What if Ken Norton retired after losing to Larry Holmes?

If Norton had got the decision in the third Ali fight,there would have been a rematch within six months. How would it have gone ? Logic dictates that Ken would have won decisively as Muhammad was definitely on the slide at this time but Ali often produced intangibles. Would pride have stung him to produce one more momentous performance ? Doubtful but not impossible.


Norton's people would have done their utmost to keep him away from Foreman. Even though there's little doubt in my mind that Ken,himself,would have been willing to give it a go.

 

At the time I could n't believe that Bobick was being rushed into a fight with Norton. Yes,I know he'd had several bouts by this time but they were all against second raters. Lord knows how he was rated so high.

 

Where's the proof that he was "steered deftly" around bombers ?
Shavers and Lyle had padded records too.
Norton fought Shavers in 1979 anyway. Which has to count for something.
Lyle and Shavers were KO'd by tomato cans at one point or another too, so I'm not sure why Norton gets treated as if he was some fragile HW in hindsight.

Norton was hardly promoted at at all, nevermind intelligently. Hardly anyone had heard of him until he kicked Ali's butt.
He earned his place.

Ok, but Lyle, by contrast with Norton, went jelly legged the first time Ali connected solidly with a stiff right hand, and folded.
He failed miserably to cope with Jimmy Young, whereas Norton gave Young a proper and very close fight, regardless of whether you think Young won.
Lyle was destroyed by Lynn Ball around the time Norton gets accused of being "glass jawed" against Shavers.
Lyle was destroyed by C00ney just as Norton was.
Lyle did better against Foreman and Shavers but was beaten up by Quarry.

I think they were BOTH super bad ass.
Getting stabbed up in prison doesn't impress me.
But, yes, it's a nice survival story and he did something good with his life.:good

 

Lyle spent many years in prison. He built his power by wrapping towels around his hands and punching the concrete walls that surrounded him. Also doing thousands of push-ups and sit-ups daily.

Lyle was super badass. Afraid of nobody and I mean nobody. Like any puncher he could be outboxed but that does not change the fact his will to win and courage were top notch.

Norton had the reputation of being a bit chinny. Not just in real fights but also in the gym. Ken was just a bit harder target that Lyle or shavers and a better overall fighter.

 

shavers gets his title shot a bit sooner, and ends up with one of the title belts.