BoxRec

When Norton beat Ali and broke his jaw...was it as early as the second round?

I remember watching a tape where Ali was asked afterwards "If you knew the jaw was broken would you have continued?"

What was Ali's response? I can't remember word for word...then again, he might have been mumbling.

Broken in the 2nd round according to everyone in Ali's corner - though Norton, I think, always disputed that, saying it happened late in the fight ( for whatever reasons ).

Not sure what Ali said after the fight, but he certainly knew it was broken during the fight - Pacheco told him and Ali replied "Don't stop the fight."

A week later, Ali and Frazier almost came to blows in a studio with Howard Cosell: Frazier made the comment that Ali had had to go to hospital after the Norton fight, Ali exploded calling Joe ignorant - then it was a free for all, with Cosell ducking under a desk, holding tightly onto his hair piece.

Think it was a big right hand as Ali had his back to the ropes, yes, in the second round.

MightyWarrior wrote:Broken in the 2nd round according to everyone in Ali's corner - though Norton, I think, always disputed that, saying it happened late in the fight ( for whatever reasons ).

Not sure what Ali said after the fight, but he certainly knew it was broken during the fight - Pacheco told him and Ali replied "Don't stop the fight."

A week later, Ali and Frazier almost came to blows in a studio with Howard Cosell: Frazier made the comment that Ali had had to go to hospital after the Norton fight, Ali exploded calling Joe ignorant - then it was a free for all, with Cosell ducking under a desk, holding tightly onto his hair piece.

The middle part surprises me here, MW. I've definitely seen footage of Ali in a post-fight interview, very soon after the fight (still in a robe) and an interviewer asks him something like: "If you knew your jaw was broken, would you have continued?"

Ali gives him an incredulous look and says something like "You think I'm crazy? Would I fight on if I knew my jaw was broke? Getting it hit and making it MORE broke? You think I'm a fool?" Was just looking for some accuracy.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Ali gives him an incredulous look and says something like "You think I'm crazy? Would I fight on if I knew my jaw was broke? Getting it hit and making it MORE broke? You think I'm a fool?" Was just looking for some accuracy.

"Are you kidding, man? My jaw is my most valuable career asset (followed closely by these pretty lips of mine) - I would never risk impairing its flappability by having it more broke!"

Eric the Viking wrote:

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Ali gives him an incredulous look and says something like "You think I'm crazy? Would I fight on if I knew my jaw was broke? Getting it hit and making it MORE broke? You think I'm a fool?" Was just looking for some accuracy.

"Are you kidding, man? My jaw is my most valuable career asset (followed closely by these pretty lips of mine) - I would never risk impairing its flappability by having it more broke!"

Verbatim, Erik!

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote: The middle part surprises me here, MW. I've definitely seen footage of Ali in a post-fight interview, very soon after the fight (still in a robe) and an interviewer asks him something like: "If you knew your jaw was broken, would you have continued?"

Ali gives him an incredulous look and says something like "You think I'm crazy? Would I fight on if I knew my jaw was broke? Getting it hit and making it MORE broke? You think I'm a fool?" Was just looking for some accuracy.

That's according to Ferdie Pacheco in Thomas Hauser's book ALI.
Could be his memory is playing tricks on him of course..but the doctor insists he could feel it was broken at the end of the 2nd, and also told Ali during the fight - maybe Ali misheard him....who knows.