I have never seen this fight before. I've watched a lot of Norton fight and a handful of Larry Holmes fights before and enjoy watching both of them. The general consensus seems to be this was a great fight and a close one with many people claiming with Holmes winning the 15th he won the fight. There seems to be a small but significant amount of people who claim Holmes won pretty comfortably (by like 10-5 rounds). I'm going to give my 2 cents and score it from how I see it. Obviously I would also be interested to see what other people thought and scored it. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O24TWmItlTE&feature=relmfu[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CXdzJkTkyI&feature=relmfu[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SgqRt9J6PM&feature=relmfu[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MKYUV_lEy8&feature=relmfu[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wKH9G5XJpg&feature=relmfu[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKJp00Lto9I&feature=relmfu[/ame]
I saw the fight on TV back in June '78 with my old man.... I now have a VHS copy... Either way you slice the pie, the fight was great and very close, with me giving Holmes' the nod by a round or two at best... Holmes' jab was the key in several of the middle rds.... Holmes won... 8 to 7 over 15 rds for Holmes is fair.... MR.BILL
Round 1 to Holmes. 10-9 to Holmes. Norton landed a clean left hook but little else- one commentator said he hurt Holmes but I disagree. Holmes lands a handful of jabs and 2 combo's at the end. Round 2 to Holmes. 20-18 to Holmes. Holmes more effective landing several left hooks and some looping rights. Norton's inneffective following of Holmes is very noticable. Round 3 to Norton. 29-28 to Holmes. Holmes landed 2 clean right hands and started landing jabs at the end. Holmes lands little and Norton's turns up the pressure.
Round 4 to Holmes. 39-37 to Holmes. Norton lands 2 nice left hooks but Holmes picks up pace and land several combo's later on. Round 5 to Norton. 48-47 to Holmes. Norton lands looping right his biggest shot so far. Outjab's Holmes for much of the round and Holmes picks it up and lands some combo's and starts dancing. I preffered Norton's work but it was close to a 10-10. I liked Norton's aggression here and he was often slipping Larry's right. Round 6 to Holmes. 58-56 to Holmes. Norton lands a looping left and throws several looping innefective shots- Holmes clearly outjabbing him. Nice clean right by Norton but a great short right counter by Holmes. I much preffered Holmes here.
Round 7 to Holmes. 67-66 to Holmes. Holmes dancing and outjabbing Norton who does little. Norton gets close in the corner and gets easily turned. Too predictable for Holmes. Round 8 to Norton. 77-75 to Holmes. Best round so far. Holmes starts well but Norton comes back and stays in Holmes face. Lands to body well and gets in close several times for the first time in the fight. Much more in Holme's face. Lands well at the end and forcing Holmes back. Round 9 to Holmes. 87-84 to Holmes. Dominates with the jab for the most part until Norton lands 2 big right hands- his best shots. But Holmes comes back with 4-5 right hands and a nice body shot. Responds well and I prefered his work. Doing a brilliant jobs of staying away from the ropes.
Round 10 to Norton. 96-94 to Holmes. Outjabs Holmes thoroughout, takes his rights well and lands to the body at times. Round 11 to Norton. 105-104 to Holmes. Holmes control's most of round but lands little. Norton traps him against the ropes twice and works the body. Lands several big shots. Round 12 to Norton. 114-114. Close but Norton landed more big shots.
Round 13 to Holmes. 124 to 123 for Holmes. Holmes at his best, missing from the start of the fight. Landing big right hands and body shots. Changed the angle of the right to stop it from missing several times- very smart. Big round. Round 14 to Norton. 134- 134. Good round for Norton, Holmes stopped moving and just took shots. Norton gassed later but trapped Larry on the Holmes and worked the body nice. Round 15 to Awesome. 143-142 to Norton. Holmes finished stong but I'd say Norton was more effective here. He took some huge shots late but was pushing Holmes around the ring for most of it.
143-142 for Norton. 8 rounds to 7. I gave Holmes rounds 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 13. I gave Norton rounds 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15.
The last 3 round where awesome. I don't know how 2 big men could give and take them huge shots late on. The first 12 rounds to me where good, not great. High levels of skill on display, mostly from Holmes who used the jab and movement well. Norton didn't cut of the ring at all and for the most part lumbered forward. I thought the rounds with Norton won outjabbing Holmes where a waste for Holmes- he should have stepped in with the right hands more an kept Norton worried. I thought it was basically a unspectacular jabbing contest for the most part for 12 rounds. It wasen't exactly boring, I just expected more action from what people said. I know Holmes isn't exactly a slugger I just thought he'd throw more right hands- like I say I haven't seen too much of him. I won't call it a overated fight I just think the last 3 rounds may sway very good into great for many people.
After seeing Holmes in round 13 I wanna see more of him, he was brutal, espcially that late on. What where Holmes's more exciting fights? I know he's hardly going to go out bombing but what opponent's drew him more into a war? Thanks. For me a very good fight, not quiete great. Certainly 2 great fighters going at it.
I thought most of the rounds he won, he won because Holmes didn't commit enough to the jab and threw only a select few right hands.
