One of the most underrated heavyweights, he just doesn't get that much respect for what he did. His upset against Ali in his first fight is still very much shocking and his war against Larry Holmes is one of the greatest heavyweight slugfests of all-time, RIP Hercules. You were one strong heavyweight
These guys where in tip top condition as fighters. 15.5 stone max. No nutritionist bollocks, The bigger the heavyweight become the worse it gets. The fighters did 15 rounds back in the day, when top 10 meant top 10
I was grocery shopping when I got the alert about this episode. As a kid I loved the way Norton was so cut up and the way he shook his head side to side when he entered the ring. I loved the whole blue collar Marine thing too. But the first visual that popped in my head when I saw the name on the episode was of Ken Norton Jr. punching the goal post like a heavy bag. I remember thinking at the time how great a tribute to his father. I recalled Norton being asked if he was the former champion and him replying, “I’m the father of Ken Norton Jr.” It was awesome to see the video start and end with the Father/Son dynamic. Thanks so much Rich. Loved it.
I grew up and still live in Jacksonville il, Nortons hometown. I met him I think 3 times he even came to my junior high and spoke once. Stand up man, humble and down to earth. Btw probably best video I’ve seen done in him. RIP Ken Norton Sr
Because of his physique, I never believed Norton when he said he did not use weights in training. Then I read an interview with the great bodybuilder Steve Reeves who said that at an autography signing after Norton had retired, Ken came up to him and asked for a basic bodybuilding routine. He told Reeves that he never touched a weight in his training and just wanted a beginner's routine.
Incredible!...But I knew a kid in High School, who at age 16, never touched weights, but was pretty "cut" naturally, and took up pole vaulting as a Jr. in HighSchool...As a senior, he came in 4th at the State High School Championships in the Pole Vault! Some people just have great genetics!...To make things even more weird, he also looked very much like a smaller version of Arnold S....like he could have been his son!
You are the BEST, Rich! Great footage, great compilations. Another great tribute to a great heavy weight. I would have like to meet Ken. Amazing athlete. Thanks, as always, Rich. 👍🥊
Got to love Ken Norton. The man looked like a God and fought like a titan. Good to see him getting some respect, because it's easy to forget his contribution to boxing because he fought in the greatest era of HW boxing and was a bit overshadowed by Ali, Foreman and Frazier, but he fully deserves his respect. Add in the fact that he was not only a tremendous boxer, but a decent actor too.
The way Norton dismantled Quarry was unprecedented. And one can argue he beat Ali at least twice, the first and last times. The Holmes fight was a classic, which I thought Norton won.
Jerry Quarry is sadly a fighter I forget about when thinking of these great older fights. What a mad lad he was. Feel like he was always ready to fight anybody anytime
@marleywills2160 I don't think they were friends, Norton called Quarry a predjudiced man and Quarry said a few disparaging things about norton... But who knows maybe they were just trying to build the fight.. anyway R.I.P. to these great fighters
It was so sad ,him and his brother both. I damn near cried when i saw him in a interview in 94 or 95. He could hardly talk and smiled alot. They had another brother who wound up with Parkinsons.
Both of Eddie Futch's guys fought dumb fights against Foreman. Joe wasn't in the best of shape and grossly underestimated George. He tried to outmuscle him and stood in front of him instead of staying on the angles and slipping side to side. He also left his right hand in the gym that Eddie had him working on more in the sparring sessions. Norton didn't throw enough jabs and also stood in George's power zone. He backed up and backed up and backed up without jabbing and throwing his right hand. Waiting to counter got him knocked out. You have to give credit to George for getting the job done against both Frazier and Norton. That was the fear the world had for Ali when he signed on to fight George. Two of the best heavyweights that took him the distance and gave him trouble lasted just 4 rounds combined against Big George.
Extremely good video on Kenny may he rest in power one of my favorite Boxers I was born in the 60s grew up in the 70s i remember all of this it was the times the people what a great time and Kenny Norton was & still is a Boxing Legend..
