POINTS DECISION TO NORTON Ali’s jaw broken in loss to former U.S. Marine

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33190, 2 April 1973, Page 28

POINTS DECISION TO NORTON Ali’s jaw broken in loss to former U.S. Marine

(N.Z P A -Reuier —Copyright) SAN DIEGO (California). The long slide downhill for one of the most famous athletes of his time, Muhammad Ali, began dramatically when the 31-year-old former world heavy-weight champion was beaten by a 28-year-old former Marine, Ken Norton, in a split points decision after a 12-round bout.

A 5-1 underdog but ranked in the top 10, Norton broke Ali’s jaw early in the fight. “I know 1 broke it,” said Norton, “but I don’t know which punch did it.”

Norton, who had never before fought an opponent of world class and had never gone beyond 10 rounds, was quicker than Ali in what was described at a sluggish bout.

The first round was even and no real damaging blow was noticed by most observers. Ali bled slightly from the inside of his mouth midway through the fifth round, and the first effective blow did not appear until Ali was dazed with a “haymaker” right in the sixth. Norton’s trainer (Mr E. Futch) said he thought a right-hand punch in the third

or fourth round broke Ali’s jaw. After the fight. Ali’s manager (Mr A. Dundee) said: “I wanted to stop it in the second round, but Ali wouldn’t let me.” Mr Dundee took Ali to the IClairemont General Hospital (where the fighter had 90 miniates of surgery to wire his jaw.

“Clean break” Dr W. Lundeen said Ali’s jaw was broken on the lower left side. He called it “a clean break, all the way through.” “He was in considerable pain. If he broke it in the first round, I can’t fathom how he could go the whole fight like that. That’s real guts,” Dr Lundeen said. Ali’s jaw is expected to be wired for six weeks, and it will be at least three months before he can fight, again. The referee, Mr F. Rustich, voted for Norton—a former sparring partner of Joe Frazier—as did one of two judges. Mr H. Rickard. Mr Rustich’s card was 7-5, and Mr Rickard’s 5-4. The dissenting judge, Mr F. Hayes, had it 6-5 for Ali. In California, rounds are graded on a pointscoring system, and if the points are the same it is an even round.

Norton’s prize was $50,000, and Ali earned $200,000. Ali seldom threw a right-

hand punch, even though Norton kept his left low. Ali seemed to be biding his time. Everyone thought that Norton, who began to fight professionally only six years years ago, would make a mistake, but he never did. He never got caught by the circling Ali, and never left space open. This was Ali’s second defeat in 43 fights since 1960. Norton’s record against far less skilled opponents is now 31 victories—24 by knockout—against one defeat in 1970.

Little chance His is a new presence in the heavy-weight picture, now dominated by the new champion, George Foreman. For Ali, there now seems little chance or demand for a fight against Foreman or a return against Frazier. Commentators said that Ali looked slow and tired through most of the fight. There were no knockdowns. Norton, ranked eighth by the World Boxing Association, No. 7 by “Ring” magazine, and No. 6 by the World Boxing Council, made Ali his thirteenth consecutive victim since his only defeat —an eighth round knock-out by Jose Luis Garcia on July 2, 1970, in Los Angeles, but there was some dispute that the punch came after the bell. Norton, is a black former Marine who lives in Carson, near Los Angeles, where he has raised his six-year-old son from near infancy without a mother. Norton was divorced and has custody of his son, Kenny junior. Such contenders as Mack Foster and George Chuvalo have refused to fight Norton, according to his trainer, Mr Futch. So Norton managed to break into the top 10 in world rankings by beating “unknown” opponents.

Extravagance Norton’s richest purse had been $BOOO. His lone extravagance has been a $13,000 automobile with his initials on the door, which—before the Ali fight—he called “not too bad for a ham-and-egg fighter.” Norton, a 6ft 3in, muscular 2101 b fighter was asked

if he wanted to fight George Foreman, the champion. "I’ve always prepared myself for the championship,” he said. Norton turned professional in 1967 and knocked out 15 of his first 16 opponents. Norton has been under almost daily hypnosis sessions with Dr Michael Dean, a hypnotist, to instil selfconfidence in him and to teach him to keep his left guard up. Norton said Dr Dean who was at the fight, gave him the “power of suggestibility” so that he would adhere more readily to his trainer’s suggestions. "This kid was disgusted.” Dr Dean said of Norton in 1970. “He wanted to stop." Norton said: “At times I was very dejected because I couldn’t get fights with anybody ranked above me. But its like hiking 10 miles—you are glad you’ve done it once its over.”

Yelled at Ali Norton chided Ali during the fight with such remarks as “stop running and fight,” “you missed, sucker," “you ain’t hit nothing but a ghost.” He yelled at. Ali “I beat you sucker,” at the end of the fight. Ali, blood still dripping from his mouth five minutes after the bout ended, indicated that he was unable to talk. For once, the one-time “Louisville Lip" had nothing to say. In a post-fight interview Mr Dundee was asked if this was “the end of the line” for Ali. “I think you’re a jerk,” said Mr Dundee, glaring at the reporter who had asked.