Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

vs.

Ken Norton Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. (August 9, 1943 – September 18, 2013) was an American actor and professional boxer who competed from 1967 to 1981. He was awarded the World Boxing Council, WBC world heavyweight championship in 1978, after winning a ...

, billed as ''The Fight'', was a professional boxing match contested on March 31, 1973, for the NABF heavyweight championship.

Background

Still rebuilding a winning record after his first professional loss to

Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...

, Ali faced Norton on March 31, 1973, at the

San Diego Sports Arena Pechanga Arena is an indoor arena in San Diego, California. Opened in 1966, it is an example of New Formalism architecture and has been designated by the City of San Diego as a historic resource. The arena has been home to numerous athletic team ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California. The fight was aired live on free TV in the United States via

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

The fight

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. Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee claimed that Ali's jaw was broken in the first round, while Norton's trainer, Eddie Futch, claimed that it was the eleventh.Bob Canobbio and Lee Groves. "Muhammad Ali: By The Numbers." CompuBox: Feb 17, 2018. Page 142. 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.

Aftermath

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. 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. Though the match was close, Ali ended up winning the split with 2 votes to 1.

Third match

Ali and Norton met for the third and last time on September 28, 1976, at

Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...

, Bronx, New York, USA, completing their trilogy. Although most commentators gave the fight to Norton, ultimately, Ali won by a unanimous decision, thereby retaining the world 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."

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:

Broadcasting

References

External links

Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton - Full Fight September 10, 1973 (Video)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Norton 1973 in boxing 1973 in sports in California March 1973 sports events in the United States Boxing matches in California Norton Boxing on ABC Boxing on BBC