Norton is STILL underrated. Great fighter from an era of great fighters. He beat Ali good in that first fight and most thought that he won the second and third fight as well. Ali could never figure Norton out. Ali said during an interview with Mark Cronin in October 1976: "Kenny's style is too difficult for me. I can't beat him, and I sure don't want to fight him again. I honestly thought he beat me in Yankee Stadium, but the judges gave it to me, and I'm grateful to them." Norton was bitter, stating after the fight: "I won at least nine or ten rounds. I was robbed." Again, thanks Rich!!!
I always liked Norton. So glad you did a doc for him, Rich. Keep the "hits" coming. You really do have the best fighter docs on all of the internet; no contest!
To this day, Larry Holmes cites his fight with Norton as the toughest of his career. He recites the date, June 9, 1978 as a sort of mantra, symbolizing his entry to championship glory.
@@ghostdance56 Holmes was 38 years old when took that fight after being out of the ring for 2 years. He would’ve stayed retired until Don King offered Larry a payday he couldn’t refuse. Even Tyson said he didn’t believe he fought the real Larry Holmes that night in the post fight interview.
@@connshawnery6489 - Yeah, I'm aware of that son. And yet Larry claims another fight where he was steamrolled was harder. I think he's being a little nostalgic.
@@ghostdance56 If you think four uncompetitive rounds with 22 year old prime Tyson was tougher than 15 competitive rounds against Norton in your physical prime then that’s your opinion.
@@connshawnery6489 - I have no doubt about it. I've always believed getting crushed and totally destroyed by an opponent was the worst that could happen to you. And I'd say being crushed by Tyson was notably somewhat 'tougher' than a competitive fight with Norton, and it's the reason Holme's got crushed. I'm using the normal definition of 'tougher' of course. But thats just me. LOL
Wow Rich...what a great piece! The hairdo on his hypnotist! Made me laugh until I cried! The picture of Jr, with his Dudley DoRight jaw apparent even as a boy was priceless and as big a boxing fan as I am, I've never seen the pictures of Kenny's early KO loss to Garcia. Shocking to see him in such distress at so young an age. One of the reasons Ali isn't on my list of iconic sports figures is their third fight. He didn't deserve to win but the mystique was in full throttle for that fight. Ali would through a 6 punch flurry missing every punch but the crowd went wild, the announcers screamed plaudits into their microphones and the judges swooned. Sports Illustrated's Mark Kram wrote a memorable piece that recognized we had seen the last of the great Ali. Norton was crushed...absolutely crushed and his passion for boxing was broken never to return. So sad and unjust. He didn't deserve that. He was a good, hard working man who should have been given what he rightfully earned. By then, Ali was too big to fail.
I agree with a lot of what you said. For YEARS I would list Joe Louis over Ali. My Dad was a Vietnam vet and he had issues with Ali, and maybe this is why I held Ali accountable. But in hindsight, even though in my mind he never beat Kenny, Ali beat the best possible competition in heavyweight history. Liston, Frazier, Norton, Foreman.
Norton was tough like a brand name he made for himself had that funky crab defense stamina and power but once he gained momentum on and opponent they were in big trouble and the Holmes fight that could have gone his way he still solidified himself with that that was one of the most glorious heavyweight fights of all time
Ali got a few "Don King Decisions". Hate the piece of shit. Norton was one of my favorite fighters, and after having seen this, I like him even more. Class guy, and intelligent.
I admired how he handled the obnoxious questions that Howard Cosell would hit him with, even after losing a fight!..Then again, Cosell clearly had massive respect for Norton--as he should have!
Great piece on the great Ken Norton. And he was a champion. If you lived near him, you'd see him out and about and he was perceived as such and carried himself like a champion. Lot sharper than some people thought post-accident, despite kind of messed up speech. At some point, I caused him to dislike me, which was unfortunate because I looked up to him and saw him everywhere--gym, local fights, mall, restaurants, clubs, and a few businesses I'd go in where he owned a piece, including a spa store in Carlsbad where because of my job I was in all the time. But he was actually a nice guy if you didn't piss him off. That hypnotist performed at my high school too and I distinctly remember him basically making it sound like he was the one who won against Ali. I guess to his credit, he had a whole stage of kids thinking they were chickens, going around pecking things and stuff.
