Ken Norton vs Old Foreman

Gerry Cooney who knocked out Ken Norton

 

Norton gets his ass handed to him by Morrison.

 

It's already been said but I'll make the point again. That was not the Gerry Cooney who beat Norton. Eight years had passed in which time he had had five fights (not including the fight against alcoholism) losing two, including being knocked out by Michael Spinks.

That was a novelty match. I was half expecting another four opponents for George and for him to do his Easter Bunny impression again. It was dubbed 'The Geezers at Caesars'. Little did they know at the time that 30 years later 41 year olds fighting 33 year olds would not be seen as anything too out of the ordinary. Shows how far boxing has fallen, for me.

If I wanted to show who old Foreman destroyed, I'd have gone for the likes of Adilson Rodriguez or Bert Cooper. His performances in those fights mirrored, or bettered, how Holyfield was doing and, to me, provide a more impressive and comparable barometer. Old George was too good to have to dredge up the Cooney sideshow as evidence of his credibility.

That said, I think the 1974 version of Kenny (not the 1981 shell) outworks and frustrates him for a decision. But I wouldn't bet a penny on it.

 

how many times was cooney mentioned? and did they fight each other maybe?

 

First off cool thread .. never even thought of this match up ... I think Norton would win but could have a scary moment or two ...

 

Ross Purrity is the kind of heavyweight every fighter wants to emulate

 

So ?! It's just one fight and it doesn't prove anything. In case you forgot, if A losses to B it doesn't mean he'll loose to C.

Irrelevant, he still went on to win those fights.

So ?! Mercer was a great HW and he'd also beat Norton

Yes he does. So so all the top HW's of the 90's.

 

Who did Morrison beat exactly?

This is the guy who lost to Michael Bentt. I don;t think Morrison would even crack the top 30 of 90s heavyweights

 

Also, Morrison didn't beat Purrity last I checked.

Also describing Mercer as a great HW is a stretch. He lost to Jesse Ferguson and a 42 year old Holmes

 

Yeah, but when A loses to B in one round, and was dropped by X, Y and Z, then losing to C should be pretty obvious.

How is it irrelevant? Just because someone won the fight, doesn't mean it's above criticism.

And He didn't even win all of them... he drew with Purity.

You do know who Mercer is, right? This is the guy who got schooled by Larry Holmes and lost to Jesse Ferguson. You do know that a much better version of Holmes was given much more trouble by an aging Norton, right? Some more things about Mercer, he almost lost to ancient versions of Ocasio and Witherspoon, and drew with Wilson.

Mercer isn't a great HW by any stretch. And beating Norton is unlikely.

Morrison isn't a top 90s HW. And he's sure as **** not beating the **** outta Norton.

I don't know how Keed put it, I think he said pro 90s agenda? You sure did a great job of dispelling any notions of that.

 

Morrison lost to Mercer, the man who (alongside Moorer) proved the 90s wasn't this huge leap in talent.

Old Foreman came back to knock out the number 1 HW in the world.

Old Holmes came back and absolutely schooled the unbeaten Mercer who had just destroyed Morrison.

 

Well, losing to Ferguson was pretty lame. But losing to Holmes wasn't exactly career-souring. I recommend watching (or watching again) the fight Holmes brought during the Mercer, it was a seriously intelligent strategy that worked sensationally for him. He lured Mercer into fighting his fight, and did an amazing job rolling with some serious, near-Tyson level shots.

The Holmes victory was one of outstanding sense for craft and ring artistry, not because Mercer was anything less than a completely valid contender (one of the top five of the 90s imo). Though it lacked the amazing adroitness and ring commanding movement of the first Holmes/Shavers fight, it was nonetheless a remarkable performance. Sadly, Mercer gave up the WBO belt to fight Larry...because off paper Holmes became WBO champion with that fight.

 

Holmes jabbing in the pocket against Mercer was a thing of beauty.

Mercer knew he would have to get past that jab. He didn't realise he'd get beaten up on the inside as well.

He knew he'd have to back Holmes onto the ropes. He didn't realise he'd get beaten up once he'd got him there.

He knew Holmes was old and past it and had first won his belt in the 70s. He didn't realise Holmes was about to teach the world that boxing progression is over stated.

 

I think Mercer declared before the Holmes fight that he planned on knocking him out sooner than Tyson did.

Ha-ha.