A NIGHT L.A. BECAME HEAVY-DUTY 30 YEARS AGO, ALI-NORTON II HAD FIGHT WORLD ABUZZ.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Assistant Sports Editor 

For Muhammad Ali, losing this fight wasn't an option. The former heavyweight champ, 31 at the time, had lost a decision to Ken Norton in his previous fight and another loss would spoil any chance he'd have to meet George Foreman for the title.

For Norton, it was a chance to prove his victory six months earlier was no fluke, that he belonged in the class of fighters who comprised what is now affectionately known as the ``Golden Era of Heavyweights.''

And for Los Angeles, a town that had always embraced little fighters, it was a rare opportunity to play host to the big boys.

Ali-Norton II took place Sept. 10, 1973, at the sparkling, 6-year-old Forum in Inglewood - the last truly major heavyweight fight in Los Angeles before Lennox Lewis defends his championship against Vitali Klitschko on Saturday at Staples Center.

``Was this a big fight? Hell yes,'' said Angelo Dundee, Ali's career-long trainer. ``Muhammad was Muhammad and people started to realize, `Hey, (Norton) is for real.' This was a fight.''

Norton, 30, was known more for his body-builder physique than his accomplishments - before his first fight with Ali, that is.

In that fight, on March 31, 1973 in Norton's hometown of San Diego, Ali's jaw was broken at some point - Ali says the second round, Norton swears it was the 12th and final round.

Norton won a split decision to emerge as a major player in the sport. Ali, although he lost, gained renewed respect for his courage.

Of course, Ali wanted an immediate rematch and Norton felt he had no choice but to give him one.

``One thing was the money,'' said Norton, now a resident of Dana Point. ``No. 2, I had to show him I had no fear of him. And, three, if I hadn't given him the rematch, can you imagine what the press and public would've said?''

So, several months later, a rematch began to come together.

Promoter Bob Arum, who worked with Ali, decided Los Angeles was the ideal site because the first fight in San Diego had done so well. The bigger city to the north and a new arena, he figured, would provide an even more compelling backdrop for such a compelling fight.

Arum called the office of Lakers, Kings and Forum owner Jack Kent Cooke, with whom he'd worked on fights in the past, and suggested Cooke make a bid to stage the event in his building. Cooke liked the idea.

``The guy who promoted the first fight (Lee Fruin) had an option for the rematch but had financial problems,'' said Don Fraser, Cooke's boxing promoter. ``Arum told me, `You could get the fight if you move fast.' Norton's people said he'd do the rematch but he wanted $50,000 up front in the event Ali couldn't fight for whatever reason.

``Cooke called the bank and within hours I was on a plane to New York with Norton and Arum was delivering Ali to a press conference to announce the fight.''

This time, a different Ali showed up to fight in front of 12,100 fans at the Forum. More fit and more focused, as he was in all rematches in his career, he was determined to right a wrong.

However, Norton, proud and fearless, proved the first fight was no aberration. As Dundee said, his aggressiveness and awkward, no-rhythm style and peekaboo defense would pose problems for Ali ``if they fought 100 times.''

Still, Ali, much more active than in the first fight, did enough to impress the judges and take a split decision this time. Fraser said Ali pulled out the fight by winning the final round.

``It was still a tough fight,'' Dundee said. ``My guy was more prepared, though. With my guy, if you got him mentally prepared, he worked very hard. He was tough to beat.''

Norton believes he won all three of his meetings with Ali - they fought again in 1976 in New York, Ali winning by a unanimous decision.

Norton attributed the judges' decisions in part to Ali's reputation. In other words, if Ali lost, boxing would suffer.

Norton said he harbors no bitterness.

``I was really (upset) at the time,'' he said. ``It doesn't bother me today, though, because I understand why. ... Ali was the man back then. I was like everyone else: I was a bit in awe of him. He was so colorful, the king of kings. I think he was the reason boxers make so much money today, him and (Howard) Cosell and (Don) King.

``I think it was an honor that a promoter even thought I was in the same class as him.''

The promotion was either moderately successful or a flop even with Ali on the card, depending on whom you talk to.

The crowd that night fell far short of capacity, which Arum attributed to a simple fact: ``L.A. just isn't a heavyweight town.'' That no championship was at stake also might've played a role.

At the same time, the gross gate of $548,000 set a record in California and it was an entertaining fight, evidence to Fraser that the promotion was hardly a disaster.

Either way, the fight was extremely important in terms of history.

It put Ali in position to outpoint Joe Frazier and avenge the first loss in his career two fights later in New York and, in his next fight, stun the world by knocking out the seemingly unbeatable Foreman in eight rounds in Zaire to cement his legend in boxing and beyond.

And Norton's performance, even in defeat, removed any doubt about his ability. He bravely proved that he was among the best heavyweights in the best era in heavyweight history.

``Those fights were the highlights of my career,'' Norton said. ``No one except me and my corner expected me to do what I did. I was matched against the biggest thing around in those days in boxing and stood toe-to-toe with him in three fights.

``To me, that was the ultimate.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Muhammad Ali, right, jolts Ken Norton with an overhead right as he takes a left during their September 1973 fight at the Forum.

(2) Ken Norton, right, goes to the body against Muhammad Ali during Norton's split-decision victory in San Diego in March 1973. That set up a rematch at the Forum six months later.

Associated Press File Photo

Box:

LEWIS vs. KLITSCHKO (see text)