That's funny. I would think Dean's hairstyle would disqualify his cool factor to high schoolers but apparently he knew which kind of people were susceptible to his grift.
Great work Rich. Ken Norton was one of the best heavyweights in the Golden Age Era along with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers, Jimmy Ellis and Jerry Quarry just to name several big names and legends. Wish Norton could have fought his buddy Smokin' Joe and Ron Lyle who Norton put on a war with them and he would have batter the fading Jimmy Ellis at that time of his rising in the heavyweight ranks. Keep it up Rich.
The more I look back on times like this the less impressive Ali is. He's still one of the best technical boxes ever. But overall, and as a person... Ali wasn't as "great" as I remembered. Wish he could have left boxing earlier
@@hiyabuddy7Strange how Ali was run out of boxing and his license to fight was revoked without any due process and banned from fighting and yet Don King was never banned by any state or organization. Lol,Howard Cosell always wondered the same thing.
Come on man Ali is as impressive as it gets, you probably don’t know enough about him. Yes Norton was his toughest test and he probably didn’t win all the fights but he’s still the GOAT.
You gotta remember this was 10 years after Ali had wins over guys like Sonny Liston. Wins over Frazier x2, Patteron x2, Liston x2, Foreman, Quarry x2, Shavers, and Norton himself. Ali WAS that great, don't get it twisted.
Great Episode!!! Ken Norton truly one of the Best and he got Robbed in that last Ali fight. Watched All those fights and thought Norton could have been Winner in each of them.
Ken Norton was a crafty , skilled, awkward ,pressure fighter with an excellent jab However, his one big weakness was that he couldn't fight going backwards. .He could hang with the best boxers and counterpunchers but anyone who was strong enough to push him backwards could take him out.pretty handily
Thank You I never was able to see much of r. Norton, I was on the road delivering freight. I admired His build and knew he was a special guy ☺👉👍👏👏👏💯😃👀💬Yup❗ G-G.
I figured this out in "95" when I watched the 3 DVD set from (Blockbuster)? Ali was my hero growing up and I had to admit that he got his ass WHOOPED at least twice and one could make the arguement that Norton took all 3.
Champions Forever was a great film! I converted mine to DVD and Blu-ray. Did you know during the filming Frazier got drunk and kept trying to get close to Ali and start trouble? Holmes and Foreman kept him away so nothing happened. Joe carried alot of hurt and bitterness.
God rest Ken Norton’s soul he was a amazing yet underrated boxer. An amazing man who was a warrior for fighting for his son who his ex wife left him with.
Holmes should've rematched Norton. It had the potential to be a great trilogy alongside Ali-Fraizer, Gatti-Ward, Barrera-Morales, Bowe-Holyfield, etc. There are good reasons Holmes wasn't highly regarded in his time. And it wasn't just that he beat up on a washed-up Muhammad Ali. He cherry picked half his fights, didn't seek to unify all the heavyweight title belts, ducked high ranking competition (Greg Page, Michael Dokes, and Gerrie Coetzee to name a few), refused to give rematches to fighters that took him to controversial decisions (Ken Norton, Tim Witherspoon, and Carl Williams to name a few), and last but not least, his sore loser attitude in his losses to Michael Spinks. I could've overlooked at least half of this if he would've given Ken Norton a well-deserved rematch.
after holmes norton had little left. the holmes fight took so much out of him, he wasnt the same afterwards. he was 35 years of age, no holmes triologie was comming up. he gave his very best in the holmes fight, what an effort! but was an almost spent force after this war.
