Jersey Joe Walcott vs Ken Norton

It’s Walcott all the way, & it wouldn’t be in question if Norton were facing a prime Ali instead of the one he actually did.

 

Look how few fights Walcott has at 15 rounds and his record in them. This favors Ken heavily. Walcotts best shot would have been winning a 10 round decision. Thats his bread and butter.

 

I like Norton by decision in a competitive fight.

 

Norton would get knocked out Ken Norton isn’t as smart as Louis or Marciano he’d be hit a bunch fighting the way he did against Jersey Joe.

 

Walcott is pretty overrated, it's weird seeing many above are dissing Norton even though all Walcott did is lose to Louis and Marciano. Walcott loss 4 out 6 times to Charles who is a light-heavyweight and got knocked out by Marciano twice. I'm not trying dissing him, but that doesn't prove how he is any superior to Norton in anyway.

Unlike Walcott, Norton actually beat Ali and gave him a hard fight the next. He likely has 2 wins over Ali, the same Ali who beat Frazier, Foreman and good row of heavyweights past his prime. Not to mention his stylistic advantage over out-boxers as proven through his multiple fights against including Jimmy Young and Ken Norton

Norton arguably has the better jab and defense against counterpunchers. He can also switch up and overwhelm his opponents with a more brawling approach as long as the opponent is not doesn't have the power and strength advantage. His herky jerky head movement and awkward cross arm guard would be a much of problem to Walcott more than Walcott's unpredictable footwork could be to Norton. Along with Norton's devastating overhand right, he'd eventually knock Walcott out imo​

 

Walcott and Charles fought 4 times, not 6, no ?

 

My mistake, I meant 2 out of 4, probably confused it with LaMotta-Robinson

 

“Is it possible to put into words how much you learnt from Jersey Joe Walcott” - “Nah, I still watch tapes of him today and I get chills because fighters today don’t know what they’re looking at.” - Buddy McGirt

 

I respect Walcott, his footwork and understanding of rhythm is something to be admired. Very complex and interesting to watch, yet he does have a fair share losses. I simply believe that Norton has the necessary tools and talent to pull a win.

 

This is not fair. You are giving Norton leeway over the third fight with Ali and awarding him the decision, while not extending the same courtesy to Walcott who came really close to usurping Louis the first time around.
Furthermore, even in loss, Walcott gave an excellent account of himself. Just because Louis and Marciano knocked him out doesn't mean that they didn't have their hands full with him, in fact, to be ahead of Louis after 10 rounds fighting and ahead of Marciano after 13 is a serious achievement, especially when the guy is a staggering 38 years old battling it out with the most exhausting heavyweight barring Frazier.
You say Norton is going to nullify Walcott by brawling him and take away Walcott's tricks and footwork, but Louis found himself on the canvas when he tried to rush Walcott and Marciano was pounding at the guy for a dozen rounds and he still was losing the fight by trying to brawl.
Elmer Ray was a serious puncher and he couldn't nullify Walcott either.
Norton does have tremendous skill and it's fair to recognize that, but if Jersey Joe can keep up with Charles, Louis, Maxim and Johnson, then he has enough skills to keep up with anybody.

 

I noticed when you started talking about Norton’s career achievements, you began & ended with Ali. An old Ali. A shot one by the third fight, in fact.

I wonder why.

 

Anybody who says Walcott's only achievements came through losing to Louis and Marciano should not be talking about classic heavyweights, period.

 

The order of his achievements is unintentional and irrelevant. He has wins over Jimmy Young and Jerry Quarry. Decimated Bobick who was ranked 5 at the time

 

I did not say that, all I'm saying is pointing out loses over those two shouldn't be definitive proof where Walcott could destroy Norton in a fight.

Anybody who can't take or accept other people's opinion are the ones who really shouldn't be in this forum taking about heavyweight classics