Prime Ken Norton v the 8os Alphabet Soup

I agree with all of this, Magoo. :good Without Holmes, there would simply be no long-reigning types likely in that era. None had the tools+consistency+dedication it would've taken, in combination and were at the right age.

 

great posts guys im gonna have to order a copy of norton-holmes two buddies who know boxing say norton won. i did have ken winning 3rd of ali trilogy. ken was great fighter i think he wasnt up for shavers

 

Well, he did fight Larry Holmes in 1978 and lost by SD. I think Holmes got a little better after the fight with Norton... but I think Norton was a little past prime when they did fight. Prime vs. Prime? Who knows? Holmes almost has to be favored but it's really a toss up.

The other Champs-

WBC-
Witherspoon 1984
Thomas 1984-1986
Berbick 1986

WBA-
Tate 1979-1980
Weaver 1980-1982
Dokes 1982-1983
Coetzee 1983-1984
Page 1984-1985
Tubbs 1985-1986
Witherspoon 1986 (already mentioned above)
Smith 1986-1987

IBF-
M. Spinks 1985-1987
Tucker 1987

I think he'd win some and lose some. He has the ability to beat them all but he'd have to fight to the best of his abilities and be in peak condition vs. a 100% Witherspoon, Dokes, Spinks, and even Thomas.

 

He did well in all 3 fights vs. Ali and his fight with Holmes. He had wins over Ali, Quarry, Young, and others. He was 137 when he fought Shavers and Cooney. He did as well vs. Foreman as Frazier did... which is pretty shltty... but that's Foreman!

 

Norton is really on par with the rest of the 80s titlists which is just 1 reason out of many 2 y i know for a fact that Ali is extremely overrated .

 

Norton...Sooo underrated on ESB.

 

i think witherspoon would give norton fits/

 

If he would have had a nice little title reign maybe people would respect him more? I do look beyond the actual stats... but you can't go too far beyond what is actually there.

He went 0-3 in HW World Title Fights despite being the WBC HW Champ for a short period in 1978. Two of those loss were extremely close... L15 Ali in 1976 (rubber match) and LSD15 Holmes in 1978. The other World Title loss loss was a 2nd round KO to Foreman in 1974. Frazier doesn't get judged nearly as bad for suffering the same fate. Like Frazier, Norton also stopped Ron Stander and Jerry Quarry in 5. He also looked as good if not better vs. Ali in 3 fights.

A case can be made that he should have went 4-0 vs. Ali x3 and Holmes even though he actually went 1-3.

Here's what a lot of people look at...

Jimmy Young drew with Shavers in their rematch in '74 (many felt Young won), he beat Lyle in '75, lost a questionable decision to Ali in '75 for the HW World Title, he beat Lyle again in '76, and beat Foreman in '77. Young was considered the best HW in the world by a lot of people in 1977. In late 1977 Norton and Young fought for a WBC HW Title shot... Norton won by SD.

All of the good things Norton had been doing since mid '74 combined with all of the good things Young had been doing during that same period was very impressive. The winner of their fight was considered the best HW in the world by many in late 1977. The fight was very close but Norton did just a little bit more and got the decision.

Next up was Larry Holmes.

 

Norton beats all of them, though if he catches Page on the right day, Page takes him out late.