Ken norton vs. Mike Weaver

Norton by KO. During Norton's peak years he was only stopped by Foreman. Garcia stopped him before he peaked, Shavers and Cooney stopped him way after his best years.

Noone else came close to stopping him during those years. He did avenge the Garcia loss by KO.

Norton fought 3 close fights with Ali, winning once... most feel that he won their 3rd fight as well. He won a close fight vs. Young. He lost a SD to Holmes. He also stopped Henry Clark, Boone Kirkman, Jerry Quarry, Ron Stander, Larry Middleton, Lorenzo Zanon, and others.

Norton by KO.

 

seems like a bad fight for Norton once he gets tagged

 

It's no secret that Norton froze up against big punchers. That being said, they all were fast starting big punchers ... Weaver started very slow and I se Norton as far more skilled .. This is one big puncher I see Ken beating ..

 

Weaver always seemed like he was in second gear. I think Norton pummels Weaver until the ref stops it. Norton tko 9 over Weaver in a fight where Hercules never gets going.

 

Norton gets a ton of credit and is considered better than he was because he fought Ali tough. Weaver was just a pretty tough guy with a big left hook. Neither of them was anything special.
Norton should beat him pretty easy; if he stops him, it will be early, if Norton comes out fast. Otherwise, a wide decision. Unless Weaver cracks him, which is unlikely.

 

Hercules vs Hercules; well the science says they would just go through each other!

In reality Norton would get the job done, he was by the more consistent fighter of the two.

 

Norton is one of the best examples of styles making fights. He fought tough three times and could have gotten all three decisions. He also gave Holmes the toughest fight of his career and beat the absolute best Jimmy Young.

Weaver is one of the most forgotten, under rated punchers of all time. He had one punch KO power in either hand. Watch the shot he took Coetzee out with.

 

As i recall. Weaver was Ken's Sparring Partner in his Early years, Would he have a Mental Block about throwing his Bombs full tilt against his Ex-Boss ? certainly Mike seemed to be one of those fighters (Like Buster Drayton) who if you didnt Jar them awake, seemed content to Sleepwalk through proceeding with the most minimal of effort, If you hurt him and was careless in trying to finish him ...you could get nailed....

I remember Lennox Lewis Hurting Weaver in the first round...then Easing off the gas and biding his time until Mid-Fight to end Proceeding... He caught a fair bit of Flak for this patient sensible approach...When Carl "the Truth" Williams Had mike in a similar situation, and tried to look sensational with a quick win ...the Weaver Left Hook Left Carl Flat on the Canvas...and a quick KO Victim himself..
you could not be Careless with Weaver...he was like a fistic sweaty stick of Dynamite...but treated correctly he could be defused...he did not sustain his danger...

Norton had a much better workrate...and could stand off, sideways on and used that up Jab to keep Mike at range...Kens sudden Bowled over right hands could also unhinge Slow Mike....

For Me Its Kens fight to win...or Lose...he just has to be careful how he attacks and not just plow forward constantly ..as Mike might Map this and catch him coming in...But if Ken comes in behind his Jab keeping Mike occupied on the way inside then his pace and workrate will be enough i think, Kens ability to maintain a high pace may see a despirited Weaver being rescued circa 9th...Kens Body shots may of taken a lot of the steam and ambition out of Mike by that time...Mike might always think of Ken as his 'Boss" ?

 

I saw Mike weaver in the gym- the boxing gym when he was fighting, at a regular fitness gym after he retired, and sat next to him at several amateur boxing shows in the late 90s. He is, and always was, a gentleman, and I always liked him.
I'm not much of a Norton fan, but I think he would beat Weaver. Probably even during the run Weaver had, when he was at the top of his game though, at that point in Weaver's career, I wouldn't take the bet.
Pretty good fight, but I think Norton would win, most of the time.

 

Just saw this on Weaver. Seems like a good guy and he seemed to be buddies with Norton.

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/blog/?p=17219

 

Very interesting article on Weaver and his career. I've always thought Weaver has become quite underrated. As someone who followed HW boxing pretty closely in the early 80s, it always seemed to me that Weaver was the best of the many "other guys" who held alphabet titles in the Larry Holmes era.

As far as Weaver vs. Norton, Weaver KOs him late in a fight Norton is winning wide. As the Tate fight showed, Weaver took his power into the late rounds.

 

Ken weathers several spurts from Mike, and wins a close unanimous decision.Just don't think, after dealing with Foreman and Ali, along with Holmes, that Norton is going to fold to Weaver.

 

NORTON JUMPS WEAVER EARLY TKO 2

 

These are two very similar fighters, and although Weaver is a big puncher that theoretically means Norton should lose. Although Norton had a tendency to do poorly against the big punchers, Weaver also had a tendency to do nothing. Norton on the other hand, was a very busy fighter, always walking forward, jabbing, going to the body. I say Norton wins this one, but there's some fireworks near the end as Weaver sees he's behind.