Let's say Frazier instead of taking on Bugner gets Ken Norton, who just beat Muhammad Ali. Who wins and why?
Frazier wins a tough fight by middle rounds stoppage. Norton didn't have the durability to withstand Frazier's punch. Norton lacked good footwork, and he wasn't an especially slick technical fighter, so he couldn't have outboxed Frazier. Overall, Frazier's pressure and devastating left hook would have been too much for Norton. Bad stylistic match-up for Norton.
First couple of rounds, Norton is game, but after about round 3, Joe shows Ken why he is Joe Frazier and ends it with a couple of brutal hooks in the sixth round.
Ken was a cautiously slow starter against any decent heavyweight not named Bobick. In this situation, Joe actually has a clear and substantial edge in getting out of the gate at the opening bell. Smoke is a horrible opponent to try overtaking from behind. He's got the lower center of gravity, and has excellent functional physical strength against anybody not named Foreman. Norton would be doing the retreating here, again, not an ideal way for him to box. Work rate and hustle are all Frazier's. He wouldn't be following and not punching like Kenny did through the first several rounds of the second Ali fight. He'd be letting his fists go. Hand speed is in his favor. Norton is not hooking with Joe. Smoke is going to be ducking that overhand right. Ken's strongest weapon would be that right uppercut, but he needed to position himself properly to unload it. Would Frazier give him that chance? Finally, Joe's right cross is a serviceable enough tool to block Norton's jab coming up from underneath. Futch's instruction to Ken on dealing with Ali was to jab every time Muhammad jabbed, throwing him off his rhythm. Here, Frazier should fire his right when Norton jabbed, simultaneously blocking it and maybe landing over it, then coming back with that hook to the body. Stylistically, I think this is a really good match for Joe, and a bad one for Ken. My money would definitely be on Frazier, though I don't know that I'd bet on a knockout. Taking a prime Norton out required a top notch puncher like Foreman, Shavers or Cooney, and Joe wasn't quite in that class. He was a true ATG though, and Ken really wasn't.
Joe stops him with hooks, early in the fight. Norton didn't have the chin to take frazier's bombs. Bugner did, at least for a while
joe frazier would have beat norton always. even frazier after of the foreman fight. of course prime vs prime, joe would **** norton
kennie norton was one of joe fraziers sparmates for the first ali fight. during one session he beated up joe, only for him getting wake-up call in round four and sending norton to the canvas. mailer described this session in a short story about the "big fight" in ยด71. i think in an actual bout it would have been a similar outcome, norton will catch some good left hooks to the jaw fter leading the first couple of rounds. maybe it would be over in eight.
The few early rounds Ken truly shines fighting a very clever and cautious fight, staying away from Joe never letting himself to get caught by that ominous left hook. However, he simply lacks the offensive power to hurt Joe, who keeps pressing and coming back for more. From round 6th on, Joe's relentless bodyshots start taking a tool on Kenny Boy. I am not sure whether Frazier stops Kenny, but in any case he wins handily by decission
I wish this fight would have happened. Norton proved he could take hard shots from Ali and Holmes. While Frazier hit a little harder than them, he was more of a grinder than a big one punch KO type of guy. Frazier was slightly past his best by this time, and in my opinion did not have the best chin and had some swelling issues. Norton would be the best puncher he fought besides Foreman. This is the type of fight where I would like to pic at the weigh in. If Frazier was in his best shape, I would go with him. If not, I'll take Norton.
Ken takes the first two or three rounds with a beautiful display of boxing. After Joe warms up though,and consistently forces Norton back,the writing would be on the wall. After taking too many body attacks and hooks to the chin,Ken gets rescued by the referee during rounds 7 - 9.
