Ken Norton vs Chris Byrd

Norton wins.

Byrd was pretty good, skilled boxer, but small and featherfisted.

Norton beat or nearly beat even better boxers who hit harder and were bigger than Byrd (Ali and Holmes).

 

Tough one. Goes to points, whatever happens. Norton might edge it but I wouldn't want to bet on the outcome.

 

Norton by decision

 

Norton would have to make some major adjustments to his game to fight a well schooled southpaw like Byrd. Norton advancing with his left hand down and using the right hand to parry the jab wouldn't work with Byrd. Byrd would be jabbing with the right and Norton's low left hand wouldn't be able to pick it off. If Norton tried to parry or block with his right, he'd leave himself open to Byrd's straight left. Of course there are a lot of other variables, but Norton would have to make major changes just to deal with the jab.

Norton only fought one southpaw, Vic Brown and Brown knocked him down. Norton had an extremely close fight with Jimmy Young who was a bit like Byrd but not a southpaw. With Byrd being a left hander, I'd pick him to beat Norton.

 

Good post, Norton would struggle and lose a decision imo

 

Easy win for Norton. If he can beat Ali he can beat Chris Byrd. Ali couldn't deal with the rapid triple hammer jab and neither would Byrd.
Wlad didn't beat Byrd with any special effects , it was a straight forward jab and right hand from rage that got the job done. Byrd hadn't the legs to stop Norton teeing off on him all night.

 

I like norton here I also don't see it being all that close

 

I like Kenny's bodywork to get the job done & win a decision. Norton had top shelf conditioning and while the Byrdman is good, that's still a nice edge to Norton.

And that 2 handed body assault isn't doing Chris any good. Norton has zero chance of landing that wide looping right hand of his on this guy but what helps his cause so much is the dedication to bodywork. If Norton was a headhunter, he'd have little chance against this guy. Good, good fight & that competitive spirit of Chris Byrd keeps him close and in the fight.

 

Norton. He did well against boxers.

 

Easy fight for Byrd. Norton too slow. No movement. Poor defense. Byrd wins every found.

 

I think Norton demolishes him. Kenny would have no reason whatsoever to fear coming forward and throwing. Byrd's little slaps couldn't hurt him and Norton would overpower him in a few rounds.

 

Byrd, too slippery for Norton, and too fast

 

Norton is too canny for lightheavyweight byrd. byrd was good enough to beat lesser skilled guys like superheavywieght vitali, but norton is a bridge too far.

 

I picked Norton points, but looking at it I think Norton stops him late. I could see him not respecting Byrd and going for it at times, hard !