Ken Norton Would Get Slept by Povetkin in Every Universe

It’s a valid argument why the best result Povetkin gets out of this is a no contest if the failed test doesn’t come back until afterward.

I haven’t seen a whole helluva a lot of boxers built like Ken Norton in history — going well into the modern era where the Povetkins of the world are on gear.

Primo Carnera had a ridiculous physique. Go look up images of him. That’s before steroids. So it he “suspicious”? Just google ‘1940s bodybuilders’ who are pre-gear and you can see fantastic musculature. So no, there’s absolutely nothing suspicious about Norton having muscles. That’s something in your head that says ‘muscles = steroids’ and it’s absolutely unsupportable — yet you want to smear Norton with allegations behind which there is no evidence, no fact, no hint. That’s not a good look.

My point is Povetkin is a false construct. He has an unimpressive resume and that’s with the advantage of being on the Ivan Drago diet, so to speak. Yet people seem to act like he was a big deal. There’s no substance to him whatsoever, although there are “substances” for sure.

 

Well, Norton claimed he didn’t lift let alone take PEDs.

While commentating a Shavers fight, Jerry Quarry said that Earnie was one of the few guys that he knew who lifted - going against popular training advice. Chuvalo lifted also, of course.

Norton did lift post boxing career, lamenting that he wished he done so during his career.

Norton was cut, naturally blessed. He simply didn’t carry the muscle volume indicative of lifting and/or juicing.

Norton used to starve himself, - there was plenty of scope to accomodate natural weight gain to better fit his frame. Natural weight gain will add size to biceps, etc.

 

Of Norton-Quarry? Nah, I’m not visiting that tonight.

I think Ken Norton dusts the canvas with a Povetkin bereft of steroids. Hell, he probably beats up Mr Gear at his Ivan Drago-est, since Wlad rag-dolled him like he was nothing.

Ken is stronger mentally. He’s stronger physically. I think he’s more explosive in his punching power and he’s damned sure a better body puncher. I don’t see this as competitive because I’ve never seen Povetkin handle anyone on Norton’s level, so I have no reason to believe he can.

Norton KO 5.

The guys who KO’d Ken with one exception when he got caught early in his career (avenged) were bona fide all-time punchers. Povetkin is more of a thudding, plodding guy. Norton handled plodders like Duane Bobick and Povetkin is a bigger, ‘roided Bobick.

 

Sam McVey, as implied by his definition and muscle volume (at least 16” arms as at the time) was obviously juiced to the gills. Naughty Sam.

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So you think Norton just goes right at Povetkin in a straight line and KO’s him in five? That he’s not better then Bobick?

 

Look at my man in my avatar - Jack’s arms were pretty jacked - though Jack was a lil bit on the fat side for said pic -pic taken I think as at the time of the Willard fight - but there are younger, more svelte pics of Johnson depicting a very well muscled guy.

 

Quarry was past his best but he did have some moments early in the fight when he didn’t look anything like a completely shot duck - and it’s not as if Norton didn’t pound him to bring him undone or ultimately dust him off in impressive fashion at any rate.

Norton could only beat the guy in front of him and there wasn’t anything to ask of him otherwise. He destroyed Jerry.

Of course the Quarry-Norton sparring story will get dusted off and proffered for the umpteenth time - but of course, true or not, sparring stories don’t count.

And while Norton’s vanquished opposition is brought into question for this, that and the other reason, there is no equal and opposite consideration afforded to Norton during his own, “clearly past his best”, days.

 

How in the world did you get from what I posted?

I think Ken would hold his ground (Wlad did) and jab his face off coming in. He’d catch Povetkin clean and beat him up to the body when they got close.

Eventually he chops him down.

I think stylistically, Povetkin is a plodder like Bobick. Who’s better? Well, Duane has the best amateur win (over Teofilo Stevenson) for sure. His pro career is fairly unremarkable, but then again, so is Povetkins if you really look at it — especially if you control for the fact that Alexander was juiced to the gills.

I mean, you win a ‘title’ and you defend against Boswell, half-dead Rahman, a cruiser (in a life-and-death fight) and a guy from Sweden (or was it Switzerland) who nobody ever heard of before or since … then get completely shut out and dominated and manhandled when you fight Wlad for the ‘real’ title — you tell me what’s impressive about that.

I think Povetkin equates a bit more to Quarry than Bobick, but all three are rather plodding. Quarry was more game, more determined, had a better offense than Alexander and certainly fought better opposition. If Huck gave Povetkin that kind of fight, then surely Quarry would do better.

I find nothing remarkable whatsoever about Povetkin aside from the adulation he gets on this forum relative to his meager resume and accomplishments. Well, that’s not exactly true — he took a remarkable amount of PEDs.

 

Well Povetkin couldn't put to sleep CW Marco Huck who fights like a caveman and is quite hittable. It was Huck who was close to put Povetkin on the canvas. And Norton is clearly better and far more skilled boxer than Marco Huck.

 

How disingenuous can you be? For one, Quarry and Povetkin weren’t exactly carbon copies of each other to say the least.

2. Quarry was a shot has-been by that point.

 

I actually did get that impression from you and I simply wouldn’t actively disrespect you Pat, I wouldn’t dream of it, I’ve always (most of the time ) really liked and respected you. I also don’t want a repeat of my forehead vein over Nelson vs Fenech 2 lol. Being a little less Dutch I was saying… you believe Norton would press him, meet middle ring and KO him in 5rds? that he was on the same level as Bobick IYO? I don’t really look at the Quarry fight, Quarry was shot and Bobick didn’t really get to do anything because he had a hole punched in his throat lol - can you think of fights where Norton fought anyone else you’d compare to Povetkin to draw stuff from?

 

I think you're way too harsh on Povetkin just because of some positive PEDs tests (when lets be honest most fighters today are on some forms of PEDs)

Povetkin was far from a slow, lumbering fighter like Bobick. He was a skilled pressure fighter with a solid chin. One shot from Norton won't KO him like it did Bobick when he has solid defenses and is used to taking shots from much bigger and stronger heavyweights. In fact, Povetkin's excellent left hook is exactly the kind of punch Norton was always susceptible to so I don't see how Povetkin doesn't catch him eventually. On the other hand, Norton never showed he could effectively fight on the back foot against a determined pressure fighter like Povetkin. When guys brought the pressure, Norton often struggled so I don't see how he would magically get the ability to fight on the backfoot.

On the PEDs yes, Povetkin tested positive. But let's be real, PED use is pretty common in elite boxing (cough cough Holyfield, Fury, Toney). He faced a ton of scrutiny because he was Russian because during that period there was an intense investigation into Russian sports. If every non-Russian boxer faced that same level of intense, targeted testing, we'd likely see a lot of boxers test positive across the board. The PEDs don't teach you how to throw a punch or take one or give you the boxing skills that Povetkin clearly had and were evident long before those issues came to light. So I think assuming that he was only good because of PEDs is a bit of a harsh statement.

 

Nail on head, here.

 

Yes, but then why allude that Norton is using steroids if its a "factoid?"

 

Norton by the will of God.