Ken Norton's power

Maybe just off of eight. If he were a welterweight, he'd be closer to Cotto than Hearns. He punches with such consistently hard punches that he punishes at a high level but his light switching ability is just shy of that 8-10 group of being referred to as directly "a puncher" who gets afforded the "puncher's chance" when that term is normally used. So, I agree that the 7-8 region is accurate but let's say with decimals it's 7.8. Because seven eight nine and six was scared.

 

Whatever you rate Frazier. Nortons problem was he wasn't Shavers, Foreman or Lyle. He was good enough to basically beat Ali, Jimmy Young and Holmes and not powerful to knock them out. But this would be true of Frazier as well if he'd fought all 3. It'd be true of most big punchers.

Frazier just got to go a rampage in the late 60s and develop a reputation while Norton never had a reign and Nortons 30-1 start to his career was as padded as they came back then. Nortons knockouts between Kirkman and Zanon showed what such a reign could have looked like though. Kirkman, Quarry, Garcia, Lovell, Stander, Middletown, Bobick, Zanon. That is a very nice set of 8 title level KOs most of which weren't even for the NABF because it was the 70s.

 

Harder than some give him credit for.

 

What's up, BE? I'd say 8.0. He operated at the highest level of heavyweights.

 

He also said, "Cooney hit hard with that hook...but between him and Norton, I like Norton."

 

True that.

Larry also said that, against Tyson, he could’ve gotten up after the last KD but saw no point in doing same.

I don’t think Larry was thinking of too much at all as he lay inert on the canvas. A scary KO to say the least.

If there’s a fighter who has been subject to some undue, very negatively prejudiced first hand testimonials, I would say that fighter is Mike Tyson.

The things Tillis had to say about Mike were absolute bull****.

I’m pretty sure that at least as one time. Tillis did admit that Tyson was the hardest puncher he’d ever faced (alone or at equal) - and of course that was subsequent to Quick’s fight vs Earnie Shavers.

 

I’d say 8.0 for Kenny.

A bit like his stablemate, Norton could build up some steam, getting maximum leverage on his shots.

As I see it, Norton hurt Ali pretty badly on a number of occasions. No mean feat whatsoever.

 

Def. something that someone shouldn’t shout from the rooftops.

Poor Larry, living in the shadow saw him say some not so prudent things.

He also claimed that he got the better of his sparring sessions with Ali - while admitting at the same time that Ali would voluntarily lay back and let Larry wail on him (hello, rope a dope).

 

Did he brag about it?

That surprises me somewhat. I thought Larry looked at it as something he had to do. The $ but also so he wouldn't have to hear how he was scared to fight Ali. The knuckleheads wouldn't have let up.

I recall a quote from Holmes I think from Hauser's book where he said

"I'm more proud of sparring with him when he was young than beating him when he was old."

 

Very underrated as a puncher, I’d describe him as a puncher, which many may not.

That overhand right had 1 punch KO power. IMO, he punches much harder than a Witherspoon, I’d compare Norton’s 1 punch KO power to a Coetzee or a Weaver or something, obviously more skilled.

 

8, maybe even 8.5.

Underrated.

 

A good level puncher. Could hurt most heavyweights put in front of him, with a variety of punches. Only fighters with an Ollie McCall level style chin would be able to shrug off his shots. Everyone else would be vulnerable, hurt or discombobulated to some degree.

 

An 8 seems right ... Tex Cobb said in their fight once or twice Ken hit him as hard as anyone did .. he shook up Ali and Holmes ... the bombs he hit a faded Quarry with were painful to watch ... his crushing of Bobick speaks for itself ...

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