A LOOK back AT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON this date
Ken Norton upsets Muhammad Ali in the first of their fights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbYtHaduVZ8
Muhammad Ali had few genuine rivals. The most obvious one was Joe Frazier, who lost two of three classic fights to “The Greatest” but took him to hell in the process. And there was Ken Norton. The strapping heavyweight also met Ali in a three-fight series, the first a non-title bout on this date in 1973 at the Sports Arena in Norton’s adopted hometown of San Diego. Ali proved his toughness by fighting 11-plus rounds with a broken jaw but the underdog, younger and fitter than his iconic opponent, outworked him to earn a 12-round split-decision victory that established him as a major player in the division and spoiled Ali’s immediate plans to challenge champion George Foreman. They fought again less than six months later, with a better-conditioned Ali emerging with a split-decision victory in the rematch. Still, it was Norton who would get first crack at Foreman. And things didn’t go well for him, as he failed to survive two full rounds. Seven months after that Ali would make boxing history but stopping Foreman in arguably the greatest victory of his magnificent career. Ali and Norton would meet for the final time in 1976, with Ali winning a unanimous decision in another close fight. Some believe Norton should’ve had his hand raised in the all three fights.
Also on this date: Larry Holmes stopped hulking Leroy Jones in eight rounds in defense of his heavyweight title in 1980. And Mike Weaver stunned undefeated John Tate by scoring a knockout in the 15th and final round of a fight he was losing on the cards to win a heavyweight belt.
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