R.I.P. Ken Norton

[horses4courses]

Great heavyweight boxer from an era rich with talent:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/09/18/223875915/ken-norton-sr-heavyweight-fighter-who-beat-ali-dies?ft=1&f=103943429&utm_campaign=nprnews&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=twitter

[PaceAdvantage]

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[ronsmac]

One of those fighters who didn't really do anything great, but did a lot of things pretty good. As a little kid, he was my best friends favorite fighter.

[Overlay]

The only heavyweight champion who did not win the title in the ring. (He was declared champion by the WBC after Leon Spinks was stripped of the WBC's portion of the title for fighting an unsanctioned rematch against Muhammad Ali following Spinks' huge upset victory in his first fight with Ali.) Norton was then beaten by Larry Holmes in his first "defense" of his WBC title.

[JustRalph]

One of those fighters who didn't really do anything great, but did a lot of things pretty good. As a little kid, he was my best friends favorite fighter.

breaking Ali's jaw in the first round and winning that fight......was pretty great.

That video brings back lots of memories.

[cj's dad]

Most will not remember but that fight was fought in San Diego on a Saturday afternoon and was shown live on Wide World of Sports. Ken Norton; ex marine-great guy. FWIW- Larry Holmes was the best
heavyweight fighter I have ever seen in my lifetime. He had the greatest jab and heart of anyone ever, IMO

This also was not a championship bout.

[Marshall Bennett]

The beating he took from Foreman was brutal. Always felt he didn't have the size to compliment his boxing skills which were very good. Could have easily had the success Floyd Patterson had in a different era.
Rip tough guy.

[wiffleball whizz]

Stupid question but was his son the player who played for sf and used to punch the fg post pads after a td?

[cj]

Stupid question but was his son the player who played for sf and used to punch the fg post pads after a td?

Yes.

[magwell]

The beating he took from Foreman was brutal. Always felt he didn't have the size to compliment his boxing skills which were very good. Could have easily had the success Floyd Patterson had in a different era.
Rip tough guy. Agree 100 % :ThmbUp::ThmbUp::ThmbUp: RIP Ken

[Johnny V]

The beating he took from Foreman was brutal. Always felt he didn't have the size to compliment his boxing skills which were very good. Could have easily had the success Floyd Patterson had in a different era.
Rip tough guy.
Norton was around 6'3" and his weight ranged from 200 to 225 during his ring career. He had the size and the complimentary skills for a big man. Foreman was around the same height and Foreman was 217 when he won the title. Norton was a big enough heavyweight for any era. He fought them all in an era of very good heavyweights and that 15th round with Larry Holmes was about as good as it gets.

[ronsmac]

Oh, and he was absolutely robbed in the 3rd Ali fight. After the 15th round, Ali went back to his corner, head down and a beaten fighter.

[Marshall Bennett]

Norton was around 6'3" and his weight ranged from 200 to 225 during his ring career. He had the size and the complimentary skills for a big man. Foreman was around the same height and Foreman was 217 when he won the title. Norton was a big enough heavyweight for any era. He fought them all in an era of very good heavyweights and that 15th round with Larry Holmes was about as good as it gets.
Go back and watch the Foreman/Norton fight. Foreman's arms appeared twice the size of Nortons. He was a bigger stronger man and that's why Norton had little chance against him. I've never put a lot into weigh-ins, it seldom attest to the true build of a fighter. Liston looked like a monster next to Clay (Ali), but only 5 lbs. separated them when they fought.

[Johnny V]

Norton lost to Foreman because styles make fights and one thing Norton could not do effectively with his stance and style was fight backing up. Foreman would make anyone back up and he hit too hard for Norton.
I had the opportunity to see Norton spar several times with Jimmy Young and other heavyweights. Believe me, he was a big man and had a very chiseled physique. Foreman was 1/4 in taller than Norton and his arm size according to the tale of tape were 1 inch bigger than Norton but Norton had a 3 inch bigger chest than "Big" George.

[precocity]

RIP MR NORTON.

[precocity]

Stupid question but was his son the player who played for sf and used to punch the fg post pads after a td?

norton jr was the only player to three peat with super bowl rings. two with the cowboys back to back then san fran the next year.

[cj]

norton jr was the only player to three peat with super bowl rings. two with the cowboys back to back then san fran the next year.

Hmmmm, interesting. Anybody know the only player to win rings on three different teams?

[kingfin66]

Hmmmm, interesting. Anybody know the only player to win rings on three different teams?

Is it Matt Millen?

[kingfin66]

Most will not remember but that fight was fought in San Diego on a Saturday afternoon and was shown live on Wide World of Sports. Ken Norton; ex marine-great guy. FWIW- Larry Holmes was the best
heavyweight fighter I have ever seen in my lifetime. He had the greatest jab and heart of anyone ever, IMO

This also was not a championship bout.

My dad was stationed with Ken Norton when they were in the Marine Corps. They were good friends back then. My dad has often spoken of what a class guy Ken, Kenny as he called him, was even as a young marine. He was the star of the Marine Corp back then because of his athletic abilities, but was well grounded. There were a lot of marines who became cannon fodder for him in the ring when he needed sparring partners. My dad got to be one of them despite being 5'9" and 150 lbs.

[cj]

Is it Matt Millen?

Yep, that is him. He actually won in four different cities: Oakland, LA, SF, Wash.