BoxRec

Why did Ken Norton perform so poorly?

He wasn't even competitive.

He froze and his questionable chin took it from there.

Norton could never back away effectively or move side to side. Didn't even attempt to tie up. Once he was badly hurt, he was doomed.

Throw it in with Spinks-Tyson; another fight where one combatant lost before the bell even rang.

ThatOne wrote:Throw it in with Spinks-Tyson; another fight where one combatant lost before the bell even rang.

Very true.

My original pick on that fight was Tyson in 4.
But when I saw Spinks walking to the ring with that sheepish "What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here" expression on his face, I amended my prediction to Tyson in 1.

I've never seen another elite fighter with such a total look of resignation during a ring walk as I did on Spinks that night.

SenorPipino wrote:

ThatOne wrote:Throw it in with Spinks-Tyson; another fight where one combatant lost before the bell even rang.

Very true.

My original pick on that fight was Tyson in 4.
But when I saw Spinks walking to the ring with that sheepish "What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here" expression on his face, I amended my prediction to Tyson in 1.

I've never seen another elite fighter with such a total look of resignation during a ring walk as I did on Spinks that night.

I don't know if it's true or not but it was rumored Spinks was so scared he couldn't even break a sweat.

I remember listening to Joe Frazier on the Howard Stern show when Tysonmania was at its apex and Howard asked what he would do and Frazier said "hit him back." Tyson had so many of his opponents cowed.

Nile4000 wrote:Joe was a man's man.he could deal.He wasn't intimidated like others.Mitch Green wasn't intimidated either, but he got screwed over.

Mitch Green was a clumsy fighter. But, he fought Iron Mike anywhere.

He didn't "freeze" . . .that is complete myth. He fought well in the first round, which was close to even, and was doing well in the 2nd until he got caught. Foreman was just in top form that night.

I don’t think Ken did freeze but it seemed like he was trying to adapt his game to counteract Foreman’s power advantages. This is exactly what you’d expect of a top class intelligent fighter like Ken. But he doesn’t look comfortable trying to pull off the strategy and never really gets going.

He needed something of note to keep George honest. But in the short time the fight lasted nothing worked for him.

I just watched the fight again.

I like Kenny and god bless his memory but he didn't perform well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGhXIDRYzO8

BTW, I love Ali but his commentary is so biased as to be laughable. He completely ignored the maxim that "styles make fights" and Norton's style while all wrong for him was all right for Foreman.