Ken Norton was an awkward fighter who excelled against boxers ... and struggled with punchers ...I don’t think he could beat Mike Tyson or Jack Dempsey
No. Dempsey was not as powerful as Foreman but he is still a serious power hitter with great hand speed. Dempsey is too quick handed and powerful. I like Ken but Dempsey wins this in the first 5 rounds. Now Norton-Tunney would be great. I pick Norton.
Absolutely. I would favor him by quite a bit. The level of quality between some of the guys Norton beat and those Dempsey beat is almost immeasurable.
Norton has a lot of advantages. He's a lot bigger, he's a different style for Dempsey, and he's just far more skilled period. Dempsey would make a close fight of it tho.
I think that Jack Dempsey would have been all over Ken Norton, prime for prime. Jack would hurt him the same way he hurt Jess Willard, Dempsey had a killer instinct, sure Ken outweighed him but Dempsey was quicker, Jack by TKO 9.
You should have put an undecided option. If Norton had a better chin, I'd pick him. On the other hand, Norton was vulnerable to big punchers, although Dempsey never saw anything like a prime Norton who had enough power to keep Dempsey honest. I honestly can't make a pick.