On this date, 43 years ago Larry Holmes and Ken Norton fought in one of the best title bouts.

On this date, 43 years ago, Larry Holmes and Ken Norton fought in one of the best title bouts. The date was June 9 1978. Your thoughts of that bout between those two.

 

Great action packed fight. Larry finally got his place in the sun after toiling for a long time.

 

I was 13. Our television was broken so my dad dropped me off at my grandpa's. Watched Young-Ocasio. Then my grandpa wanted to go to the bar down the street. So we went there. He drank. I watched the fight. My dad and more guys showed up there. A friend of my dad's who went to high school with Ken Norton in Jacksonville stopped in. He always rooted for Norton. Great fight. Wild night. Bar full of people yelling at a little tiny 19-inch TV perched high in the corner by the ceiling.

It was one of the first matches I searched for when I began collecting fights in the 80s.

 

still among my personal favorite bouts. The last 3 rounds of that fight was a personal war that revealed the big hearts of both men. Kenny Norton has to be one of the best heavyweight boxers to have never won the undisputed heavyweight championship title

 

One of the most two sided Heavyweight title fights ever. The start of the great reign of Holmes and the last great fight for Kenny.

 

I really liked Shavers and Norton at that time. In a matter of a couple months, Holmes had beaten them both. I didn't like him for years after that. (LOL)

 

I remember seeing Ali-Spinks1 and being both profoundly disappointed by Ali and not at all impressed by Spinks. Watching this fight made me love boxing again. I wasn't familiar with Holmes at the time, so I was kind of rooting for Norton. By the end of the fight I started hollering for Larry, and was delighted when he won (even though the announcer half-convinced me Kenny had won before the decision).

This and Bowe-Holyfield I are my favorite fights to watch, ever.

 

That great fight was 43 years ago? What the ....?

 

Great post

 

I know. I was 17

 

This was pretty good, alright.

 

One of the best heavyweight fights in history.

 

Yeah DJ, my first thought also was ‘damn, I really am old,’ haha.

 

I am gonna be a bit unpopular for saying this but I actually did not like this fight and found it more easy to judge then what I read on the tin to.

 

I saw this fight, televised on ABC on my very own first color television, I was 19 years old. I purchased my TV with my own money that I had worked for, a brand new 19 inch Truetone television, purchased at the local Western Auto store. I saw this fight with a neighborhood pal, with a six pack of Coors beer. I thought that Ken Norton had a chance to defend his WBC Heavyweight title, based on his narrow win over Jimmy Young, on Nov 5 1977. Holmes built a lead for the first 8 rounds by moving and jabbing, connecting with his hard right hand. Ken began to narrow the lead with some very effective body blows, slowing Larry down. The last two rounds were pivotal in the victory for Holmes. It was a great victory for the new WBC champion by a split 15 round decision. Leon Spinks was the reigning WBA champion, awaiting for the rematch with challenger Muhammad Ali on Sept 15 1978.