@@clemensmeyer7023 Maybe, but we'll never really know, will we? Holmes wasn't the puncher that Shavers and Cooney were. Norton would look washed up against them, as big punchers have always been his kryptonite. But against Holmes, Norton could take his punches pretty well. Ken's mistake in the Holmes fight was (by his own admission) not going on the offensive soon enough. I think had he done so, he would have won a close decision in an exciting all action fight. And that's exactly what I think would have happened had there been a rematch. Which in turn should have led to a third fight in which Holmes probably would have ended up winning (possibly by knockout), but it would have been a fun action fight while it lasted. As it is, all we have are what ifs and what might have beens. Which I think also applies to Holmes' career. I will stand by my assessment that Holmes was a good champion, but not a great one.
@@5star64 Although I don't deny his age being a factor, I feel like Norton's decline was caused more by mental factors than physical ones. He was demoralized from losing three close and controversial decisions (two to Ali and one to Holmes). And even his decision win against Jimmy Young was close and controversial. He just gave up mentally and emotionally and it showed in his later fights. However I think had he gotten another title shot against Holmes, he would've been able to muster that heart and drive at least one more time. This combined with him learning from the mistakes he made in the first fight, would have helped Norton pull out a close win.
That shit about Alis broken jaw was just his refusal to admit a clean defeat without trying to create a Brave Ali narrative. Norton won all 3 fights with Ali but its impressive that he got the decision even once. And shame on Cosell for stepping on the drama of the scorecard reading.
but WHEN was it broken? It appears it happened in the 11th. Ali said it happened in the second. Which narrative did the media buy? Easy: the one that make Ali look like a superhuman.@@Jonathan-pp3du
In the 3rd fight Norton won his rounds big while Ali won a lot of his rounds by a small margin. When I watched the fight live in TV I had the impression Norton clearly won. But when I rewatched it decades later on youtube (and scored it) I was surprised how many rounds I got "even" and Ali came out as a winner by one round.
Norton was a really good heavyweight who deserved more credit than he ever got. That fight with Holmes was one of the all time great fights and it was so close you could flip a coin as to who won. Rest in peace Ken. You are remembered!
Ken "The Black Hercules" Norton PRO record: 42-7-1, KO's 33 Amature record: 24-2 / 3x Marine heavyweight champion # Heavyweight Champion of the World: 1977-1978 / World title record: 0-3-0 # 2-time NABF heavyweight champion: 1973-1973 & 1975-1976. # Greatest career victories: Mohammad Ali, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Ron Stander, Duane Bobick & Boone Kirkman + Draw with Scott LeDoux. # Career defeats: Mohammad Ali x2, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney & Jose Luis Garcia (Norton avenged this loss) AWARDS / RECOGNITIONS: - 1961 Went to Northeast Missouri State University on a football scholarship and studied elementary education. - Served in the United States Marines Corps from 1963 to 1967 with graduating from NCTC Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. - 1977 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year Award. - 1992 inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. - 2004 inductee into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. - 2008 inductee into the WBC Hall of Fame.
Nice to see Boone Kirkman's name...he was from Renton, Washington, my home state...Boone was just a tough street kid, known for fighting, when he was discovered. A not very big White guy (202lbs), who did have some punching power...He was one of those five boxers who faced Foreman in that strange boxing event. He dared to clobber Foreman with one good right hook...Foreman then quit toying with him, and destroyed him against the ropes! Boone soon quit the fight game, and ran a tavern in his home town for years.
Norton beat Ali all three times, no matter what the record says. I like that his Wikipedia page quotes his book, about Ken winning Father of the Year (twice) that "Of all the titles that I've been privileged to have, the title of 'dad' has always been the best."[
I’ve got a crazy story. I had a friend in middle school- I went to Washington elementary in Jacksonville where he was born anyway one of my best friends for a good chunk of my childhood always said Ken Norton was his cousin all the time I said why don’t you call him and have him come up to the school right so I’m over at his house after school one day he says my cousins coming over bam in walks ken Norton. Fucking unbelievable he smelled like money and had a gold necklace with a boxing glove on it. He came to the school and just kinda chatted for a minute I still have the autograph he gave me. Absolutely insane. Rest in peace ken and rest in peace to his actual cousin Alex Jackson ❤️ I miss you man
Kenny seems to be the guy who always delivers, always give tough matches, always force his opponent to give 100% and always loose by one point Had he won 3 times against Ali and against Holmes, he would have been much much more considerated
Great work. Even better than I expected. And these fights are better than I remembered as a kid. Love watching your stuff when I'm relaxing with a night cap. Cheers.
