BoxRec

How does Ken Norton at his peak fair against these men...


Peak for peak match ups (naturally)

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991)

Vs Harold Johnson

Vs Archie Moore

Vs Ezzard Charles

Vs Jack Dempsey

Vs Bert Cooper

Vs Tony Tucker

Vs Oliver Mc Call

Vs Frank Bruno

Vs Michael Spinks

Thanks guys...

It's sometimes forgotten how downright vicious Norton could be when he didn't fear his opponents' punch, but it is true. For this reason, I think he has Moore & Johnson --- perhaps Charles, too --- really hanging on the last two rounds, given his size & strength advantage. He decisions all three, IMO. Over fifteen, he might even stop Spinks, but I like his chances on points in that one, too. Cooper had the punch, but not the class or endurance. Norton takes his heart & makes him quit in ten, IMO. Foreman is difficult to imagine. I'll call that an even-money bet. Either Foreman leans on him all night & lands two or three perfect shots to end it, or he can't keep pace with Norton's superior conditioning, & loses on points.

Tucker doesn't have the work-rate over fifteen, & McCall & Bruno were flatly not good enough to beat Norton. Dempsey is the worst fight. He flattens Norton.

For me all match ups for Ken Norton depend on whether he has to back up against his opponent. IMO, he doesn't "freeze" against big punchers, he just has a stance that is so wide that it limits his movement laterally and backwards. When he has to move he gets caught.

Peak for peak match ups (naturally)

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991) Foreman too strong, Norton would have to back up or move laterally. His too wide stance doesn't allow the movement. Foreman would stop him.

Vs Harold Johnson - Don't know.

Vs Archie Moore - Don't know.

Vs Ezzard Charles - Don't know.

Vs Jack Dempsey - Don't know.

Vs Bert Cooper - Depends on which Bert shows up, if the absolute best Cooper shows up, Norton has to back up, he can't and Cooper would beat him.

Vs Tony Tucker - Close

Vs Oliver McCall - McCall by knockout. Norton can't hurt McCall, McCall can punch hard and can hurt Norton.

Vs Frank Bruno - Could go either way, but if Bruno lands hard early he could score an early knockout. If Norton can get into the later rounds, he should win.

Vs Michael Spinks - Ugly fight. If Norton can fight coming forward he should win, if not he wouldn't.

Robinson wrote:How does Ken Norton at his peak fair against these men...


Peak for peak match ups (naturally)

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991) I'll go with Norton in a desultory decision

Vs Harold Johnson- Norton

Vs Archie Moore-Norton

Vs Ezzard Charles-Norton

Vs Jack Dempsey-DEMPSEY

Vs Bert Cooper-Norton

Vs Tony Tucker-Norton

Vs Oliver Mc Call-Norton

Vs Frank Bruno-Norton

Vs Michael Spinks-Norton

Thanks guys...

There's a reason Ring Magazine ranked him #22 among heavyweights and why he is in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

Norton beats them all except Dempsey and Charles. People forget how many monsters Ezzard beat at Heavyweight. If Young can lose a razor thin duke to Ken, Charles can do more and decision him, maybe even scoring a KD late.

Norton would easily beat an old Foreman. Much better than Stewart and Morrison who both gave an old Foreman hell.

ThatOne wrote:

Robinson wrote:How does Ken Norton at his peak fair against these men...


Peak for peak match ups (naturally)

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991) I'll go with Norton in a desultory decision

Vs Harold Johnson- Norton

Vs Archie Moore-Norton

Vs Ezzard Charles-Norton

Vs Jack Dempsey-DEMPSEY

Vs Bert Cooper-Norton

Vs Tony Tucker-Norton

Vs Oliver Mc Call-Norton

Vs Frank Bruno-Norton

Vs Michael Spinks-Norton

Thanks guys...

There's a reason Ring Magazine ranked him #22 among heavyweights and why he is in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

So he beats them all ? And you need others to tell you how he would go ?
If it is written by boxing media it must be so ?

dempseyfire wrote:Norton beats them all except Dempsey and Charles. People forget how many monsters Ezzard beat at Heavyweight. If Young can lose a razor thin duke to Ken, Charles can do more and decision him, maybe even scoring a KD late.

Norton would easily beat an old Foreman. Much better than Stewart and Morrison who both gave an old Foreman hell.

