i agree BUT what langford? obviously prime, but the best langford was probably around 168 (feel free to correct me all) and the bigger, fatter langford was near blind. the size difference in this would be pretty drastic even at his best langford had some trouble beating the best big men consistently. could a patient, jabbing, counter punching norton get some work done? i just don't see langford pushing norton back ala shavers/foreman and getting that kind of knockout. i see a patient battle of counterpunchers with langford scoring the decisive blow late
I don't know ... Fulton was able to handle Langford with speed , height and a strong jab ... Fulton had a glass jaw ... Norton at 6'3" with his 80" reach and terrific jab might just be too big ... no doubt Sam had the power to do the job but you have to be able to land ..
that's who i thought of to when giving norton some success but langford was nearly blind by that point and likely well overweight by what i've heard
Agreed. He gave two of the greatest heavyweights absolute hell for 15 rounds (and you could easily make a case that hes unbeaten against Ali). He doesn't get enough credit.
I think I'd go with Norton. I don't really buy the 'Norton would lose to anyone who could break an egg' philosophy.
Langford wasn´t anyone though. One of the best and hardest punches even at hw and one of the best finishers ever. And Norton´s come forward style is playing right in his hands. Bad match-up for him. Now, Norton against, for example, Johannson would be a different thing.
Langford could do a lot more than break an egg. He would probably be the best finisher than Norton ever shared a ring wit.
It's more to do with styles than levels/eras. Norton didn't fare brilliantly against big punchers. Langford was dynamite. He'd back him up, stalk him and take him out IMO.