Ken Norton for me was without doubt one of the best heavyweights throughout the 70s. The first time I seen Norton was his first fight against Ali. As we all know Kenny won and broke Ali's jaw. Kenny had a further 2 fights with Ali and the 3rd fight was a great close fight. Kenny also destroyed the great white unbeaten heavyweight bobick in 1 round. He also beat Jerry quarry who was also very underrated in a tough fight . I recall one particular round against quarry where Kenny took some real heavyweight punishment from quarry but rode it out and then stopped quarry a few rounds later. What I mostly respected Kenny for was he was always humble and spoke very well and respectable of all his heavyweight rivals. Win or lose Kenny always went into that ring and gave it everything he had. One story that I heard that always made me smile was after the quarry fight , Kenny seen quarry and his wife in the parking lot and Kenny invited Jerry's wife to come and join a real man , quarry was fuming by this remark and raced across the car park to attack Norton who quickly got in a car and drove away. Later upon being asked why Kenny retreated so quickly Kenny said......I'd fight quarry in a boxing ring anytime he wants.........but I'd never fight that boy in the street. Kenny was scheduled to fight leon spinks whom I believe Kenny would of knocked out leon in what would of been fun while it lasted, but I will never forget Kenny's fight against Larry Holmes one of the greatest heavyweight fights I ever seen. One of the saddest sights in boxing for me though was a knocked out Kenny sitting on a bottom rope unable to fall while a referee let a big punching heavyweight called Gerry cooney was allowed to hit a totally unguarded Norton. I loved Ken Norton and i loved to watch him fight. He was a real heavyweight in amongst what i would describe as potentially the greatest heavyweight era of all time. God bless you Kenny.
I know you like to shed light on a lot of forgotten or lost fighters but your docs are so detailed i am sure to hear some things ive never heard before. Love if you would do more docs on bigger fighters coming from more of a casual fan.
I watched all of Ali -Norton fights. I don't think Ali won a round in any of those bouts. Of course most Ali's fights were fixed (judges). And Cosell was a prime example of the bias.....what a shill.
Ali never beat Norton. Not really. When I was a kid in the 1970's, Ali was larger than life! You had to REALLY beat him. That being said, I will bet you a beer you cant stay awake through all 3 fights consecutively. Great one Rich
Great efforts you put into these, they are great for information and excitement on fighters we don’t know as well as you show us. Always learning even when you think you know them you show us more in depth documentaries
I liked Norton ; he was must see TV. I believe Ali beat him the final two fights. I thought Ali took the 12th and deciding round in fight #2, and the 15th round in fight #3. Both fights were close but Ali won them. Now i do believe the Norton that fought Ali, beats Holmes. I thought he also got a gift decision against Young. Very good fighter.
During the 70s as a youth and a boxing fan Norton was my favorite from the great class of heavyweights. The 1 fight I will always remember was against Bobick which was quick. RIP Champ!!
A lot of people think that Norton beat Holmes, in my opinion I see a draw, so whether or not there would have been a rematch, it would have been nice, because Holmes never offered Norton a rematch, like Ali did for example
The fact that Ali continued with a broken jaw makes him even more of a warrior...most people can't function let alone fight and take more punches 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾the true G.O.A.T
One of the most underrated heavyweights, he just doesn't get that much respect for what he did. His upset against Ali in his first fight is still very much shocking and his war against Larry Holmes is one of the greatest heavyweight slugfests of all-time, RIP Hercules. You were one strong heavyweight
Just look at what we are being served up with today ? It’s more a kin to clash of the walrus’s
@@lloydielloydie821Lol!
