Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton

Boxing competitions
External audio
audio icon National Press Club Luncheon Speakers, Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton, August 27, 1976, 1:02:57, Norton speaks at 8:58, Ali 11:10-39:00, Library of Congress[1]
Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton
Ali vs. Norton II
Date1973 and 1976
Title(s) on the lineNABF heavyweight title (first and second fight), WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles (third fight)
Tale of the tape
Boxer Muhammad Ali Ken Norton
Nickname The Greatest The Black Hercules
Hometown Louisville, Kentucky San Diego, California, US
Pre-fight record 41–1 30–1
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 221 lb (100 kg) 210 lb (95 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight champion NABF heavyweight Champion
Result
Ali won trilogy 2-1

Muhammad Ali fought three professional boxing matches against Ken Norton between 1973 and 1976. Ali won the series 2–1, though the final fight (judged a unanimous decision in Ali's favor) was highly controversial.[2]

First match

Still rebuilding a winning record after his first professional loss to Joe Frazier, Ali faced Norton on March 31, 1973, at the Sports Arena, San Diego, California. The fight was aired live on free TV in the United States via ABC. The fight against Norton started a years-long rivalry. Ali was outmaneuvered by Norton's unorthodox fighting style, which involved jabbing from below and crossing his hands for defence. As the final bell rang, Norton won on a split decision, igniting a controversy in the boxing world. Soon after the fight, Ali was treated in hospital for a broken jaw.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Dundee claimed that Ali's jaw was broken in the first round, while Futch claimed that it was the eleventh.[10] Norton landed 233 punches (43% accuracy) to Ali's 171 (26% accuracy), with a lead of 124 to 78 in power punches. Ali outlanded Norton in 4 rounds, while Norton outlanded Ali in 8.[11]

According to Dr. Gary Manchester, who performed the operation to wire Ali's jaw together: "The bone which was broken had three or four jagged edges and they kept poking into his cheek and mouth. It was a very bad break." Ali accepted his defeat graciously, agreeing to shake Norton's hand in the ring. Norton in turn visited Ali's hospital room afterward, which he believed cemented a friendship. Both sides immediately began talks for a rematch, with Ali claiming he'd win another bout and Norton saying he'd knock out Ali next time.[12]

Ali was quoted in The Ring after the fight: "I have nobody to blame but myself for my loss to Ken Norton. I didn't train properly because I really didn't think Ken was that great a fighter. I was wrong. This time things will be different. You'll see the real Muhammad Ali."

Second match

On September 10, 1973, Ali and Norton met at the Forum, Inglewood, California, USA, for their highly anticipated rematch. Norton was in good shape going into the second fight while Ali took to training at his training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, where he "sought to whip his once Adonis-like physique back into shape."[13] Ali weighed in at 211 for this fight, 10 pounds lighter than the first. Norton was 210 in the first and 205 for the second.

As the fight began, both Ali and Norton appeared in shape and energetic. However, Ali demonstrated his physical stamina by skipping without pause and standing between rounds. Norton came out aggressively in the beginning of the fifth round, leading with a barrage of jabs and pushing Ali to a more defensive posture. In the final round, Ali dominated with a series of combinations. Though the match was close, Ali ended up winning the split with 2 votes to 1. Although Ali had demonstrated the physical stamina for which he had become known, he admitted, "I'm tireder than usual, because of my age."[14]

The decision was controversial. Norton had the edge in shots landed, hitting Ali with 197 punches while Ali hit him with 175, and leading 144 to 91 in power punches and 40% to 28% in accuracy. Norton landed more punches in 7 rounds and Ali did so in 4, with 1 round even. After the bout, Ali stated: "Ken Norton is the best man I have ever fought. No man could hit me as much as Norton did in the shape that I am. Frazier couldn't do it... Foreman wouldn't do it. I imagine if you watched films of my old fights, I'm not too much slower, but I can't be 22 again."[15]

Third match

Ali and Norton met for the third and last time on September 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, USA, completing their trilogy. This time, 34-year-old Ali entered the ring as Heavyweight Champion, making the eighth defense of his title since his victory over George Foreman in 1974. Both fighters showed their strengths, but neither established themselves as the obvious winner. Most commentators gave the fight to Norton. Ultimately, Ali won by a unanimous decision, thereby retaining his title. Ali said during an interview with Mark Cronin in October 1976: "Kenny's style is too difficult for me. I can't beat him, and I sure don't want to fight him again. I honestly thought he beat me in Yankee Stadium, but the judges gave it to me, and I'm grateful to them." Norton was bitter, stating after the fight: "I won at least nine or ten rounds. I was robbed."[16]

Overall, Ali landed 199 of 709 punches while Norton landed 286 of 635 punches, per Bob Canobbio's CompuBox statistics. Norton both landed more punches and had far better accuracy (45% vs 28%). Norton also landed 192 power punches to Ali's 128.[17] [18]

Of the 21 sportswriters polled after the fight, 17 believed that Norton won. Norton said of the result years later: "If you saw the look on Ali's face at the end, he knew I beat him. He didn't hit me hard the whole fight. Then they announced the judges' decision and I was bitter, very bitter. Not towards Ali... he'd done his job, he was just there to fight. But I was hurt, I was mad, I was angry. I was upset... and it still upsets me."[19]

References

  1. ^ "National Press Club Luncheon Speakers, Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton, August 27, 1976". Library of Congress. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Snowden, Jonathan. "One Punch: How Ken Norton Became a Boxing Legend in a Single Night". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  3. ^ "Muhammad Ali's ring record". ESPN. 19 November 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Thrice As Nice: Ali-Norton". ESPN. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. ^ Felix Dennis; Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. pp. 198–202, 250.
  6. ^ Stephen Brunt (2002). Facing Ali. The Lyons Press. pp. 167–83.
  7. ^ "The mouth that nearly roared". Sports Illustrated. 23 April 1973. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  8. ^ "ALL SET TO SLAM IN THE RUBBER MATCH". Sports Illustrated. 27 September 1976. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Sept. 28, 1976: Ali vs Norton III". The Fight City. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2017-05-08.
  10. ^ Bob Canobbio and Lee Groves. "Muhammad Ali: By The Numbers." CompuBox: Feb 17, 2018. Page 142.
  11. ^ Canobbio and Groves, p. 142, 164-165.
  12. ^ Canobbio and Groves, p. 142-143.
  13. ^ "Sept. 10, 1973: Ali vs Norton II". The Fight City.
  14. ^ "A fight-by-fight look at Muhammad Ali's career milestones". AP News. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  15. ^ Canobbio and Groves, p. 144-145.
  16. ^ BoxRec: Norton vs Ali 3
  17. ^ "Ali-Norton III: Who Really Won?". Wall Street Journal. September 13, 2013.
  18. ^ Canobbio and Groves, p. 142-143.
  19. ^ Canobbio and Groves, p. 238-239.

External links

  • Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton - Full Fight September 10, 1973 (Video)
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associatesBooks
  • The Greatest: My Own Story (1975 autobiography)
  • The Fight (1975)
  • Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times (1991 biography)
  • The Tao of Muhammad Ali (1997)
  • King of the World (1998 biography)
  • Facing Ali (2002)
  • Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years (2002 biography)
  • The Soul of a Butterfly (2004 autobiography)
  • Twelve Rounds to Glory (2007 biography)
  • Ali: A Life (2018 biography)
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