Holmes Takes Title From Norton on a Split decision

Holmes Takes Title From
Norton on a Split decision
__________________

Challenger's Jabs
Take Toll

By MICHAEL KATZ
special to The New York Times

LAS VEGAS, Nev., June 9--The title they fought for was controversial and so was Larry Holme's decision over Ken Norton tonight that made the undefeated Holmes the new heavyweight champion, according to the World Boxing Council.
    But there was no question that the two best heavyweights in the world--a controversial but majority opinion among boxing people--staged one of the great fights in recent history before a Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion audience and perhaps 40 million television viewers.
    Holmes, the 28-year-old boxer from Easton, Pa., who has patterned his style on that of a former sparring partner, Muhammad Ali, took an early lead and, because he managed to remain on his feet during a furious 15th-round assault, won by the narrowest of margins. On all three official cards, the fight was even going into the final round.
    "I thought I won the fight," said Norton, who dropped a similar split decision to Ali in September 1976, when the title belonged to one boxer and not two. "But you can't buck the judges."
    Holmes had no immediate comment after the fight and disappeared from his dressing room after almost passing out in front of the television cameras. He later appeared in the interview room after a dip in the hotel pool.
    Holmes had reason to be exhausted. He had just gone 15 grueling rounds with one of the hardest punchers in the division. The fight was so exciting that Jose Sulaiman, the WBC president so instrumental in withdrawing recognition from Leon Spinks for giving Ali an "illegal" rematch, said he would "definitely" recommend that the rematch restriction be waived.
    "I would take a vote of the council," said Sulaiman, "if promoters request that. This was one of the best heavyweight fights in a long long time."
    Spinks, who dethroned Ali last Feb. 15, lost WBC recognition for giving Ali a rematch instead of giving Norton, then the No. 1 contender, a title shot. The Ali-Spinks bout is scheduled for Sept. 15 at New Orleans.

The New York Times-June 10, 1978

Norton	The Official Scoring	Holmes
143	Harold Buck	144
144	Lou Tabot	143
143	Joe Swessel	144


	KEN NORTON World Heavyweight Champion LOS ANGELES, CALIF.	DIRECT FROM CASAERS PALACE LAS VEGAS, NEVADA	LARRY HOLMES Undefeated No. 2 Contender EASTON, PA.