Just How Great a Heavyweight Was Ken Norton?

I agree completely with Klompton’s assessment. Norton is overrated. I thought Holmes beat him cleanly and should not have needed the 15th round for the win. And the Young bout could of gone either way.
He couldn’t fight going backwards, and he couldn’t escape when hurt.
A good fighter not a great one. However beating Ali twice can’t not be written off. Top 40 for me in division

 

Chuck1052 said it best.

Very good against boxers and very bad against punchers.

 

Somewhere in top 50 all-time. Average contender.

 

He was trouble for guys sort of like Barkley was trouble. but I don't see him as a great. I could be wrong.

 

all time 50? I could not rate him that high. That is a high ranking if you see the names near that level.

 

Name 50 heavyweights better than Norton

 

That would be easy. I am not going to rank a guy who fought great against Ali top 50 in any list. I was actually talking about all time list p4p which I thought the guy said, but in reality even at heavyweight. What did he do? Get knocked out by Foreman, Shavers and Cooney? This is not a popularity contest or what stage he did well in. Do we rank Barkley as a great?

 

I don't know. I think you guys rank guys on popularity rather than skills or accomplishments.I am not a follower. I have to rank how I feel. If the whole world wants to rank Kenny Norton as top 20 heavyweight. That is fine. Where is Cooney ranked then? Shavers?

 

Holmes went into that fight with a torn left biceps muscle so calling him prime is innacurate.imo

 

A very ,very good fighter ,just not a ATG I'm afraid .He must have being good to get the W over Ali and then take him close twice .And to give Holmes absolute hell took a lot of guts ,but as we know ,for what ever reason he couldn't hang long with the bangers .But up against a guy like Ali ,the warrior came out fighting .

 

If you can name 50 better heavyweights than Norton boxing may not be your thing. Everyone is talking heavyweight lists.

We can't pretend he doesn't have a win over Ali or that it doesn't count. The guy was a corpse by the time Cooney ko'd him. Foreman obliterated an ATG and no doubt would beat plenty more at the time he hammered Ken. The guy was almost 36 even when Shavers beat him.

Norton is one level below great but he's very good. Did Barkley beat the GOAT middleweight? Did he run another top 7 ATG Middleweight close?

 

Did Cooney beat the GOAT let alone a genuine top 10 contender at any point? Did Shavers beat the GOAT? Do you rate Barkley ahead of Hearns?

44 fights deep at an age of 34 Norton only had two disputed losses to Ali, the KO to Foreman and an avenged loss to Garcia. Not much wrong on the L ledger right there.