Would Ken Norton had become a genuine ATG if he fought in a different decade?

He couldn't become an all time great because I don't think he had the chin.
Whilst his style always bothers boxers as such, but the big bangers would always be a threat
This isn't a dig at Ken, I like him as a fighter, but even in other eras he'd always tumble against the bangers.

 

Ken Norton happened to be at the right place at the right time on March 31 1973, Muhammad Ali who claimed to have not trained for Ken Norton on a nationally televised fight on ABC's Wide World Of Sports from Norton's hometown of San Diego, California, the San Diego Sports Arena. Ali came in at 221 lbs which indicated back then that Ali took Norton cheaply. Ali in his second career usually weighed around 215 in shape. Ken shocked the boxing world including myself, he fought a perfect fight against a very lethargic Ali, breaking Ali's jaw, and scoring a split 12 round decision that afternoon with the strategy of trainer Eddie Futch. Also the help of that California Hypnotist helped Ken believe in himself was a good idea. Now let's suppose we put Ken in a time machine, it is Halloween Season, let's say the year 1960. In 1960, before June, Ingo was the champion, Floyd Patterson had been knocked silly for 3 rounds on June 26 1959 and stopped by the dreaded Ingo Bingo for Ingo's title win. There were challengers like Sonny Liston, Eddie Machen , Cleveland Big Cat Williams, Zora Folley, D1ck Richardson, Alex Miteff, Henry Cooper and Joe Erskine. Muhammad Ali was not even a professional yet, he would be competing as a Light Heavyweight in the upcoming Olympics in Rome, Italy. Ken Norton's style could give boxers like Floyd Patterson, Eddie Machen, Zora Folley problems but against fighters like Liston, Williams, and champion Ingo, who eventually loses his title on June 20 1960 at the hands of Patterson. The Ingo Bingo might do some damage to Norton. Let's hear some takes as well as your opinion on this.

 

No, he probably fought at the right time.

I mean, what specific era?

 

In my post, I was referring to the year 1960 but I don't know what year Marcus S was referring to buddy.

 

I'm one who thinks Norton is overrated. That being said, he would have been quite competitive and probably a champ in some other eras. He could have joined the merry-go-round of champs that came between Gene Tunney and Joe Louis. He also could have beaten almost all of the alphabet champs of the 1980s.

 

Truthfully, I do not think that Ken Norton could have taken a 1960 version of Sonny Liston, Sonny could hit as well as box. Norton was adverse to fighters who could hit in his prime, remember George Foreman on March 26 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela. Ken hit Foreman with maybe one punch, then Foreman unleashed a fury of punches on Ken, it was over in two rounds for Norton.

 

He would of been competitive in any era but i don't think he's ever "The Man" in any era.

 

He might have been a great with different judges

 

He also benefitted from a close decision over Jimmy Young.

 

I think Norton would do really well in today's division, assuming he avoids Wilder like the plague.

 

The fight for Sonny Liston against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) was on Feb 25 1964, but if Ken Norton had fought Liston in 1960 it would have been a different story.