W.B.C. strips Spinks
NZPA-Reuter Los Angeles: Ken Norton said yesterday; that he was elated at being! named world heavy-weighti champion by the World Boxing Council after it stripped Leon Spinks of the, title he won last month; from Muhammad Ali. Norton said: “It feels very' good. I thought things would happen and I would not get the W.B.C. blessing, buti things turned out the right! way, and now I will start : off by fighting all the top contenders." Norton was named champion by the Mexico-based W.B.C. when Spinks failed! to agree to fight Norton, its top contender, by a deadline of 6 p.m. on Saturday. Spinks, who outpointed, Ali in Las Vegas on Febr-j uary 15, is still recognised as champion by the World
Boxing Association, which i lists Ali as its leading contender and has said it would (sanction a Spinks-Ali 'rematch before a Norton fight. Norton, 32, criticised , Spinks for not agreeing to ; fight him. Spinks and Ali I had agreed that the winner 'of their bout would meet Norton — a condition demanded by the W.B.C. for I sanctioning the Spinks-Ali fight. ! “We had a legal document,” Norton said. “He did not honour that document, ;so he violated the contract and made a mockery of the -W.B.C. and made a mockery of boxing in general. I think they were right in relieving | him of the title. ; “If you have it and you don’t defend it, you lose it.”
' Norton, who lost two previous championship bids,i .against Ali, and George Foreman, said he flet there (would be a controversy as 'to who is the legitimate champion. Losing his title was not the only shock for Spinks at (the week-end. A suburban 'landlord has filed a complaint in court to have Spinks and his wife evicted I from their Philadelphia, apartment for not paying] two months rent.
The complaint, filed on Saturday in municipal court by Mr John Beckell, accused Spinks and his wife, Nobel, of not making two SUS2BO payments on their two-bed-room apartment. A hearing has been scheduled for April 11. Spinks netted SUS3OO,OOO after defeating Ali last month.
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Press, 20 March 1978, Page 30
Word Count
351W.B.C. strips Spinks Press, 20 March 1978, Page 30
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