10
Thursday, March 23, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Norton must earn boxing crown
By DICK WADE Snorts Writer
By DICK WADE
The World Boxing Council's decision to strip Leon Spinks of the heavyweight championship Saturday was, to say the least, a slap in the face of boxing tradition.
The decision, which turned the title over to Ken Norton, was made on the grounds that Spinks had dealt in bad faith with the WBC by avoiding top-ranked Norton.
Spinks won the title from Muhammad Ali Feb. 15 in a 15 round split decision, sanctioned by both the WBC and the World Boxing Association. But in keeping with boxing tradition and tradition, Spinks made his first defense against Al.
THE WBC, which also took the title from Al1 in 1967 when he refused to be drafted into the Army, met during the last week of November in Madrid and ruled that the winner of the bantams skibs would have to wear a 29-year-old Norton in the winner's next title defense.
The ruling was based on the council's belief that Ali was dodging Dongten, who had an elimination bout against Jimmy Young Nov. 5. For the title fight to be sanctioned by the WBC, both Ali and Spinks had to sign a statement that agreed to the ruling.
However, Top Rank Ink, which promoted the fight, has charged that the agreement was unconstitutional. Both Spinks and Top Rank plan to file suit against the WBC.
The first, March 1974, was a first-round knockout at the hands of George Foreman. The other fight was against Ali, who regained the title from Foreman in October 1974. Norton (2-0) lost to Ali in 1974 but lost their first rematch, his last title fight against Ali on a decision.
There also is some difficulty in understanding why Norton was given the title. After all, he has fought and lost two title fights in his career.
DESPITE THE fact that Norton has fought only two of the top six boxers currently ranked in the ring, he fight alive by saying that his won bout against Al early last year. That fight was labeled a "controversial" decision by Norton and some of the counterparts.
Jose Sulaiman, WBC president, said recently that Norton would have to make his first title defense against the highest ranked opponent who was available.
The top two contenders are Spinks and Ali, but because they are planning a return fight later this year, they will not be available.
The No. 3 contender is Jimmy Young, but Suliman said Young would not be a contender.
THAT LEAVES THE No. 4 and 5 contenders, Ernie Shavers and Ray Holmes, who are scheduled to fight Saturday. The winner should get a shot at Norton.
Norton's 15-ring split decision over Young in November a title bout, and they do not return to the court.
Sulaiman's logic in these matters raises interesting questions and sets the stage for some precarious situations in the heavywield division.
For instance, why should Norton be exempted from fighting Young simply because of the term "army"; not the term that long ago that Ali last defeated Norton. Also, Norton had his chances at Al and lost two out of three fights, even if the last one was "concluded."
And in terms of controversy, a strong argument could be made against the decision that gave Nixon a victory over Young. Is it possible that If young had been given the decision, the WBC would have the extremes for him? It is doubtful.
The WBC may be digging its own grave if it infiltrates the skin, getting past fast tissue and fighting outside. North Carolina is one.
USING "SULAIMAN logic," All would then be the heavyweight champion of both the WBA and WBC in light of his recent victory over Shavers.
There is nothing unreasonable about Ali's
request and Spinks' decision on a rematch. All granted Sonny Liston a rematch after beating him. It is a matter of courtesy and tradition in the boxing world.
And the heavyweight division will not be helped by the fact that there are two champions. It will create more title fights and thus lower the fighters' purses.
No one has done more for boxing and boxers than Ali since he burst onto the heavyweight scene with a dramatic victory over Lionton in 1964.
It is difficult not to respect Ali's air ability. He has the fastest hands in heavyweight history and a mind to match. He is more than generous of his spoils to charities.
HIS PERSONALITY and boxing style have brought him both fans and enemies, and he has caused the league to weagre over his skills and allied the bank of because of Ail, and the footwork he has made so famous brought success to a young and experienced U.S. boxing team at the age of 16.
All, now 36, deserves the first shot at the title. Despite Norton's apparent run of bad luck, he has a lot more time left in his career as the boxing wizard wounds another chance to Ali.
"We want to ascertain the party or parties knowingly involved in the violations, and we want to perfect our record-keeping and ensure that so similar violations will not recurrent."
Two swimmers in NCAA meet
David Estes, Bartlesville, Oka, junior, and Steve Graves, Wichita freshman, will lead the Jayhawks to the 1978 Big Eight Championship in his first year at Kansas, made the trip to Long Beach with Estes and
The University of Kansas will be represented by two swimmers in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, which today begin in Long Beach, Calif.
Estes will swim the 200-yard butterfly and
swim the 200-yard and 400-yard
individual medley.
"Since that time, Robert Snell, the K-State faculty representative to the Big Eight, and K-State Athletic Director Jersey Jermier have provided considerable information and assistance to the conference in its preliminary investigation.
"As a result of that investigation, K-State was placed on probation and asked to continue."
THREE WEERKS AGO Estees and Graves were the winners of those events at the Big Eight Championships at Lincoln, Neb., their times qualified them for national
+4.85A1 swimmer from KU to score at the NCAA championship was Tom Kempj, who captained the team.
Estes won the butterfly event with a time of 1:50.89. He had previously set a Big Eight record in a preliminary round by splashing to a 1:50.89 mark. Estes went to national competition last year in the same event but failed to advance to the final round.
Graves, who will be concluding a sensational rookie campaign at KU, set a Big Eight record in the 200-year individual medley with a time of 1.53.54. His winning time in the 400-year individual medley was 4.02.91.
Graves narrowly missed qualifying in a third event at the NCAA championships. His time in the 200-year breaststroke, which he also won at the Big Eight meet, was three-tenths of a second away from national qualifying time.
"In late December, we discussed with the Big Eight Conference our discovery and our self-imposed limitation. We told them we would cooperate fully in an investigation.
Big Eight slaps Kansas State with probation
"When we interviewed Jim Dickey for the position of head coach at K-STA, we made it a condition of his employment that he be selected from 17 players to scholarship this year.
Acker, in a telephone interview from his office, said the terms and length of the probation would be decided at the Big Eight's May meeting.
Dick Haines, a K-State spokesman who read a statement from Acker that announced the probation, said Ellis Rainier was coach and has coach at the time the violations occurred.
K-State conducted a preliminary investigation leading to the probation and will continue the investigation, Acker said in the statement.
"IN EARLY December, when we became aware of the violation, we recognized that we should limit the number of 1978 football recruits to 17." Acker said.
Acker would not say how the additional energy was powered. They were dislocated in December.
ROTC
ASKED WHETHER action against the school by the National Collegiate Athletic Association was precluded by the conference action, Acker said, "We're dealing at this point only with the conference. There is nothing precluded as far as I know."
"I think both Steve and David have a pretty good chance of scoring." Spahn said.
"Both have had good workouts since the Big Eight meet and both of them have time goals to shoot for that they didn't make at the Big Eight championships.
1,650-yard freestyle as a freshman in the 1971 meet.
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