Which boxer defeated Muhammad Ali in 1973?

Ken Norton defeated Muhammad Ali in 1973. Their first meeting took place on March 31 at San Diego Sports Arena, with Norton winning a 15-round split decision for the NABF heavyweight title.

Norton entered the bout as a respected contender, but Ali underestimated his awkward style. Norton jabbed from unusual angles and used a cross-armed defense that made him difficult to hit cleanly. Ali later said he had not trained properly and acknowledged that Norton had been the better man that night.

The fight was especially significant because Ali suffered a broken jaw during the contest. Norton’s victory made him a major heavyweight contender and began a three-fight rivalry. In their September rematch, Ali won a close split decision, and Ali also took the third bout in 1976 by unanimous decision.

A common mix-up is to name Joe Frazier, who defeated Ali in 1971, or Leon Spinks, who beat him in 1978. Norton is the correct answer specifically for Ali’s 1973 loss.