Lets hear it for The 1978 champ. Just think if norton had been given the wins over Ali (3) and Holmes, how highly he would of been ranked. Maybe in some people's top 10. What do you guys think?
If Leon Spinks had the stones to fight Norton, Norton very likely wins the linal championship. As it was Norton won his belt by Leon Spinks balking. Norton was also robbed vs Ali in the 3rd fight.
I respectfully, disagree. Why shouldn't have Leon given a rematch to Ali? Ali was WBC and WBA and Spinks beat him. Under any circumstance, a rematch is due. Its not like Spinks went out and fought Evangelista as a title defense and its not like he sat on it. Clear case of the trinket belts ruining things in the late seventies, a trend that would continue until Tyson set things right up through Bowe screwing it up. The real robbery was the 1976 verdict in NYC. Norton won that fight. His true championship run should have started there. Then he loses it to Holmes two years later in one of the best heavyweight fights of the decade.
Yes, I agree that Norton was a tremendously good fighter who deserves a fair amount of recognition. I don't however feel that he was robbed against Holmes, and while he may have deserved the third fight against Ali, Muhammad was getting pretty well past it. Nevertheless, he was great.
