Jimmy Young fight by Nat Loubert: It is true that Ali was the aggressor much of the time, but being aggressive without being effective is meaningless. I had the fight as an even bout, which favors the champion. That the fight was cer tainly nothing like the officials’ scores, every expert this side of the great divide would agree. The rounds wound their way so boringly that the longer the fight went on, the more it became obvious that nothing was about to happen. A heavyweight title fight is the world's greatest event, as the crowd waits with bated breath for the big punch, the knockout, the deciding minutes in the fight. Unlike any other weight class or sports event it is a rare thing for a heavyweight title bout not to have at least one fighter with a damaging sock. In this fight it should have been Ali, but as the fight went on it became evident that Ali didn't have it, either by design or fact, ultimately, by fact. At 230 pounds he was out of shape, and as Ali himself said, “It was Young who moved in and out and around, punched fast—as I used to do.” He continued, “I just didn't have it, maybe I was out too late last night. I will take the next fight, the one with Dunn more seriously.” He thought he won by virtue of his aggressiveness. The writer did not. He thought Ali won because in the case of a draw the title remains with the champ. Ali had no edge in that fight. Ken Norton III fight by Nat Loubert: For the first time since 1959 when Ingenur Johansson woo the heavyweight crown from Floyd Patterson, a title light took place in New York’s Yankee Stadium. Promoters in recent years have shunned the outdoor promotions due to television and the inherent dangers of weather. There were few weather problems at the stadium as Muhammad Ali at 271 pounds won a narrow deci sion over his persistent challenger, Ken Norton at 217% pounds, oo a fifteen round decision, which had half the working press in favor of the verdict with the remainder of the Fourth Estate giving the nod to Norton. The writer, shivering in 54 degree weather, scored the fight 9 rounds to 6 in favor of the champion, in what was a hard, gruelling fight for Ali. The contest did not live up to expectations as to the action witnessed. Earnie Shavers fight by John Ort: The fans yelled Ali! Ali! and Muhammad came alive in the last 30 seconds of the 15th round to hurt Ernie Shavers, and go on with a unanimous decision. The first eight rounds of this N.B.C., National T.V. contest from Madison Square Garden, was unexciting and at times dull. Ali would take one round and Shavers the next. It was a give and take with no damage being done. Ali, 225, would win his rounds 1, 3, 5, 7, dancing and jabbing with his left hand to the face of Shavers. Muhammad didn't land any telling blows during this part of his 19th heavyweight championship defense. Shavers, 211½, won rounds 2, 4, 6, 8, connecting to Ali's head with overhand rights but the champ was always moving away from the blows and no really solid shots landed. Muhammad took control of the contest over the next four rounds. He scored flurries to the head of the oncoming Shavers who remained in a semi-shell, not giving Ali a good target. Ernie looked as if he wanted to go the route and was not landing much other than some overhand right momentum earlier. Shavers' best rounds were the 13th and 14th, when he came on like gang busters, scoring hard rights to Ali's head. At this point Muhammad appeared tired and could not avoid some of Shavers' blows. Ernie still had not exploded his big bomb, the left hook. He kept his left up high on his forehead in defense and was in great respect of Ali's potent right. This action might have cost him the respect of Ali's potent right. Shavers never put together a solid combination. It was one shot at a time. The last round was the best and most exciting of the bout. Shavers kept the pressure on the champ, scoring again and again with the right hand aggressively pursuing Ali all over the ring. Suddenly, with one quick left-right combo of Ernie's head, the champ turned the action around. He blasted Shavers with everything he had, lefts and rights to the head. The King looked like a new man, not the tired old man from the previous two rounds. Now it was Shavers who looked like an old man, but he managed to hang on until the bell. The official scoring of the bout was as follows: Referee Johnny LoBianco had 9-5-1; judges Eva Shain and Tony Castellano both scored it 9-6. Ali, The Ring also had it 9-6 for Muhammad.
I think that one of Muhammad Ali‘s very overlooked skills was his ability to know what judges were looking for and what won a round. Much like another intelligent fighter, Sugar Ray Leonard, when rounds were close Ali understood that and would find a way to do what was necessary to catch the judges’ eye.
Young fight was boring and low action but I never understood how anyone could give Ali the third Norton fight he was just so inactive and even the round he won were pretty close.
All these fights were very close imo, and no scandal if Ali had lost all three. I personally scored Young the winner with a point and Norton 3 pretty much a draw, with Ali just edging Shavers. But as a populat champion he got the benefit of doubt in all three.