On this date, 43 years ago Larry Holmes and Ken Norton fought in one of the best title bouts.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Richard M Murrieta, Jun 9, 2021.



Page 1 of 2
  1. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    21,252
    28,033
    Jul 16, 2019
    On this date, 43 years ago, Larry Holmes and Ken Norton fought in one of the best title bouts. The date was June 9 1978. Your thoughts of that bout between those two.
     
    Richard M Murrieta, Jun 9, 2021
    Richard M Murrieta, Jun 9, 2021
    #1
    Stevie G, BitPlayerVesti, Man_Machine and 7 others like this.
  2. Clinton

    Clinton Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    19,652
    5,672
    Jan 22, 2009
    Great action packed fight. Larry finally got his place in the sun after toiling for a long time.
     
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    #2
    Richard M Murrieta, Fergy and Stiches Yarn like this.
  3. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,278
    15,993
    Jun 25, 2014
    I was 13. Our television was broken so my dad dropped me off at my grandpa's. Watched Young-Ocasio. Then my grandpa wanted to go to the bar down the street. So we went there. He drank. I watched the fight. My dad and more guys showed up there. A friend of my dad's who went to high school with Ken Norton in Jacksonville stopped in. He always rooted for Norton. Great fight. Wild night. Bar full of people yelling at a little tiny 19-inch TV perched high in the corner by the ceiling.

    It was one of the first matches I searched for when I began collecting fights in the 80s.
     
    Dubblechin, Jun 9, 2021
    Dubblechin, Jun 9, 2021
    #3
    Rakesh, ipswich express, greynotsoold and 9 others like this.
  4. Stiches Yarn

    Stiches Yarn Active Member Full Member

    1,219
    1,889
    Jan 2, 2021
    still among my personal favorite bouts. The last 3 rounds of that fight was a personal war that revealed the big hearts of both men. Kenny Norton has to be one of the best heavyweight boxers to have never won the undisputed heavyweight championship title
     
    Stiches Yarn, Jun 9, 2021
    Stiches Yarn, Jun 9, 2021
    #4
    Rakesh, ipswich express, swagdelfadeel and 4 others like this.
  5. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

    25,057
    28,687
    Jan 8, 2017
    One of the most two sided Heavyweight title fights ever. The start of the great reign of Holmes and the last great fight for Kenny.
     
    Fergy, Jun 9, 2021
    Fergy, Jun 9, 2021
    #5
    Rakesh, Richard M Murrieta, Toney F*** U and 4 others like this.
  6. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,278
    15,993
    Jun 25, 2014
    I really liked Shavers and Norton at that time. In a matter of a couple months, Holmes had beaten them both. I didn't like him for years after that. (LOL)
     
    Dubblechin, Jun 9, 2021
    Dubblechin, Jun 9, 2021
    #6
    Mario040481, swagdelfadeel, Richard M Murrieta and 2 others like this.
  7. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,022
    10,241
    Mar 23, 2019
    I remember seeing Ali-Spinks1 and being both profoundly disappointed by Ali and not at all impressed by Spinks. Watching this fight made me love boxing again. I wasn't familiar with Holmes at the time, so I was kind of rooting for Norton. By the end of the fight I started hollering for Larry, and was delighted when he won (even though the announcer half-convinced me Kenny had won before the decision).

    This and Bowe-Holyfield I are my favorite fights to watch, ever.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jun 9, 2021
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jun 9, 2021
    #7
    ETM, swagdelfadeel, Richard M Murrieta and 3 others like this.
  8. djanders

    djanders Boxing Addict Full Member

    5,065
    6,800
    Feb 21, 2009
    That great fight was 43 years ago? What the ....? :eeek:
     
    djanders, Jun 9, 2021
    djanders, Jun 9, 2021
    #8
    swagdelfadeel, Richard M Murrieta, George Crowcroft and 1 other person like this.
  9. Clinton

    Clinton Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    19,652
    5,672
    Jan 22, 2009
    Great post
     
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    #9
    Richard M Murrieta and Stiches Yarn like this.
  10. Clinton

    Clinton Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    19,652
    5,672
    Jan 22, 2009
    I know. I was 17
     
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    Clinton, Jun 9, 2021
    #10
    Richard M Murrieta, djanders and Stiches Yarn like this.
  11. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me Full Member

    388,138
    70,101
    Nov 30, 2006
    This was pretty good, alright.
     
    IntentionalButt, Jun 9, 2021
    IntentionalButt, Jun 9, 2021
    #11
    swagdelfadeel and Richard M Murrieta like this.
  12. Balder

    Balder Well-Known Member banned Full Member

    2,881
    1,865
    Nov 10, 2012
    One of the best heavyweight fights in history.
     
    Balder, Jun 9, 2021
    Balder, Jun 9, 2021
    #12
    swagdelfadeel, Richard M Murrieta and Clinton like this.
  13. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    20,413
    20,241
    Jun 26, 2009
    Yeah DJ, my first thought also was ‘damn, I really am old,’ haha.
     
    Saintpat, Jun 9, 2021
    Saintpat, Jun 9, 2021
    #13
    swagdelfadeel, Richard M Murrieta, Clinton and 1 other person like this.
  14. Kamikaze

    Kamikaze Bye for now! banned Full Member

    4,226
    4,494
    Oct 12, 2020
    I am gonna be a bit unpopular for saying this but I actually did not like this fight and found it more easy to judge then what I read on the tin to.
     
    Kamikaze, Jun 9, 2021
    Kamikaze, Jun 9, 2021
    #14
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  15. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    21,252
    28,033
    Jul 16, 2019
    I saw this fight, televised on ABC on my very own first color television, I was 19 years old. I purchased my TV with my own money that I had worked for, a brand new 19 inch Truetone television, purchased at the local Western Auto store. I saw this fight with a neighborhood pal, with a six pack of Coors beer. I thought that Ken Norton had a chance to defend his WBC Heavyweight title, based on his narrow win over Jimmy Young, on Nov 5 1977. Holmes built a lead for the first 8 rounds by moving and jabbing, connecting with his hard right hand. Ken began to narrow the lead with some very effective body blows, slowing Larry down. The last two rounds were pivotal in the victory for Holmes. It was a great victory for the new WBC champion by a split 15 round decision. Leon Spinks was the reigning WBA champion, awaiting for the rematch with challenger Muhammad Ali on Sept 15 1978.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2021
    Richard M Murrieta, Jun 9, 2021
    Richard M Murrieta, Jun 9, 2021
    #15
    Mario040481, The Senator, RulesMakeItInteresting and 1 other person like this.
Page 1 of 2