Was Ken Norton really a big puncher?

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 10 Sep 2004, 16:37

Looking at his record he does have a good KO percentage granted but when big hitters are mention his name often pops up.

But who did he ever score a stunning KO win over? He stopped a faded Quarry and Stander and blasted out a protected Bobick all good results but was he relly a BIG hitter.

I sometimes wonder if his reputation as a big hitter was a result of breaking an over cocky Ali's jaw?

Kenny was a tremendous fighter but his punching power cannot be compared to the likes of Shavers, Marciano, Foreman, Tyson, Liston or maybe even to the likes of Lewis, Tua and Lyle.

Or am I doing Norton a disservice? What do you think fight fans?

The_Power · Post by **The_Power** » 10 Sep 2004, 17:40

Norton was a big hitter. He could KO anyone im sure if he connected well enough.

However, he wasnt a MONSTER HITTER.

Few had foreman or shavers power.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 10 Sep 2004, 20:29

I don't think his punching power is over-rated; he's never mentioned in the same breath as Shavers or Foreman. He def. had one punch power-he hurt Holmes pretty bad in the 13th, and hurt/KO'd some other pretty durable guys . . .

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 10 Sep 2004, 22:10

If you can hit hard enough to break a guy's jaw, you must have some power...didn't they have to wear more padded gloves in California back then??? More ounces of padding or something??? I thought I read somewhere that California gloves had 2 more oz. in them...anyone recall that???

zojo · Post by **zojo** » 11 Sep 2004, 07:00

If you look at Ken's physique he looks very defined muscle wise. The guy was ripped!

However, that kid of physique does not equal punching power: Look at Holyfield, David Reid, and even Buddy Megurt (sp?) same issue.

I wonder if being muscled bound with very little fat takes too much oxygen away from the muscles and makes the figher less powerfull.

Anyone else notice this?

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 11 Sep 2004, 10:01

Sweet Scientist wrote:If you can hit hard enough to break a guy's jaw, you must have some power...didn't they have to wear more padded gloves in California back then??? More ounces of padding or something??? I thought I read somewhere that California gloves had 2 more oz. in them...anyone recall that???

I take your point but didn't Joe Hipp break Tommy Morrisons jaw? and Hipp was not know as a big hitter.

computer · Post by **computer** » 12 Sep 2004, 11:52

According to larry holmes ken norton hit harder than tyson . But holmes also said that butterbean hit harder than tyson ? .

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 13 Sep 2004, 15:46

I don't think of Norton as a big puncher. He surely punched very hard, as opponents will attest, but he did not go for one-punch KOs. He was not a head-hunter. He didn't snap straight, hard blows. His were sledgehammers to the body, arms, head, whatever was available. He didn't score those highlight reel type KOs. He did it by attrition.
I wonder too if Ken was "over-muscled". It's always been one of those boxing cliches that too much muscle just saps stamina and limits mobility. I always thought Ken would have done better if he got up on his toes a bit rather than going into that cross-armed crab position. I think he ate too many jabs and that cost him close decisions against Ali and Holmes. He looked inactive while those guys bounced around popping him.
Still, he was a great fighter and would have had a long title reign in another era.

{amateur} · Post by **{amateur}** » 14 Sep 2004, 03:00

A fighter with heavy muscle tone often gets alot of lactic acid towards the later rounds, which severly slows you down making you feel alot heavier.

dempseyfire · Post by **dempseyfire** » 14 Sep 2004, 18:53

{amateur} wrote:A fighter with heavy muscle tone often gets alot of lactic acid towards the later rounds, which severly slows you down making you feel alot heavier.

compared to someone like Rahman, Norton was very lean-only in the 210-220 lb range on a long 6'3 frame. He also had excellent stamina-see any of the Ali fights or the Holmes fight. He was def. not muscle bound . . . .

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 17 Sep 2004, 17:06

dempseyfire wrote:
{amateur} wrote:A fighter with heavy muscle tone often gets alot of lactic acid towards the later rounds, which severly slows you down making you feel alot heavier.
compared to someone like Rahman, Norton was very lean-only in the 210-220 lb range on a long 6'3 frame. He also had excellent stamina-see any of the Ali fights or the Holmes fight. He was def. not muscle bound . . . .

Have to agree, I don't think Norton was muscle bound (like say Frank Bruno).

I once read an interview with the late Eddie Futch where he said that one of Nortons problems was that he tended to freeze when faced with a big puncher.

Norton said a few years back Eddie may have had a point.

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 18 Sep 2004, 14:19

Yes, I think Norton's problem was not stamina but tactics. A lean, athletic fighter should have used more movement. It's frustrating to watch his fights with Ali, especially the third one. You want to yell, "Don't cover! Throw a few punches."
I think he did freeze against big punchers. He was mentally defeated before the start of Foreman and Shavers and Cooney. He really got his clock cleaned those nights.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 25 Sep 2004, 17:30

crooked nose wrote:Yes, I think Norton's problem was not stamina but tactics. A lean, athletic fighter should have used more movement. It's frustrating to watch his fights with Ali, especially the third one. You want to yell, "Don't cover! Throw a few punches."
I think he did freeze against big punchers. He was mentally defeated before the start of Foreman and Shavers and Cooney. He really got his clock cleaned those nights.

Yeah...I just watched the third Ali-Norton fight the other day...and now that you mention it, it seems like he 'froze' against Ali a few times...and Ali wasn't someone who was going to KO him with one punch...maybe Kenny had too much respect for everyone's punching power at times...I thought Norton was at his best in the second half of the second Ali fight...he just kept coming and coming...but he knew he was behind, he knew Ali was tiring, and threw caution to the wind...which he should have done more often...