BoxRec

I have always thought that Norris was underapprecaited and was a very good fighter who was just too small to be a heavyweight... Hide i feel the same he was good but too small Both men would have benefitted if the cruiserweight division had been set at 200 pounds in the 1990's ... if Norris and Hide had fought at 200 pounds and both at their primes how would the fight turn out?

People forget Orlin Norris was actually a top heavyweight in the late 80s and early 90s - he won the NABF belt and easily beat big men Larry Alexander, Greg Page, Renaldo Snipes, Jesse Ferguson, Oliver McCall and was ultimately robbed of a decision vs Tony Tucker, who he easily beat, and he was forced to move down to cruiser because no one would fight him.

That list of victims pisses all over Herbie Hides record, who was steered away from top fighters and lost to the only two credible heavyweights he faced, by knockout.

Norris at his best is far too durable to be susceptible to Hides big power shots, and he brought far superior technique and skills. He was also a very good puncher himself at your proposed cruiser limit, where he did damage and could do so as soon as he connected with Herbie Hides chin.

Overall Norris is too strong mentally for Hide, who doesn't have a win over a quality live young heavy like Norris to provide evidence that he could actually win in this type of company. His successful WBO fights were over imported club fighters and 40 year olds.

Norris by kayo.

overhand_right wrote:People forget Orlin Norris was actually a top heavyweight in the late 80s and early 90s - he won the NABF belt and easily beat big men Larry Alexander, Greg Page, Renaldo Snipes, Jesse Ferguson, Oliver McCall and was ultimately robbed of a decision vs Tony Tucker, who he easily beat, and he was forced to move down to cruiser because no one would fight him.

That list of victims pisses all over Herbie Hides record, who was steered away from top fighters and lost to the only two credible heavyweights he faced, by knockout.

Norris at his best is far too durable to be susceptible to Hides big power shots, and he brought far superior technique and skills. He was also a very good puncher himself at your proposed cruiser limit, where he did damage and could do so as soon as he connected with Herbie Hides chin.

Overall Norris is too strong mentally for Hide, who doesn't have a win over a quality live young heavy like Norris to provide evidence that he could actually win in this type of company. His successful WBO fights were over imported club fighters and 40 year olds.

Norris by kayo.

I agree. Hide had a glass jaw at any weight, and when the cruiserweight division started getting better around the turn of the century I don't see Hide lasting against Jirov, Mormeck, Jones, Gomez etc.
I mean of course Hide could've picked up a cruiser belt at 200 in the mid 90s but the division was absolute crap at that point.

A Herbie Hide-Toney bout at 200 lbs circa 2000 would have been very entertaining, I'd favor Toney by a late knockout.

Norris was a very skilled fighter but he just never had a real punch. His fight with Vitali always looked like a complete tank job . . Vitali lands a JAB and suddenly Norris is out like he just got hit with a lamp-post.
Has anyone seen his fight with Golota?

Yes, i have his fight with Golota. Broadcast on Showtime.

Norris was old, slow and heavy - nothing at all like the original heavyweight version of himself who was quick & snappy - yet he still only lost narrowly to Golota, and the verdict was jeered loudly by the crowd.

That fight illustrated how easily a prime Orlin Norris would of handled Golota.

That must of a been a big disappointment for him - think he realised his Tyson rematch was gone the same way Don King robbed him of his Holyfield title shot in 98 and forced him to fight Akinwande, or how in 89 Holyfield opted out of fighting him.

He had many disappointments and by the time he boxed Klitschko he was obviously just doing it for money.

Norris would be way too tough for Herbie, Norris by mid rounds KO.

I remember seeing an older Norris come over and belt out Pele Reid in a round, complete mismatch, and I wouldn't rule out Hide getting the same treatment. Hide simply can't handle it when people hit him back, he has the school bully mentality. And the same mental age as some of the younger ones...

Norris was one of my favorites in the day, and at his best was nearly impossible to hit with a soild punch. Great jab and defense along with a weak offense, yet as previously noted he was avoided by some of the top guys I think. He would have embarrased the hard pu nching but limited Hide. Norris by early to mid rounds KO.

And yes the Vitali fight looked odd.

I saw the Norris-Golota fight as well. This was a rare "normal" fight involving Golota. Nothing weird happend like in most Golota fights.
Anyway, I thought Golota deserved the decision but it was pretty competitive. I don't remember Golota having Norris in major trouble and Golota could punch.
The judging was interesting. Showtime had a setup where fans could vote for each round. The fans had it very close. The woman judge had it pretty close. However, one of the other judges had it 8-2 for Golota and the other 9-1!

I think Norris-Hide would have been interesting. Hide could ban but Norris probably could take it. Hide didn't have a good chin, but Norris wasn't that hard of a puncher. It would probably go the distance. I see Norris winning something like 7 rounds to 3 (97-93.)

If you could combine Norris' skills and Hide's power you would have had a helluva fighter.