Why does everyone think Norton was robbed against Ali?

All this talk of post exile Ali hitting harder, his hands were shot. I'd say early Ali would have beat Norton a lot easier.

 

Punchstats are a waste of time. There is no record of what is a legal targeted blow. A computer can count but cannot gage the appearance of superiority within a round. And if you have to go back to count the punches it's already too close. Stealing a round is a legitimate practice. It was Norton's job to prevent this like Spinks did.

It's never a gift to the champion if it's a close fight. It would have been a gift giving it to Norton. Nobody really deserves to win a title on such a close fight. Leon Spinks did a MUCH better job. He took that title.

For what it's worth I think Ali was horrible at that point. But he still stole the fight on the last round. I think it was a gift to Norton that Ali was so poor. Yet he still blew it.

 

No one is saying Ali rallied big in round 15. Ali just was doing all the fighting for 2.50 minutes before Norton did anything. Many years later Norton stated if he had it to do all over again he would have been more aggressive in that last round. Instead he gave it away and lost the fight.