Layne would be all wrong for Norton. If this fight happens at Layne's brief peak, then I would call it for him and risk being proved wrong.
I agree with this a prime Layne took Bob Satterfields best and stopped Bob, I do not thin Norton would be able to stop Layne or endure his power
Norton is the bigger, stronger and better boxer as far as I'm concerned. Looking at the 13th round against Holmes, you'd think Norton had an iron chin, so him getting put out by the odd punch that lands is not necessarily guaranteed. Layne was a very good mauler and a spoiler but Norton would welcome his aggressiveness as he could go shoulder-to-shoulder, defending from Layne's sweeping punches with the cross-armed defense, and blast him with own, faster combinations. Layne would be troubling with his gritty, hard-working style, occasionally having his moments when he is able to push Norton against the ropes, but I think it would be Norton doing most of the landing due to Layne's poor defense.
Rex didn't have the crushing power needed to intimidate and freeze Norton. I think Layne would commit to attacking and placing Ken on the back foot or against the ropes, but Norton was capable of performing competently in those situations. Guys like Cobb, Stander and Jerry Quarry discovered it wasn't that simple, that it was necessary to be able to inflict serious and sudden hurt on Ken. Marciano decimated Rex with vastly superior hand speed. I think Norton would pick him apart en route to a late stoppage, possibly on cuts, with a few KDs thrown in for good measure. To win, Layne would have to stop Ken. I just don't see it. Did Rex ever confront Norton's peculiar brand of unorthodoxy? (A different brand from Walcott's.) I just don't see Layne handling it well.
Layne beat Walcott, and 3 other top 10 fighters before Marciano bout. A guuy had ot beat a lot of people just to get shot. The Layne who beat Walcott and others beats Norton.
The footage of his stoppage of the vulnerable Satterfield makes it clear Rex had very respectable power Suz, but who was the best opponent he stopped after Bombardier Bob? JQ still retained very good power when he unloaded everything he had on Ken in a torrid third round assault to no avail. Stander and Kirkman were also decent punchers, and I think much more closely in line with the kind of punch Layne carried than the lethal Cooney, Shavers and Foreman. Norton withstood some good shots in the Garcia rematch. He also absorbed some decent shots from Holmes and Ali, who had the skills to land effectively. Did Layne carry the kind of power Lyle, Knoetze, Coetzee (the Ingo of his era), and Mercado possessed? I don't believe it even measures up to that of Weaver and Tate. LeDoux might be comparable to Layne in the power department, and I thought Ken beat Scott handily despite the precipitous fade at the end.
Hmmmmmmmmmm. If Layne only hit like LeDoux, then I can't see even an old Louis being wary of his power.