Was Ken Norton old at damn near age 33 against Larry Holmes?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by MRBILL, Dec 9, 2008.


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  1. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I hate this hoopla over phony birth-dates, etc.......... In the 70's, George Foreman was listed as Jan. 10, 1948..... In the late 80's, during his comeback, the year changed to 1949.... WTF??

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    #16
  2. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Marketability.

    Bonecrusher Smith lied about his age too, among a crap ton of other fighters. Especially heavies.
     
    Russell, Dec 10, 2008
    Russell, Dec 10, 2008
    #17
  3. SteveO

    SteveO MSW Full Member

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    I thought that remark was about the 1981 fight against Gerry Cooney :? (in which Cooney was 25 and Norton was 35 or 37.)

    And I meant to say that Norton didn't match up welll against big punchers like Shavers and Foreman.
     
    SteveO, Dec 10, 2008
    SteveO, Dec 10, 2008
    #18
  4. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Okay. I'll buy that....:good

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    #19
  5. AnthonyJ74

    AnthonyJ74 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Norton had a great physique, and it's amazing that he never lifted weights or did bodybuilding. He only did plyometric/isometric types of exercises. From what I understand, Norton did take up weight lifting years after he retired from boxing and became a pretty massive guy.
     
    AnthonyJ74, Dec 10, 2008
    AnthonyJ74, Dec 10, 2008
    #20
  6. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yepper.... In the 80's, after his boxing career was done, Ken Norton became a weight-lifter, and bulked up to like 260 pounds...... Norton was pretty massive prior to his '86 car accident....

    MR.BILL:bbb
     
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    MRBILL, Dec 10, 2008
    #21
  7. jowcol

    jowcol Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think I've read that that 1943 birthdate was inaccurate and 1945 may be correct. Plus he turned pro at a late age so it would seem likely that he could fight on longer having avoided some early wars.
    Interesting that, if 1945 was correct, he and Quarry were the same age when they met; one was all but thru and the other one was heading upward.
     
    jowcol, Dec 11, 2008
    jowcol, Dec 11, 2008
    #22
  8. SteveO

    SteveO MSW Full Member

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    I have Norton's book somewhere. I should dig it up and find what his birthday is, since I'm genuinely curious.
     
    SteveO, Dec 11, 2008
    SteveO, Dec 11, 2008
    #23
  9. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I have an old boxing book that depicts all the great bouts over the last 120 years.... It lists the '78 fight between "Norton & Holmes." According to this book, they have Ken Norton pushing age 33 in the fight with Larry Holmes..... I too, tend to believe that 1945 is the correct year of Norton's birth....:deal

    MR.BILL:bbb
     
    MRBILL, Dec 11, 2008
    MRBILL, Dec 11, 2008
    #24
  10. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I really do NOT think Kenny Norton sustained any real threatening wear and tear on his body from the two fights with Muhammad Ali in 1973. Ali got the worst end of it for sure in fight # 1, but fight # 2 was extremely tactical for the first SIX rds, before getting physical in the end.. Kenny Norton was WAY behind early in the rematch in Los Angeles, until he closed the gap during the second half of the 12 rounder..... However, I gave Ali the nod by a hair....

    In 1974, Ken Norton got iced by George Foreman inside of 2 rds.... Christ, Norton was wobbled and on ***** street from a Foreman glancing blow.... Again, Norton did not sustain a lot of abuse or punishment; he just got dusted....

    In 1975, Ken Norton looked his best in hammering on Jerry Quarry like a punching bag.... A fairly easy win for Norton.....

    In 1976 & 1977, Ken Norton fought both Ali and Jimmy Young in not-so-hot fights that really did please me at all... I thought the Ali fight at Yankee Stadium was a dud with no real sustained action, knockdowns or blood spitting... And, just about everything that involved Jimmy Young generally stunk and was boring.... Young couldn't crack an egg with his right-cross....

    YES! The fight with Larry Holmes is the only real fight that I know of where Ken Norton actually took a sustained amount of punishment throughout the course of a long fight.... A true classic fight there in which Larry Holmes earned the title by a **** hair points win......

    The blow-outs to "Shavers & Cooney" in 1979 & '81 were bound to happen.... Norton never really dealt with power-punchers all that well....

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 11, 2008
    MRBILL, Dec 11, 2008
    #25
  11. abraq

    abraq Active Member Full Member

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    Considering the fight he put up against Larry Holmes, I wouldn't say Ken Norton was old at that time.

    But, I do think that he was just on the wrong side of the peak on "MT. Prime" at the time. To even things out for Larry, I also believe that he was more or less at the same spot on the other side of the mountain at that time. Just about to climb into his peak.
     
    abraq, Dec 12, 2008
    abraq, Dec 12, 2008
    #26
  12. ThinBlack

    ThinBlack Boxing Addict banned

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    I wish Greg Page had that type of physique:good!
     
    ThinBlack, Jan 19, 2012
    ThinBlack, Jan 19, 2012
    #27
  13. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Page lacked those gene's........:deal

    MR.BILL:hat
     
    MRBILL, Jan 19, 2012
    MRBILL, Jan 19, 2012
    #28
  14. Flemo83

    Flemo83 Active Member Full Member

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    In my opinion, going into the Holmes fight i don't think you could class Norton as old, even if he was 35. Although he'd been in some gruelling contests with the likes of Ali an co he'd never really took a sustained beating, say over 12 or 15 rounds, and his defeats were either close on points or early blow outs. Some people may argue that a few blows from Foreman were equal to a sustained beating from someonene else and could be right but i just think he gave his all in the Holmes fight and emptied his tank for good. Also after reading his book he said his heart wasn't in the game after the Holmes fight, a fight he thought he maybe shaded if i remember correctly. Couple that with the contreversial Ali loss an who could blame him
     
    Flemo83, Jan 20, 2012
    Flemo83, Jan 20, 2012
    #29
  15. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    There seems to be some controvery over Ken's actual age. I alwys thought that he was coming up to 33 when he fought Holmes,but in recent times,his birthdate is given as 1943. Which one ?
     
    Stevie G, Jan 20, 2012
    Stevie G, Jan 20, 2012
    #30
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