If he was around in the 90's in his prime would he have been Heavyweight champion? How would he have done against Bowe, Holyfield, post prison Tyson, Lewis etc.
I really like Ken as a fighter but to be honest I think he loses against all the fighters you mention. I see him being a top contender, beating the likes of Moorer , Seldon, Bruno and Ruddock but gets beat as soon as he fights the elite of the division. Also someone like a young Tua would be all wrong for Norton, this is another one he would likely lose.
Maybe he would have been able to get a win over Bowe/Holyfield/Moorer/Old Foreman lol - he could lose to all of these but he may have beaten 1 its hard to judge. Lennox, Tyson, Tua, Ibeauchi blow him out. I think Nortons chin is a little underrated but the best KO machines do take him out. Norton is underrated overall. He arguably beat Ali 3 times and Holmes once. Having the ability to do that gives you a shot of beating anyone on the right night.
Norton did best against boxing type of fighters and worst against punchers. The pityful thing for Norton is that the 90's were littered with punchers. He could outhustle Holyfield, especially when Holyfield was on his period as he often was. But Bowe, Tyson (post prison) and Lewis would all knock him out as well as some other contenders Tua, Ibeabuchi, Ruddock, etc. Guys like Morrison and Bruno are inferior but still have a decent chance because of their punch.
Norton would be a a top 10 contender in the 90's, but not likely a top 5. As many authors had already stated, he did not fair well against big men who could hit, and the 90's had more than it's share of those. He might have given Evander Holyfield some trouble as well as potentially beaten guys like Buster Douglas, Buster Mathis jr., Orlin Norris, Pierre Coetzer, Carl Williams and an aging Holmes.
Norton was limted, he had the style to trouble Ali,Holmes but vs the punchers, Lewis,Bowe,Tyson,Holyfiels,Rudduck,Morrison, he would lose
Norton was better off in his own era. 90's HWs were generally a lot bigger and stronger than thier 70's counterparts. I don't see a 215lb Norton surviving the bombs of a Tyson,Tua,Lewis,Mercer or maybe even Morrison for that matter, all big strong 220lb plus bombers. Norton was his best against boxers like Ali,Young and Holmes. Against bombers like Shavers and Foreman it was goodnight. Against the bombers of the 90's it would be the same result.
There's some serious underrating of Ken Norton going on here. He got beat by Foreman and Shavers and people think anyone with a punch would overpowwer him. atsch Tommy Morrison struggled to beat a washed-up Carl Williams (who also had a rep for "weak chin" rightly or wrongly), was blown-out by Michael Bentt and brutalized by Ray Mercer in his prime. He struggled with Joe Hipp and Ross Purrity for crying out loud ! Someone said he'd beat Norton. Norton would have to be favourite over the likes of Moorer, Mercer and Morrison. And I'd give him a great chance against Holyfield, Lewis, Tyson and Bowe too. Ken Norton was a badass. Too many people judge him on his losses or crap performances around 1980 when he was like 36 or 37 years old.
I think Nortons getting underrated on past prime losses. How old was he when he was KO'd by Shavers and Cooney? Against Shavers he may have well given up on the sport after losing in his ast roll of the dice against Holmes. Against Cooney he was a shell of his former self.
