On This Date in Sports March 31, 1973: Jawbreaker
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Muhammad Ali sufferers the second loss of his career, as Ken Norton gets a 12-round split decision win at San Diego Sports Arena. Norton was able to hurt Ali, breaking his jaw in the third round. Somehow, Muhammad Ali was able to go another ten rounds after the injury and according to some deserved to win the fight. The two would meet again six months later with Ali winning a split decision.
After suffering the first loss of his career to Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971, Muhammad Ali worked hard to get another chance at the heavyweight championship. Over a two-year period, Ali won ten fights, heading into a challenge against Ken Norton who was an up and coming star in the heavyweight division.
Ken Norton was born August 9, 1943, in Jacksonville, Illinois. A multisport athlete Norton went to Northeast Missouri State on a football scholarship. A graduating Ken Norton enlisted in the Marines, where he took up boxing. While in the U.S. Marine Corpse Norton golden gloves titles, becoming the most successful boxer in the history or the Corpse. Norton turned professional after leaving the Marines in 1967. Norton won his first 16 bouts but suffered a knockout at the hands of Jose Luis Garcia in 1970. He would recover to win the next 14 fights and went into a career-making fight with Muhammad Ali with a record of 30-1.
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The fight between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton was aired on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Ali who had the North American Boxing Federation title was considered the #1 contender for the heavyweight title recently won by George Foreman. Ali a 5-1 favorite was expected to win easily and go on to fight for the heavyweight title entered the ring wearing a robe that was given to him by Elvis Presley. Norton who had yet to become a household name took control of the fight early landing a hard punch that hurt Ali. There is no indication when it happened, Angelo Dundee thinks it could have been as early as the third round, but Ken Norton broke Muhammad Ali’s jaw. The fight would go the full 12 rounds as Ken Norton getting a split decision win.
Muhammad Ali with his jaw wired shut claimed he was the true winner of the fight and demanded a rematch with Ken Norton. They would fight again on September 10, 1973. Ali in the best shape of his career by some observations would enact revenge winning a split decision at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
Despite the win over Norton in the rematch, Muhammad Ali had to wait for another shot at the heavyweight title, as George Foreman knocked out Norton on March 26, 1974. Ali meanwhile won a rematch against Joe Frazier before finally getting his chance when he beat Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle on October 30, 1974. Two years later Ali would fight Norton for a third time, retaining the heavyweight title in a unanimous decision at Yankee Stadium on September 28, 1976.