So what's the consenus on Norton/Ali III...

[Russell]

I'd imagine most would lean towards Norton as Ali himself admitted at a press conference no less that he felt he lost the fight.

Thoughts?

[Russell]

No one?

[garymcfall]

the first time i scored it i had norton winning it, then when i watched it again i had a win for ali. ive still to watch it a third time

[red cobra]

Norton won that fight and should have receieved the decision and the title. He would have more than likely beaten Ali again, if they fought a forth time and that would have eventually led to a rematch with George Foreman, and Foreman would have relieved him of the title by repeating himself and ko'ing Norton in the first or second round.

[TIGEREDGE]

It Was A Robbery That Dick Turpin Would Be Proud Of. Norton Got Robbed Plain And Simple

[jhar26]

I had Ali winning their second fight by one point. The other two were won by Norton IMO.

[Mendoza]

It Was A Robbery That Dick Turpin Would Be Proud Of. Norton Got Robbed Plain And Simple

Yes. Norton won the fight for sure. The robbery was of the highest order in substance.The lineal heavyweight championship.

[Hawkeye]

The worst decision in a championship fight I have ever seen. Norton won at least 10 rounds. Ali knew he lost, it was obvious at the end of the 15th round. Shameful decision. Norton won 1 and 3 big, the second fight was closer, but Norton probably won it too.

[JIm Broughton]

Boxing was'nt ready to lose it's meal ticket via close decision to a fighter with less appeal and charisma so Norton was denied the championship. If the fight was close Ali would get it and he did. Funny how Norton was'nt given the same accomodation in his defense against Holmes who took the title by a point. Hmmm....

[Russell]

Huh, weird there's such a consenus.

[Robbi]

I have never seen Ali-Norton III. Its a fight I'll need to view in the future. Controversial decisions are usually interesting.

[fists of fury]

Norton hinted that he was battling not only Ali, but the system. I think Norton won fair and square.

PS - does anyone know what Norton shouted to Ali after the fight? I have always wondered what he said.

[Mendoza]

I have never seen Ali-Norton III. Its a fight I'll need to view in the future. Controversial decisions are usually interesting.
Robbi,

This is a fight you need to score for yourself. It is hard to give Ali more than 6 of 15 rounds. Maybe Ali won 7 of 15 rounds if you’re generous. Most Ali fans don't want to talk about this fight, and those who are coaxed into replying will admit that Norton likely deserved the decision to preserve their integrity of scoring a fight.

I would like to see the punch stat numbers, and the judges round by round score cards.

[yancey]

Norton hinted that he was battling not only Ali, but the system. I think Norton won fair and square.

PS - does anyone know what Norton shouted to Ali after the fight? I have always wondered what he said.

I may be wrong , but I'm thinking Norton shouted something "4 rounds...that's all you got!"

Norton did win the fight. As I recall, it was a pretty boring fight.

Isn't it something that Ali received gifts like the Jimmy Young heist, the Norton robbery, the endless holding and pulling down of the head in Frazier II, etc.

[Jbuz]

The worst decision in a championship fight I have ever seen. Norton won at least 10 rounds. Ali knew he lost, it was obvious at the end of the 15th round. Shameful decision. Norton won 1 and 3 big, the second fight was closer, but Norton probably won it too.

:roll:

Ali clearly won the second.

[qweasd]

and the third. norton didnt make enough to convince the judges that he is the world heavy weight champ .. alot of screaming in face of ali didnt work !! he should try something diffrent than screaming to win

[Luigi1985]

9-6 for Norton. Easy to score. Ali showed that he´s a big man, he said he felt he lost, but some of his groupies can´t accept this...

[RockyJim]

A sports writer for the New York Times said after the fight.......
"If Ali won that fight....then the Japanese won World War II...!"

[AnthonyJ74]

If Norton had won the championship that night from Ali in 1976, who do you think he would have fought next? Holmes was still an unknown at the time, so I don't think it would have been Larry. Maybe Earnie Shavers or George Foreman?

[ChrisPontius]

Interesting question. Foreman was the #1 for quite some time between '76 and '77. Don't know if Norton was eager to rematch him, though. Maybe Young. Perhaps Holmes would've had a title eliminator with Young while Foreman got a shot. That would've been very interesting.

[Chaney]

A long time since I watched that fight. I didn't score it, but I thought it was a close fight, at the time. The champion often retains the title if it's close.

Norton got terrible advice from his corner before the 15th round. They told him it was in the bag and to take no chances in the last round. Ali knew he had to fight like hell in the 15th to have any chance.

Larry Holmes also knew he had to go for broke in his last round against Norton.

Norton has since said he wishes he could fight that last round of Ali III again, that he had enough left in the tank to go to war.

In my considered opinion, Ali should have retired by this point. Zaire, or Manilla (if we are going to be bloodthirsty) should have been his last battle. That was the last time we saw Ali the great warrior. The Ali of his third fight with Norton was physically in good shape (unlike vs Young) but a shell of the fighter he once was. He hardly threw any combinations at all.

[My dinner with Conteh]

I think if Norton would have won he'd have made an easy payday against the likes of Bobick, then rematched Ali. He wouldn't have wanted Foreman after Caracas and Young was always a too big a risk for too little a reward.