After his huge upset over Muhammad Ali on March 31, 1973, a rematch was signed for September 10 at the Forum in Los Angeles. I didn’t see the bout on closed circuit, but settled for newspaper clippings, and the replay on ABC not long after. Ali came in lighter for the rematch, but barely won a split decision. The ex-champion was back on track in his quest for a shot at the title, but Norton would beat him to it.
Despite the narrow loss, Ken agreed to fight ‘Big’ George Foreman in Caracas, Venezuela on March 26, 1974. George had clobbered Joe Frazier to win the championship in January of 1973, and was an imposing and powerful fighter. The big fights were always on closed circuit, so again I had to settle for the replay weeks later. The fight itself was a blowout. George hurt Norton at will, and disposed of him in two quick rounds. Foreman seemed invincible at this point, easily knocking out a fighter who just went 24 rounds with Muhammad Ali.
After taking three months off, Ken began his comeback with a seventh round TKO of Boone Kirkman in Seattle, Washington on June 25. Norton was out of the ring for over eight months after the win, and didn’t fight again until March 4, 1975 in Oklahoma City, where he knocked out a guy named Rico Brooks in one round. Brooks was making his professional debut, so Norton couldn’t have taken an easier fight that that.
Three weeks later, he actually fought a real opponent, the tough veteran Jerry Quarry at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Ken won with a fight round TKO, and was now setting his sights on another shot at the title, this time against Muhammad Ali. Four more wins between August of 1975 and July of 1976 earned him that shot, and he signed to fight Ali for the third time on September 28, 1976 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Ken trained like never before, and entered the ring that night determined to take home the belt. Ali was shopworn at 34 years of age, and was noticeably slower and less motivated. Norton would be his first tough fight in a year, since Ali’s war with Joe Frazier in Manila.
I only saw the replay of this fight on CBS weeks later, and to me the bout was close. Norton was the aggressor, and hurt Ali to the body badly. Ali boxed the last round to get the decision win, but you could make a case that Norton got robbed. Look at Ali’s face when the decision was announced that night, and it was one of relief. Ali was boxing at the time, and the sport could not afford to lose it’s face. Norton was crushed by the defeat. and literally cried like a baby in his locker room after the bout. In my personal opinion, Norton got the shaft, but with Ali and politics involved, there was no way he was going home with Ali’s belt that early fall night in 1976.
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