In short, the general public wanted Ali to win, and the judges answered their call. People still lament the break-up of the Beatles, the death of Elvis. Ali was in their league and people didn't want him to lose. It's kind of like if Madonna took on Susan Boyle on some sing-off. Boyle is probably the technically much better singer...but we know who'd win. I'm not saying Norton was technically better, 'cause he wasn't. But the sad truth is, gentleman, that Kenneth Norton outworked, out-jabbed, out-bombed, and outmaneuvered Ali for a good ten rounds that night and then got denied his place in history because of a popularity contest.
I'd have to re-watch the fight as I can't remember exactly what rounds I gave to who and it's one of those tedious fights
I had the fight 9-6 Norton, and it never varies...I've watched it 3 times with intent to score. Ironically, I scored the Young-Norton fight 9-6 Young.
I don't think so..Ali needed strength to fight Norton and he had more strength in his post-exile years. Both Norton and Young would have spelled trouble for any version of Ali. Both fighters were infinitely more capable and troublesome technically for Ali than any fighter he defended against in his first title reign.