Former heavyweight boxer Ken Norton Sr. dies at 70

[JeffHead]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Ken Norton Sr., a former heavyweight boxing champion who defeated Muhammad Ali in 1973, then lost in the rematch later that year, died Wednesday at a hospital in Arizona where he had been undergoing rehabilitation since suffering a stroke last year, according to his friend and manager Patrick Tenore. Norton was 70 and had congestive heart failure.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-sp-sn-boxer-ken-norton-sr-dies-at-70-20130918,0,465488.story

[JEFF9K]

1. What I always remember ...

... about Ken Norton is the Sports Illustrated article that credited his success in a big fight to a hypnotist. Norton got mad that credit was given to the hypnotist and fired him. Norton lost the next fight.

[jaysunb]

2. RIP n/t

[Faygo Kid]

3. I remember those fights with Ali

40 years ago now. Where does the time go?

RIP.

[donnasgirl]

4. Thank You Ken Norton

For all the memories.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. I met Ken Norton many years ago at his training camp.

RIP Ken.

[madrchsod]

6. a tough guy till the end

heavyweight boxing has`t been the same since ali and his fellow partners in the dance retired

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

11. I'll second that...

... Ken Norton was always my favorite, along with George Foreman.

[BeyondGeography]

7. He beat Ali on a Saturday afternoon

ABC's Wide World of Sports televised it. Everyone in my neighborhood was stunned. Frazier, Foreman, Ali, Norton...the early 70s were the bomb for a lot of things, including heavyweight boxing.

RIP

[Hoyt]

10. Yep, I remember watching that fight wondering what was wrong with Ali.

Broken jaw explained it.

[BeyondGeography]

12. He was a tough match-up for Ali

One theory here:

One of Ali’s fundamental flaws is that he held his right hand out to the side when he jabbed and did not hold his rear right hand in position to block a counter jab. He relied primarily on leaning away from jabs to avoid them. This was a technical error exploited by Ken Norton. Norton’s trainer Eddie Futch said, (In The Corner p. 233-235), “The jab was a big reason Muhammad Ali never figured out why he had so much trouble with Ken Norton in their three fights.” Futch instructed Norton, “Keep your right hand high. His jab will pop into the middle of your glove and then your jab will come right down the pipe…that is what destroyed Ali’s rhythm.” It does not matter if Ali was slightly past his peak against Norton. Norton would always give Ali trouble because of the jab.

http://coxscorner.tripod.com/beat_ali.html

[rug]

8. March 31, 1973

[duffyduff]

9. Just finished watching it on YouTube

Ali simply didn't take Norton seriously, and it showed.

Norton was always in superb physical condition in his fights.

[rug]

13. Still, it was a split decision. It was a great fight.

The rematch was only Norton's second loss.