Peak Ken Norton Versus Peak Joe Walcott

For me it comes down to whether Norton can take Walcott's power. Tho Walcott is no swarmer he hits damn hard and he's extremely cunning with hard counters. His left hook will be important here to crack norton guard and he'll need to mix some uppercuts in. Walcott will be looking to upset Nortons defensive rhythm and he will definitely catch Norton at Times. Who didn't he catch. It's totally up to Nortons chin. Walcott hits harder than Holmes and Ali but not as hard as Shavers, Cooney and Foreman. On what exact level do the cracks appear for Norton.

It's most likely Walcott via stoppage or Norton by decision for me but it's a tough pick between these two outcomes.

 

Exactly how large have you mistaken Norton for being?

 

Approx. 210 pounds in his prime vs Walcott's approx. 189... I just see Norton as the naturally stronger man and his experience vs 'real' heavyweights. Walcott lost to an overrated midget with a 66 inch reach, don't remember his name, though... If you lose to a guy like that you don't stand a chance vs a ranked 210 pound 1970 fighter.

 

21lbs is what…about 8kgs? Fighters of this size & calibre won’t have their fates decided by that kind of margin.

 

Walcott was beyond ancient when he lost to Marciano, whom Norton wouldn't have favorable chances against anyway.
Walcott was 194 lbs at his best.
Norton weighed 205-210 lbs in his prime.
That means their weight difference can be as little as 11 lbs if Norton shows up in his Ali 2nd fight weight.
If you think that's a massive, insurmountable difference, remember that Walcott almost beat 211 lbs Joe Louis and defeated 218 lbs Joe Baksi and 207 lbs 6"3 Lee Q Murray.

 

It's laughable. If Norton shows up at the same weight he did for his best career performance, the second Ali fight, he'll be a whole 5 kg heavier than Jersey Joe.

He'll crush the midget.

 

Tell me more about Lee Q Murray

 

6"3, 72% KO rate.
Wins over Jimmy Bivins, Turkey Thompson and Buddy Walker.
Rated in the top 10 for 4 years in the 1940s.

 

Ken Norton's style was always troublesome for crafty fighters. Troublesome does not always equal a win. I am going with Jersey Joe Walcott by Decision in an interesting fight.

 

Walcott by knockout. I see Norton eventually walking right into a Walcott counter.

 

I see Walcott winning either way, by knockout or by decision.

 

How come he didn't fight Joe Louis?

 

Louis only fought #1s after the war.

 

After doing a little research I agree 100% Walcott was 6'0 with a 74 inch reach. Norton was 6'3 with an 80 inch reach. Norton ko'ed 66% of his 50 opponents while going 42-7-1 Joe had a 44% Ko rate going 49-20-1. While Norton's worst loss was Jose Luis Garcia, a loss he avenged with a 5th round Ko Walcott was Ko'ed by Al Ettore in 8 and beaten twice by Tiger Jack Fox , once by KO and to Joey Maxim,,,light heavyweights . He also went 2-2 with Ezzard Charles, a natural light heavyweight. Quality of opposition? Norton , 3 fights with Ali, He won 2 really ,Holmes,Quarry, Foreman , Young, Shavers, . Walcott split with Louis though he may have won one and lost to Rex Layne and was ko'ed by Abe Simon. He did split fights with Elmer Ray. I don't believe Walcott hears the judges cards and is stopped around the 8th to 10th rounds.