Joe Frazier v. Ken Norton

[Vladimir5555]

Who would win?

[yancey]

Frazier smokes Kenny out of the building by the 8th.

[BoxBuzz]

Who would win?

Depends on the Year

By Kenny's own admission, 'Smokin Joe' did a number on him from 1970 thru 1972.

But, by late-1972, Kenny was able to hold his own with Joe. Kenny stated that Smokin Joe's
left hooks to the body were thrown less frequent, and with less power.

Year-by-Year
1969 > 'Smokin Joe'...... by a vicious KO in 2
1970 > 'Smokin Joe'...... by a crushing KO in 4
1971 > 'Smokin Joe'...... by a one-sided KO in 6
1972 > 'Smokin Joe'...... by a mid-bout battering KO in 8
1973 > 'Smokin Joe'...... by a hard-fought TKO in 10
1974 > 'Draw'
1975 > Kenny Norton.... by a hard-fought TKO in 12

That is one goofy answer. You left out 1958.

[Duch]

Frazier KO

[Nile4000]

Frazier by fifth round tko.

[Crease]

Frazier's style would be all wrong for Ken. Joe wins by knockout.

[Ambling Alp II]

Too bad that it didn't happen; it should have.
It's the biggest heavyweight fight of the era that didn't happen.

[drunkenpiper36]

Apparently these two sparred regularly as they were both trained by Futch, and I guess Joe regularly got the better of him.. Of course when Frazier was the defending world champion in his prime, Norton was just an up and comer.

[Chuck1052]

Ken Norton was made for Joe Frazier, who would win in short order in a bout between the two.

- Chuck Johnston

[misterpunch]

this

[gilgamesh]

Both at their best, Frazier wins everytime. Even slightly past his best Frazier still pulls it off.

[Ambling Alp II]

One thing that I hjve always found interesting is that their results against each of their common opponents (Ali, Foreman, Quarry, and Stander) are almost identical.

[gilgamesh]

Both at their best, Frazier wins everytime. Even slightly past his best Frazier still pulls it off.

I guess you weren't there in Kingston, Jamaica in January 1973, when Kenny was moving Joe all over the Ring........

You must have been.....

...what in the f*ck are you talking about? Kenny moving Joe all over the ring? I think you're getting your 1970's Heavyweights mixed up.

[Clint Magnum]

I don't know who would've won but I certainly would've paid for a ringside ticket.

[misterpunch]

hey buzz! hows it feel to be a "New England twit"?

I hear its very beautiful over there in New England

[Ambling Alp II]

I don't know who would've won but I certainly would've paid for a ringside ticket.

It would have been interesting. Too bad we missed out on this one.

[gilgamesh]

...what in the f*ck are you talking about? Kenny moving Joe all over the ring? I think you're getting your 1970's Heavyweights mixed up.

I suggest you read >

"Going The Distance"

Before making asinine comments........

I'm not the one making asinine comments douche. You said Kenny was "moving Joe all over the ring" in Kingston, Jamaica in 1973...I'd like to know how that's possible when the two never fought each other.

If you're talking about a sparring session or whatever. Then that's meaningless, and any Boxing fan should know that.

[misterpunch]

...what in the f*ck are you talking about? Kenny moving Joe all over the ring? I think you're getting your 1970's Heavyweights mixed up.

I suggest you read >

"Going The Distance"

Before making asinine comments........

I'm not the one making asinine comments douche. You said Kenny was "moving Joe all over the ring" in Kingston, Jamaica in 1973...I'd like to know how that's possible when the two never fought each other.

If you're talking about a sparring session or whatever. Then that's meaningless, and any Boxing fan should know that.

I'm not sure about the sparring theory - I mean, I just did a spot of shadow boxing and lost a very close decision but at least I gave him a bloody nose

[elmersalsa]

Smokin' Joe would be too much for Ken Norton. It would be like Frazier vs Quarry I, just a little better. I cannot believe that Jerry Quarry, Norton and Smokin' Joe are all dead... :( :( :(

[drunkenpiper36]

I cannot believe that Jerry Quarry, Norton and Smokin' Joe are all dead... :( :( :(

Mind boggling isn't it? Of the participants of the heavyweight picture of the 1960's-1970's the following men are deceased:

- Sonny Liston
- Floyd Patterson
- Ingemar Johanson
- Joe Frazier
- Jerry Quarry
- Ken Norton
- Ron Lyle
- Jimmy Young
- Oscar Bonavena
- Leotis Martin
- Zora Folley
- Cleveland Williams
- Eddie Machen
- Mac Foster
- Buster Mathis
- Thad Spencer

I'm sure there are others I have forgotten, but that pretty much covers the notables. Sadly, I think this list will be widened within the next five years.

[tiny_acres]

I cannot believe that Jerry Quarry, Norton and Smokin' Joe are all dead... :( :( :(

Mind boggling isn't it? Of the participants of the heavyweight picture of the 1960's-1970's the following men are deceased:

- Sonny Liston
- Floyd Patterson
- Ingemar Johanson
- Joe Frazier
- Jerry Quarry
- Ken Norton
- Ron Lyle
- Jimmy Young
- Oscar Bonavena
- Leotis Martin
- Zora Folley
- Cleveland Williams
- Eddie Machen
- Mac Foster
- Buster Mathis
- Thad Spencer

I'm sure there are others I have forgotten, but that pretty much covers the notables. Sadly, I think this list will be widened within the next five years.

a bunch of childhood heroes of mine on that list

[BoxBuzz]

I notice a new member chimed in on the minority view point on this recently.

Just wanting to get some more commentary from him on why this is so lopsided in Kenny's favor.

[Kalan]

This would be one of those fights where the fans pick the most popular fighter. Frazier-Foreman 1... Tyson-Holyfield 1... Mosley-Forrest 1... De La Hoya-Mosley 1... Klitschko-Fury 1... Darchinyan-Donaire 1... They’re the big favorite in the betting but the smart money is on the underdog.

Norton was a little smarter than Frazier and a better strategic thinker. The more they sparred the closer he got until he started to get an edge. I mean, Norton didn’t look very bright fighting Foreman, but George was a massive style disaster for Norton, just as he was for Frazier. Norton wasn’t as dumb as he looked vs Foreman. Around the time he stopped Henry Clark, Norton was really coming on. Frazier predicted he would beat Ali. Norton was getting stronger all the time and he was just too big, solid built, and too strong for Frazier. He had a good right uppercut which worked on Joe and his jab knocked the Hell out of Frazier. So if you’re talking about when the Ali-Frazier MSG fight was, Frazier would still have beaten Norton. Kenny was still too green. A year later Norton wasn’t the same fighter.

People don’t know this, but Norton wanted a Frazier fight. He was friends with Joe, but figured it would be great money for both of them. Frazier thought the idea was nuts and dismissed it. Remember the Norton-Bobick Fight? That was Frazier’s idea.. Frazier managed Bobick and brought him to 38-0.. Futch and Frazier needed to bring Bobick up to top contender status to get an Ali fight. They targeted Norton. That really pissed Norton off like crazy. He said he felt insulted by both Frazier and Futch. He was determined to crush Bobick. Norton came in weighing a rock solid 223 and came out barreling for an early KO. It was like “There’s your white hope jokers”

[Chuck1052]

Ken Norton was made-to-order for the big punchers of the heavyweight division. Joe Frazier would have stopped Norton in short order.

- Chuck Johnston

[wvboxer]

Quarry got to Norton a bit didn't he? It's been a while since I watched it. I just Frazier would've backed Norton up & stopped him. Norton wasn't great when he backed up.