Terry Norris vs. Ralph Ward

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Terry Norris 155 lbs beat Ralph Ward 157 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10


Norris Pitches 10 Rounds Of Shutout Boxing
By Bernard Fernandez
The Philadelphia Daily News
May 24, 1989


ATLANTIC CITY — Everyone agreed that it was Terry Norris's most impressive performance since, uh, his last time out.

"That's the thing about Terry," Norris's co-trainer, Abel Sanchez, said after the North American Boxing Federation middleweight champion pitched a 10- round shutout at Ralph Ward last night at the Showboat Hotel & Casino. "He just keeps getting better."

Off recent performances, there wouldn't seem to be much room for improvement for the San Diego-based Norris (21-2, 12 knockouts). In his last two bouts, he has gone 22 rounds. By most accounts, he has won them all. If he keeps it up, he soon will become known as the Orel Hershiser of boxing.

"I wouldn't mind if I won every round of every fight," said Norris, younger brother of NABF heavyweight champ Orlin Norris. "If it comes, I'll keep taking it."

Norris has won eight fights in a row since a disqualification loss to Joe Walker on Nov. 25, 1987, but he really began to heat up a few months ago. Norris retained his NABF title on March 28 with a ridiculously easy, 12-round decision over Philadelphia's Buster Drayton, the former International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champ. Norris had winning margins of 13 points on two scorecards, 11 points on the third.

Ward (11-3, 3 KOs), a last-minute replacement for Joaquin Velasquez, fared no better than Drayton had. The Atlantic City resident was knocked down only once in the non-title bout, in the third round, but he frequently was in danger of going down. The only significant damage Ward inflicted during the bout came in the ninth round, when he opened a nick over Norris's left eye with a butt.

Judges Frank Cairo and Eugene Grant each gave Norris the decision by a lopsided 100-88. Judge Phil Newman, perhaps impressed by Ward's ability to absorb punishment, had it a tad closer at 99-89. Norris won on the Daily News card, 100-89.

According to Sanchez, it actually had been Norris's intent to prolong the fight, the better to prepare for a July 16 title defense on national television against undefeated Derrick Rolon.

"We're not looking to take 'em out quick," Sanchez said. "Terry's a boxer, he's always been a boxer. It doesn't bother him to go the distance."

Norris said he might have opened up more had it not been for Ward's brawling tactics.

"He was trying to butt me, he was swinging his elbows, he was trying everything he could," Norris said. "I guess maybe I could have knocked him out, but there wasn't any need to take unnecessary risks. I got the TV fight with Rolon coming up and, besides, I was doing OK fighting (Ward) the way I was."

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