Ken Norton vs. Jose Luis Garcia 'July 2, 1970'

'The Upset At The Olympic'

Thursday Night - July 2, 1970

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July 2, 1970

Thursday Night - The Olympic Auditorium

Ken Norton, a highy-regarded San Diego Heavyweight, riding '16' straight wins
with '15' coming via the knockout.

Kenny, at 6' 3" and a muscular 207 lbs., carrying a hard left hook and whipping
right hand. One month shy of 27 (age 26 years, 11 months) was looking for another
feather to add to his cap.

Jose Luis Garcia, a 23 year-old Venezuelan. A 6' 4" gangling 188 lb. 'puncher', who
only 6-months earler was a 'skinny' 175 lb. Light-heavyweight. Jose Luis brings a
record of 14-2-1 (8 KO's) into the ring, along with a 5-1 betting-underdog.

Manager, Willie Ketchum has stated, 'This kid can punch, and don't be suprised
if he flattens Norton, who walks in chin first.'

Garcia, can punch with either hand, and is strictly an offensive fighter. But, Jose Luis has
a porous defense, and carries a questionable chin.
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The Fight

In the opening Round, things seem to be going Norton's way, as he bulls forward and
slams hard body punches into his 'thin-as-a-rail' Venezuelan opponent.

But Jose Luis does get Norton's attention with a hard left hook-right hand. Norton
continues to stay the effective aggressor, and out-works Garcia until moments before
the end of the 1st-Round, when Garcia nails Kenny with a hard-right to the chin,
dropping Norton like a rock.

Norton goes down, and the bell sounds ending the round, with Kenny still stretched out on the canvas.

Referee, Dick Young was issuing Norton a count, when Norton's cornerman (Eddie Futch) jump in the
ring and help their fighter get back to his corner.

Willie Ketchum from the oppossite corner, screams at Dick Young, yelling that his fighter should
be awarded a 1st-Round Knockout. Amidst the confusion, Dick Young does not call a stoppage,
and will allow Norton continue if he can make it out for Round 2.

 

The Fight

Suprisingly, a 'dazed and confused' Kenny Norton makes it out for Round 2,
and fighting in a 'fog', slowly gets back in control, and starts to back Jose Luis Garcia
up, who looks arm-weary after his late 1st-Round bombardment.

Norton works the body with left hooks, while the 188 lb. Garcia is looking to counter
with right hooks.

Thru 4-Rounds, the bout is 'even' on the scorecards.

In Round 5, another one the Garcia bombs find their mark, and Kenny is wobbled.
Jose Luis looks for the 'finisher', and lands '2' more bombs, but Norton withstands
the punches, while staggering backwards into the ropes, where he tries to rest
with his back leaning on the ropes.

Garcia tee's off, but Norton by rocking avoids getting hit by another solid right hand.

In Round 6, Jose Luis opens up with a fast '5-punch barrage' but Norton absorbs the
punches, and comes back with '2' good left hooks to the body, slowing Garcia down.
Norton lands a sharp right hand to Garcia's left eye, opening a cut over the eye.
And several more stinging rights, partially close the eye.

By the rounds end, the 207 lb. Ken Norton appears to have recovered, and Jose Luis is
showing the first signs of fatigue from Norton's hard punches.

 

Roger,

By all accounts, Kenny Norton fought a 'bad' tactical fight. After nearly getting
stopped in the '1st-Round' he continued to fight the same way after he came back
out in Round 2.

If he had boxed, he would hace won a decision, but he fought foolishly, tying to take
Jose Luis Garcia out, on a night that he didn't bring his 'chin'.


In Round 7, Kenny came out trying to 'blast out' Jose Luis, and left his chin hanging out
and got 'clipped' by another right hand-left hook that staggered him, and for all
purposes had him out on his feet. Jose Luis landed several good right hands, and
Kenny was a 'mess' stumbling about.

Finishing the round on his feet, in itself was an amazing performance in hanging on.

Yet, in-between Rounds, Eddie Futch did a miracle in getting Kenny out for Round 8.

Early in Round 8, Kenny again was 'rocked' by a Jose Luis right-hand, then he was
driven into the ropes and floored for an '8-Count'. Upon rising, Kenny was in 'bad-shape',
but did manage to land a good right to Garcia's left eye, which nearly closed it.

Kenny did all he could to fight back in the middle part of the round, but was out-gunned
by the 188 lb. Garcia. Then late in the round, the Venezuelan ripped hard shots stunning
Kenny, leaving him out on his feet, backing into the ropes.

As the Round was closing, Jose Luis stunned Kenny with a grazing right hand, that sagged
Kenny into the ropes where he fell through the top strand, and upon the middle rope with
5-seconds left in the round.
(see photo below)

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The Ending,

As Ken Norton came off the ropes, he had no idea of where he was, as his hands were
down, leaving his head 'unprotected'.

Jose Luis Gaarcia then unloaded with a devastating left-right as the bell sounded.

Kenny staggered back to his corner, where he 'collapsed in a heap'. Since he made it
back to the corner, he was still 'technically' active in the fight.

Referee, Dick Young then pointed to Jose Luis Garcia, indicating that he was a
knockout winner by KO 8.

But, under California rules, Kenny had until the bell for Round 9 to see if he could continue.
Since he was not counted out, he was still active in the fight.

Amidts the confusion, Eddie Futch screamed 'robbery'. In the confusion, Dr. Bernhadt
Schwartz was busy examining Norton in the corner, to see if he could respond to
simple commands. Eddie Futch then tried to revive Kenny, who was still groggy.

Before the bell sounded for Round 9, Dick Young raised Jose Luis Garcia's hand,
awarding him the KO victory. Then Eddie Futch screamed that he had more time.

But later, Dr. Bernard Schwartz said he would have told the Referee to stop it, as
he would advise the bout to be stopped, regardless of how much time Kenny had
before the bell for Round 9 sounded.

 

If Ken Norton had won,,,,,,,,,,

They were going to put a 'call-out' for Sonny Liston, fresh off of his victory over
Chuck Wepner.