Ali-Norton III article (40 years ago today)

You ignored almost all the data in my response. Mercante scored the bout the same as the AP did (6 rounds for Norton) and didn't have an off night, the UPI as well as many scribes and "fine" armchair judges had it within one round the same as the judges and the WWS panel which included two former heavyweight champions were right with them also scoring it a draw. Initially Ali said he thought he won and did just enough and later he reflected that he though Kenny won and was glad the judges sided with him. It remains a hugely disputed bout, many like you see Kenny a clear winner, many other very knowledgeable lifetime boxing people see it as those mentioned above, a draw going into the last round with Ken giving it away. Lets let it rest at that.

 

Timmers,

I really did not ignore it. The pressure for a fighter to admit he lost right after the match declared him the winner with the press on hand is enormous! Wouldn't you agree? Can you show me examples of fighters declared the winner that said right after to the fight, the judges got it wrong, I lost?


I'll take Ali at his word that he lost it after things cooled down, as the film pretty much shows he did.


One thing no discussed in detail is Ali's popularity. He's gotten a few questionable decisions. He won some rounds, he should not have, beyond the question of the doubt. Many feel he lost the Young fight, including the writer of the first post.


I agree with you that Norton coasted in the last round. Mostly likely because he thought he had the fight in the bag. So Ali won that round, but lost the majority of the other 14. The 15th round on a scorecard is worth the same as the 1st.

 

Ken Norton won the fight clear enough. He gave Ali's body a terrible beating and won at least 8 rounds. Ali won 6 at the most.
The fact that so many knowledgeable people made it a close win for Ali just illustrates how much of a wonderful spell Ali had the boxing world under at that point in time.

 

Word. If the fight was not on film the spellbound types would have some argument. But it is on film completely and it only makes them look like either incompetent or biased judges.

Let it go. Ali did, he knew he lost, and his fans should accept it too.

 

I was there. Boring fight. Norton sucked. And Ali did enough to win. The right guy won.

 

I think Ali was the greatest (or shoulda/coulda been) but I always thought Norton won this fight. Hadn't watched it in years.With the link at the start of the thread I watched it again completely.
I sat down with pencil and paper and went into this judging from a, completely, Ali bias. Unlike many, I'm a ''even rounds'' guy tho many think you should give a round to one fighter regardless. So forgive me if you're one of the "many" that think that way. I scored being, as I said, biased towards Ali and was excited as to how I would score it given the Ali bias! My scorecard? 6-4-5 Norton. I was trying to give Ali the rounds I scored even I couldn't unlike the judges obviously. The old axiom says you have to take the fight to the Champion. IMO Jimmy Young (who I love and who I think beat Norton) didn't do that. Jimmy came on late in the fight but, throughout, didn't seem to have that "I want the Crown" mentality. In contrast, Kenny fought hard throughout. Norton won this one guys. Let two unknowns fight the same fight in some back alley ring and you tell me who the crowd would favor. My somewhat limited $0.02

 

I haven't come across many who thought Norton sucked but you were there which counts for something. Bottom line is that as many who can't see Kenny having lost theres an equal number that had it even going into the last round which Norton gave away, the judges, the AP, the WWS panel included. Neither side is budging and its going to stay that way.

 

After watching the third bout between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton on closed-circuit television, I thought that Norton clearly won.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Agree 100% with this.

Norton got screwed and lost his chance to be a true lineal champ.

Not fair at all.

 

Amen, not fair. If Norton get the correct scores, he's 2-1 over Ali and has a special legacy.

 

It was a close very boring fight. Ali was a bit busier and did enough to win. Norton absolutely did not win.