Do you see Norton giving up ground to Foreman in that fight DF >?
Or picking his shots and moving off on angles as such, as say
Morrison did, fight a game of engage, disengage..

I agree regarding Charles. It would make an interesting fight, Charles
is one of those guys that with near perfect form is able to over come
even the more intense of foes.

Robinson wrote:

ThatOne wrote:

Robinson wrote:How does Ken Norton at his peak fair against these men...


Peak for peak match ups (naturally)

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991) I'll go with Norton in a desultory decision

Vs Harold Johnson- Norton

Vs Archie Moore-Norton

Vs Ezzard Charles-Norton

Vs Jack Dempsey-DEMPSEY

Vs Bert Cooper-Norton

Vs Tony Tucker-Norton

Vs Oliver Mc Call-Norton

Vs Frank Bruno-Norton

Vs Michael Spinks-Norton

Thanks guys...

There's a reason Ring Magazine ranked him #22 among heavyweights and why he is in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

So he beats them all ? And you need others to tell you how he would go ?
If it is written by boxing media it must be so ?

My bad. He beats them all but Dempsey and Charles.

Not being negative or anything mate, but i would rather here
your thoughts, than those of guys that sell advertising spots
in a magazine.

The opinions here are just as relevant as those as magazine
writers, except behind some of the screen names you have
former prize fighters, trainers, etc etc...more qualifications
than some pure writers.

Robinson wrote:Not being negative or anything mate, but i would rather here
your thoughts, than those of guys that sell advertising spots
in a magazine.

The opinions here are just as relevant as those as magazine
writers, except behind some of the screen names you have
former prize fighters, trainers, etc etc...more qualifications
than some pure writers.

He beats all of them except Charles and Dempsey. I rate Norton as a near all time great.Tucker, Cooper, and Bruno aren't in that category.

Spinks maybe.

I think Spinks vs Norton would be an interesting bout.
Like Galt said, it would be ugly. But it would be a hard
one to really pick.

Ken Norton UD15 George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991)

Vs Harold Johnson - haven't seen Johnson

Ken Norton TKO12 Archie Moore

Ezzard Charles SD15 Ken Norton

Jack Dempsey KO3 Ken Norton

Ken Norton TKO7 Bert Cooper

Ken Norton UD15 Tony Tucker

Ken Norton UD15 Oliver Mc Call

Ken Norton TKO6 Frank Bruno

Ken Norton SD15 Michael Spinks

Robinson wrote:

dempseyfire wrote:Norton beats them all except Dempsey and Charles. People forget how many monsters Ezzard beat at Heavyweight. If Young can lose a razor thin duke to Ken, Charles can do more and decision him, maybe even scoring a KD late.

Norton would easily beat an old Foreman. Much better than Stewart and Morrison who both gave an old Foreman hell.

Do you see Norton giving up ground to Foreman in that fight DF >?
Or picking his shots and moving off on angles as such, as say
Morrison did, fight a game of engage, disengage..

I agree regarding Charles. It would make an interesting fight, Charles
is one of those guys that with near perfect form is able to over come
even the more intense of foes.

He would fight a similar fight to how he was fighting George in 74, but he would be facing a George with a third of the handspeed and with S.L.O.W. legs. Norton's jab, countering ability and body work would have Foreman badly fatigued by the later rounds, when Norton would stop opening up on a badly mangled George a la the Alex Stewart fight.

Vs George Foreman 2.0 (say 1991) Norton UD

Vs Harold Johnson This is a tough one I think very highly of Harold Johnson. I think Norton may edge it out though and he is the bigger man.

Vs Archie Moore Moore could have a chance in outboxing him but I would lean more towards a Norton UD or maybe even a Norton KO.

Vs Ezzard Charles Norton wins by UD

Vs Jack Dempsey Dempsey By KO 8

Vs Bert Cooper Norton by KO 3

Vs Tony Tucker Could be entertaining but I think Norton takes it

Vs Oliver Mc Call Norton wide UD

Vs Frank Bruno Norton KO in 5

Vs Michael Spinks Spinks is an awkward guy and a great fighter D12

Norton would simply be too rough on Spinks, especially over fifteen. The little guy would be hanging in there at the end. Norton would brutalise him every chance he got --- chances which would come with greater frequency at the back-end of the fight.