forman vs norton...

Norton was a very good boxer, but one major flaw of his was his unwillingness/inability to alter his style very much. He tried backing up against Foreman, but it wasn't enough. To beat a guy like George you've got to move, and despite his vaunted athleticism, Ken wasn't a mover. It was just a matter time before Foreman trapped him and stopped him.

 

Norton was a late starter and was very much at his best going forward. Foreman forced him to fight a style different from his usual ring tactics, and it didn't work out.

 

Kenny did have a successful 1st Round.
He survived.

But you can see he was frightened, like any normal human that would have faced
Big George that night.

 

What is forgotten thru the years is just how many people were picking Kenny to win the bout. Lots of people didn't like, but loved the Norton chances. I thought it was another destruction, but lots of folks were picking the upset and I wondered what they saw I didn't.

Hindsight shows Kenny not doing well when backing up. The problem is George was the first guy to expose the flaw. There was no simple to interpret computer printout on how to beat Norton at that time. None of the Kenny doesn't beat the punchers conclusions.

After the Foreman fight there sure was.

I love the way Foreman cuts off the ring on the guy. Foreman is usually looked at as a crude brawler in his first career but he definately put opponents exactly where he wanted them. And then unloaded with both hands and finished guys. Lots of the so called slugger or brawler types cannot put top shelf opposition where they need them to be. They never do get them there and often lose.

What a seek and destroy guy that early Foreman really was.

 

Foreman was truly impressive vs Norton...I loved that attitude of badassedness that Foreman had that night...I'm convinced that this particular version of Foreman would have destroyed Tyson, Bowe or Holyfield.

 

Norton was well tuned in body, but weak in mind... Plus, as stated earlier here, he was not a good mover of lateral movement... Norton had awkward leg coordination... When he attack or pressed forward he dragged his right leg a lot... Plus, Norton's jaw was shaky as all hell...

Norton would've done well against Foreman had he owned better leg coordination and a sturdy beard....

MR.BILL:hat

 

Muhammad Ali,himself,said that Foreman was the best he'd ever faced,at cutting the ring off. As I'm always stating,only Ali was capable of beating Foreman in '74. Many past and future all time greats would have lost to George in Kinshasa.

 

Foreman of Zaire who was a ripped 220 pounds would've slaughtered both "Frazier & Quarry" in Oct. 1974.... Norton had just gotten smoked by Foreman....

YES! Only Ali could whip Foreman in the jungle...good

MR.BILL:hat

 

To put that fight in perspective, Ali was a 3-1 and sometimes 4-1 underdog in that fight. The most popular fighter in the sport--just look at how popularity skews odds in fights. Perhaps the most popular fighter since Robinson or back to Louis/Dempsey.

And everyone was thinking Ali was going to get beaten. And stopped brutally and be another bad ko victim and not lose a decision type bout. Ali pretty much steamrolled is what folks were thinking at the time within 3 or 4 rounds. Man, nobody thought it would go 8 rounds one way or another.

But the sports great fighters do manage to rise to the occasion from time to time and that's when you have truly great fighters. Epic fights. How many of so called other greats really did win a fight like that under those conditions?

 

Definitely.............!

 

What do you think of Shaver's power then? He got rid of Norton inside of 1 round.

 

The Norton who faced Foreman was in his prime. By the time Ken fought Shavers,he was over the hill. Mind you,Shavers had the power to stop Ken at any stage of his career.

 

Norton NEVER did well with big punchers.