BoxRec

A fantastic match between 2 hall of famers...Great boxing skills by both fighters..It is a hard one for me to pick a winner...Who wins?

Norton had alot of potential to have been a much bigger talent and star than he was, but Norton fairly had a weak chin and was mentally weak. Otherwise he was strong as an ox, had mad boxing ability, and looked every bit of a super star with his Herculean physique.

But there's no question in my mind, Jersey Joe Walcott out points him. Joe Walcott was all business, was a hard puncher himself, was an innovator of moves [the walcott waltz, among others], and gave the legendary Louis hell twice, and had long been a top flight contender. People understimate Walcott greatly... that man was a genius in the ring, and strictly all business. He wouldn't give Norton much of an option in the ring, and I think his work ethic, would have out worked Norton.

BUT...then again Norton was one who didn't underestimate nobody. He always trained religously, especially against Ali, and always brought his A game. I think he would have done so against Walcott...but I think Jersey Joe had just a little more of that something extra. Would have been a competitive, fierce contest, but with Walcott as a winner by decision.

This is a cool match.

I am partial to Walcott in a fight that could have a few opinions split. Both guys had, unique styles.

I think the smaller, yet elusive Walcott is busier in the mid-later rounds, and after having absorbed power shots early on goes on to win the fight.
Norton would have to be very active with his punching, and try to smother Walcott in punches. Walcott would most likely fight this battle backing up, and using his coolness to slide about the ropes. I think Norton has the power and accuracy to close Walcotts eyes, but a peak Walcott is just to game.

Walcott wins a split or majority decision that has them squaring of 4 months later in a much anticipated re-match.

Kym

A very tough fight on both men here. The early consensusis a Walcott victory, so I'll be the odd man out then & take Norton via close decision. I think maybe the closest we got to this fight in reality is, say, Norton-Young? Young was a crafty & oft-underestimated boxer-mover with great speed of hand & foot, had a few tricks up his sleeve (as Ali found out, though not as many as Walcott mind you) & Norton showed, as in his fights with Ali & Holmes, that if you try to outbox him & allow him to be the aggressor, you are giving him his best shot.

Against punchers, Norton folded up, but look at him when he takes the offensive against fighters who can't hurt him ala Ali & Young. He was surprisingly ferocious, & being the immensely strong man he was, I don't see Walcott winning the fight at close-quarters. Norton is too big, too strong, too feisty for him IMO. Of course, Walcott could punch. That left hook was a respectable wallop, & a lot nastier than anything Ali or Young threw. Could it hurt Norton? Probably. But could it convince him to back off for good? No, I tend to think it wouldn't.

You know, this is definitely a tough pick. Walcott has so many tools & is so crafty. At any given moment, he has a rabbit in the hat, an ace in the hole & a left hook you'll never see coming. But Norton's cross-armed defense is well-suited to nullfying hooks, & his aggression & strength might take the later rounds in a close fight. Norton was a very good body puncher, he could possibly take the shuffle out of Walcott in a fifteen-rounder. He was past it when he gave a prime Holmes life-&-death. Holmes was a more conventional fighter with less imagination than Walcott, but he was ultimately a superior boxer-mover.

It's close, & with suspect chins & pretty nice punching power at both ends someone may hit the deck, sure to rise. I go for Norton's aggressive digging to the body, his unending pressure-cooker offense & his superior punch output over Walcott's trickery, skill, daring & ring generalship.

Norton via close decision.

Reagrdless of the outcome this is one of those fights which it is very hard to pick a winner. You have to sit down and think hard about this one.

Both guys have been shown to be KO-able. And both guys do have decent power and the skills to land. So 'anything' could happen.

It would be interesting to see just how much bigger Norton looked compared to Walcott as they mixed it up.

I think one thing we all can agree on is that this would be one cool fight to watch.

Kym

I"m going to re-direct traffic on this one. Interesting contributions on this already in progress.


http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... n++walcott