How did you score the Ali-Norton fights?

Look. No way Frazier won the second bout. He was outboxed and he just did not land consistently on Ali. Joe no doubt won fight 1. Fight 3 was an even bout after 12 rounds. Ali came on and Joe faded and that was that.

Norton no doubt won fight one. Ali fought his best fight in years in fight 2 and by winning the last round won that bout. Fight three was EXTREMELY close with many rounds tough to score. Generally I score it 8-7 Ali. Norton should have went all out during the last round. He didn't and there went his title. His corner did one ****py job. Several weeks after this bout there was a special on CBS TV where a group of 10 boxing experts.. Past champions such as Pep and Louis, writers etc. The fight was shown and each scored it round after round. Result? A draw. So YES it was that close.

 

Ken Norton deservedly won the decision in the first bout with Muhammad Ali. Ali won by a split verdict in the second bout, but the verdict could have gone either way without any quarrel on my part. I believe that Norton should have been given the decision in the third bout despite the fact that Ali won an unanimous verdict.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Ali-Norton 2 was the best of the 3 fights in terms of quality and excitement.

Fight 3 is a boring match, Ali looks past it even here but Norton's volume is not enough to win convincingly. I scored it 8-7 Ali and don't think that Norton was robbed.

 

Norton was Ali's toughest opponent. It's a shame he got robbed in the third fight.

I'd love to see photos or video footage of ten clean punches Ali landed in that fight. I don't think it could be done.

 

I think Norton won all 3.

 

I do too.

 

Agree, Kenny got jobbed big-time in the third fight.

Too bad for Norton. That screw job cost him the lineal heavyweight championship. Felt pretty bad for him.

Norton won the first and third fights. The second fight was very close and I was okay with an Ali victory.

 

The 1st fight in San Diego ken beat the sh!t out of Ali not even debatable..

2nd fight toss up 50-50, maybe a SLIGHT edge for Ali..

3rd fight Yankee stadium August 1976 Norton won NO DOUBT, but the a$$holes gave it to Ali, i am an Ali fan but sorry Norton won that, there was some corrupt sh!t going on..

It's safe to assume that Norton had Ali's number:deal

 

The first fight Norton definitely won. The second Ali slightly won a split decision. The third fight was EXTREMELY close which could have literally gone either way. Either way or a draw is fine with me. Norton wasn’t really robbed in the third fight tbh.

 

Scored first for Norton, second for Ali, third also for Ali but im thinking of rewatching it to see what people are talking about a huge robbery.

 

Norton won the first 8-4. Ali won the second 7-5. Norton won the third 8-7.

 

Don't let them fool you. Norton won imo, but it was very close. The injustice was not that Ali won, but that Norton didn't get a single vote from the judges.

 

Problem for me was, while I don't remember my full scorecard, I'm pretty sure it was it 144-141 Ali, I feel like maybe I was biased scoring it all those years ago. Will defiantly rescore when I get the chance.

 

For what it's worth, my scores on the trilogy.


Ali-Norton I - California scoring

California scoring is one point for a round, 2 if there is a knockdown and no points for an even round or for the loser of the round.

Round 1: Ali
Round 2: Norton
Round 3: Ali
Round 4: Norton
Round 5: Norton
Round 6: Norton
Round 7: Ali
Round 8: Ali
Round 9: Norton
Round 10: Norton
Round 11: Ali
Round 12: Norton

Total: 7-5 Norton (In rounds and on points)

There was always the usual dispute of what the round the jaw-break took place. The Ali corner said it was the first round. The Norton corner said it was the 12th. But it was interesting to hear Cosell say in the 8th that there was something wrong with Ali's mouth and surmised it might be a broken tooth. Didn't remember that from the original telecast, so it could have taken place anywhere around mid-fight.

Ali v Norton II - California scoring

Round 1: Ali
Round 2: Ali
Round 3: Ali
Round 4: Ali
Round 5: Even
Round 6: Ali
Round 7: Norton
Round 8: Norton
Round 9: Ali
Round 10: Even
Round 11: Norton
Round 12: Ali

7-3-2 in rounds but 7-3 on California point system for Ali. I've seen this fight a couple of times and I've never seen the issue others have had with this score. It was a tough fight but always seemed very clear to me.


Ali-Norton III in Yankee Stadium. Scoring on the NY rounds basis.

Round 1: Ali
Round 2: Norton
Round 3: Ali
Round 4: Norton
Round 5: Norton
Round 6: Norton
Round 7: Even
Round 8: Norton
Round 9: Ali
Round 10: Ali
Round 11: Ali
Round 12: Norton
Round 13: Ali
Round 14: Norton
Round 15: Ali

Total: 7-7-1 Draw

 

Seems fair.