Tommy Morrison vs Ken Norton

This is a fascinating matchup! Had to mull this one over pretty thoroughly but ultimately I would give Morrison (at his peak) the nod. I think there's a better chance of Morrison tagging Norton with a heavy shot then proceeding to finish him off as opposed to Norton outpointing Morrison for a decision or late stoppage.

 

A 190 pound Jose Luis Garcia knocked out Prime Ken Norton.

Tommy Morrison Flatlines Norton in 1 round.

Norton is NOT surviving that early onslaught.

 

Morrison by obliteration in 1.

 

Morrison early or Norton by UD or TKO, one very rare case where I would not pick a winner.

 

I recall Tommy going life and death with a way past prime and even less durable fighter than Norton in Carl Williams. Tommy’s own crap chin saw him floored once before Williams folded.

And the plodding ordinary Joe Hipp busted Morrison’s jaw and gave Tommy fits in a fight Morrison was heavily favoured to win. Norton was leagues better than Joe Hipp.

The thought of a limited guy like Morrison blasting out early a fit, conditioned, talented and skilled fighter like Kenny doesnt sound very plausible to me. Actually a Norton beat down and stoppage of Morrison ala the Quarry fight is what I’d expect to happen.

 

Either one could take out the other early … if I had to bet I think Morrison would start smart , find his opening and stop him …

 

A novice boxer named Bentt flatlined Morrison in Morrison's prime, not a green Morrison but a Morrison at his very best.

And Norton had one recognized victory over the greatest heavyweight ever, and really won all three contests.

 

Unfortunately Ali didn't have the explosive knockout power needed to wipe out Norton in a single rnd.

Tommy Morrison does.

 

Who's the best fighter Tommy ever KO'd? Getting a favorable ref stoppage against a retired, used-up Razor Ruddock?

 

Norton's cross-arm defense, while effective against jab-reliant boxers like Ali, left him open to Uppercuts and Hooks, which were Morrison's primary weapons.

This fight has 1st round knockout written all over it.

 

Well, we agree on one thing.

 

Tommy Morrison - ( 19 ) 1st round knockouts.

Ken Norton - ( 2 ) 1st round knockouts.

 

I have not changed my mind in the two years since my first answer. Norton had his flaws but he was historically elite and Tommy Morrison was not, he’s put on a pedestal because this place still gravitates to big punchers and because of his looks and aura and, I’ll go there, the demographic box he checked. (Which for the record is the same demographic box I check.)

IMO he’s not close to being one of the 50 greatest heavyweights ever and would not be remotely competitive with any of the heavyweight lions of Norton’s era, I would daresay he would have had significant issues with two people who I have long asserted on this forum are also horribly overrated, Ron Lyle and Jimmy Young. I don’t think he possessed the skills … which included way more than punching power … that allowed the people who took out Norton to back him up.

 

If Norton had the line-up of cans that Morrison did, he would have 30 1st round KO's. Such luminaries as...

Debuting William Muhammad
Debuting Tony Dewar
1-10 Joe Adams
2-1 Elvin Evans
0-2 Mike Foley
0-11 Alan Jamison
5-0 Mike McGrady
19-16 Rick Enis
20-17 Dave Jaco
16-14 Harry Terrell
16-5 Charles Hostetter
12-5 Mike Acey
1-4 in his last 5 Pinky Thomas
3-6 in his last 9 Quick Tillis
1-8 in his last 9 Ladislao Mijangos
2-5 in his last 7 Marshall Tillman
The GREAT Ken Merritt at some unlicensed State Fair

That's the stuff of legend.

 

I think this is a bad style match up for Norton.

Morrison is a big stocky aggressive Heavyweight with 1 punch KO power.

I think Norton gets tagged early and gets taken out Norton would freeze when he got hurt and couldn't recover.

Morrison had a below average chin yes but he has shown he can comeback from being badly hurt unlike Norton.

I think Morrison wins by early stoppage.