Norton 76 v Ali or 78 v Holmes against Bowe unbeaten of first Holyfield fight...in other words prime v prime. Some may feel Nortons prime was earlier in his first Ali fights...but i think he matured into a better fighter 1976... Who do u reckon ?
A lot have picked Bowe in this match up in the past but I see Norton outworking Riddick down the stretch. Bowe did n't have the power punch necessary to keep Ken backed up.
Norton outboxes Bowe before getting stopped in 8 if not earlier. Bowe just like Lennox would resort to his physical talent if he was getting outclassed technically. Bowe KO 8.
Norton was good but Bowe was better. Bowe was sometimes lazy and sometimes fought dirty but at his very best he was a very dangerous fighter. Even when he wasn't 100% he usually still won. He had height, reach, size, strength, power, a good jab, good speed, good footwork, good conditioning, and could take a beating. He was 1 of only 3 HW World Champs who were never stopped (Tunney and Marciano or the others). Bowe was also a smart fighter and would have a great fight plan layed up by Eddie Futch. Bowe by KO inside of 10 rounds. Bowe couldn't punch as hard as a prime Foreman but he could punch hard. He was quicker and a better overall boxer than Foreman though. He wasn't as quick or as smart as Ali but he punched harder and was bigger and stronger. He could box at least as well as Jimmy Young and was much bigger, stronger, and punched way harder. Bowe would be able to take a good shot from Norton. Bowe would be able to hurt Norton. Bowe was taller, had a longer reach, and was heavier than Norton. he also punched harder than Norton. He could take a punch better than Norton as well. All these things up add to disaster for Big Ken.
I don't see Bowe blasting out Norton in two the way that Foreman did. But I'd still have to make him a heavy favorite. I'm thinking stoppage mid rounds, unless Riddick comes in with a similarly lackluster game plan like the one he executed against Tony Tubbs, in which case Norton may linger around for a while and cause some problems.
I think Bowe had enough power to back of Norton and enough size and weight to push and maul Ken I think Bowe lands that right hand to set things off. I do not see the Foreman type of domination but a later stoppage
I agree and Bowe was an excellent inside fighter ,particulalry for such a big man. I can see an area in which Norton is superior.
