What's Your Thoughts on Kenny Norton?

ATG against certain styles, even against other ATGs, but mediocre against certain styles, even against mediocre opponents.

 

Very good contender in his context. Fourth or fifth best guy of his era, which puts him close to @George Crowcroft's matching him up to Povetkin.

 

Better than Povetkin. (G)

Norton is the ultimate ‘styles make fights’ guy imo — put him in with Ali/Holmes/Young for 100 rounds each and it probably ends up 51-49 with us debating who got the better of it. (I had Holmes and Young edging him — he definitely won the first Ali fight and I gave Muhammad the edge in the second and third. But razor close.)

I think people make too much of his chin — getting KO’d by Foreman and Shavers could happen to anyone, and Cooney too, although Kenny was past his best by that time.

People say he couldn’t fight on the back foot and it definitely wasn’t his strength — and he sure wasn’t a dancing bear — but there are plenty of fights where he gave ground and was still effective.

I think he gives fits to a lot of ATGs (he did to Ali and Holmes, so there is no argument there) but some would probably overpower him. If he fought a rogue’s gallery of ATGs, however, I’d be willing to bet he pulled a few surprises out of his hat.

Also, he was a well-spoken, intelligent guy. Really good on color commentary.

 

He'd get spanked by Povetkin.

He did well against light hitting guys or guys that were smaller than him but a high volume, hard hitting big dude that takes him on up close is going to smash that paper mandible up.

 

Norton was a very good fighter--but ultimately not championship level. Partly it was the era he fought in, which was truly the golden age of heavyweights. And partly because he really didn't have a "special" characteristic, like a great jab, hook, right hand, etc.

I think Norton's legacy really gets bolstered from his fights against Ali. (Which was a classic case of "styles make fights" --Norton's cross arm defense and rather unorthodox style always gave Ali fits.)

Similar to Jerry Quarry--there were simply other fighters better than he was.

PS--100% agree that Kenny Norton was an OUTSTANDING TV analyst! I thoroughly enjoyed his commentary--in his own way almost as good as Gil Clancy!!

 

I was expecting to see Povetkin come up

 

Overrated AF who only knew how to fight one way and didn't have the tools to adapt if you force him out of his style. He really only had any success against light hitting backfoot boxers and even then only beat Ali clearly in the 1st fight. Holmes beat him clearly and the other fights were close. Anyone with power who could force him on the backfoot would ice him (Povetkin included). Overall his reputation as a good fighters is just a product of Ali worship he must be good because he beat Ali rather then objectively assessing his skills and how good he really was. But that's just my thoughts.

 

I’ve said before that it’s hard for me to rate him objectively because I was a fanboy in the 1970s and he disappointed me so many times.

 

I mean he beat what most of what you call the GOAT 3 out of 3 times. Outworked Ali and won more rounds than him

He obviously struggled with elite punchers and that is what it is.

 

Great against pure boxers, not great against punchers.

He'd probably get knocked out by Bakole or AJ, but give Usyk or Fury all they could handle.

Against the right opponent, he looked like an ATG.

 

AJ probably takes him out but Bakole is too cumbersome at his current weight to catch up to him IMO. He might even take AJ's confidence away with his workrate and technical skill. So that 1 isn't certain

I don't think with the size difference he can bother Fury too much. But I do think he gives Usyk a hard fight that he ultimately loses.

 

Norton had issues with guys who came forward and pushed him back. That's the only thing Bakole does. On top of that, Norton shuffled around like a crab and didn't have the in-ring foot speed to keep away from Bakole.

Imo, Norton went 2-0-1 against Ali, possible 3-0, and would definitely have won at least one against Holmes in a trilogy. I feel real good matching him up with pure boxers. I think he'd cause Fury problems.