These guys where in tip top condition as fighters. 15.5 stone max. No nutritionist bollocks,
The bigger the heavyweight become the worse it gets. The fighters did 15 rounds back in the day, when top 10 meant top 10
Bragging about beating Ali is crazy how old was Ali 😂😂😂 50
@@2thumbsdown215Err no 31 to 34. Ali is overrated not that his fan club can ever admit it. Norton was a year younger than Ali.
Ken Norton was a great boxer. He also seemed like a good man. Blue collar, hard working, tough sob
yes indeed a great boxer and even better man !
Ken Norton could quite literally rule the division today.
Norton and Lyle deserve more recognition, great fighters.
I was grocery shopping when I got the alert about this episode. As a kid I loved the way Norton was so cut up and the way he shook his head side to side when he entered the ring. I loved the whole blue collar Marine thing too. But the first visual that popped in my head when I saw the name on the episode was of Ken Norton Jr. punching the goal post like a heavy bag. I remember thinking at the time how great a tribute to his father. I recalled Norton being asked if he was the former champion and him replying, “I’m the father of Ken Norton Jr.”
It was awesome to see the video start and end with the Father/Son dynamic. Thanks so much Rich. Loved it.
Thanks, whitehurstcomic. Yeah, I remember Norton Jr from his 49er days.
How so you get alert in the store?? You was on youre phone?
@@donsandrano1429 yes
A great era for boxing.
They certainly don't make them like this anymore.
RIP Champ 👊🙏👊
They don’t even box like this no more either to be truthful !!!
I grew up and still live in Jacksonville il, Nortons hometown. I met him I think 3 times he even came to my junior high and spoke once. Stand up man, humble and down to earth. Btw probably best video I’ve seen done in him. RIP Ken Norton Sr
Thank you, KodakZak.
The life of a warrior ,rest in peace!,Ken Norton ❤️
Because of his physique, I never believed Norton when he said he did not use weights in training. Then I read an interview with the great bodybuilder Steve Reeves who said that at an autography signing after Norton had retired, Ken came up to him and asked for a basic bodybuilding routine. He told Reeves that he never touched a weight in his training and just wanted a beginner's routine.
Incredible!...But I knew a kid in High School, who at age 16, never touched weights, but was pretty "cut" naturally, and took up pole vaulting as a Jr. in HighSchool...As a senior, he came in 4th at the State High School Championships in the Pole Vault! Some people just have great genetics!...To make things even more weird, he also looked very much like a smaller version of Arnold S....like he could have been his son!
Great piece on Ken Norton. To those of us who remember and miss the 1970's, this is one of the reasons.
Thanks, MyBenjamin
Ill give Quarry one thing. He was a determined SOB.
You are the BEST, Rich!
Great footage, great compilations. Another great tribute to a great heavy weight.
I would have like to meet Ken. Amazing athlete.
Thanks, as always, Rich. 👍🥊
Always a pleasure, Christopher. Thank you.
Got to love Ken Norton.
The man looked like a God and fought like a titan.
Good to see him getting some respect, because it's easy to forget his contribution to boxing because he fought in the greatest era of HW boxing and was a bit overshadowed by Ali, Foreman and Frazier, but he fully deserves his respect.
Add in the fact that he was not only a tremendous boxer, but a decent actor too.
The way Norton dismantled Quarry was unprecedented. And one can argue he beat Ali at least twice, the first and last times. The Holmes fight was a classic, which I thought Norton won.
A great fighter and a thoroughly decent man.R I P Ken Norton.
Had a pretty good linebacker for a son.
@@john-nx4xn Yep,Ken was rightly proud of his son.
@@spreadeagle2561oh that's right he played for the 49s
@@DouglasRose-cu1xyAlso Dallas. Ken has 3 super bowl rings in a row. No one else does.
You know it’s a Good Friday, when Rich the Historical KING does an hour documentary 🎉🎉🎉
Haha, thanks LetitGoIazziter
Jerry Quarry is sadly a fighter I forget about when thinking of these great older fights. What a mad lad he was. Feel like he was always ready to fight anybody anytime
I just posted about Quarry. He was a great boxer, but that era had EXCELLENT boxer’s.
Absolutely. Quarry was always game and his career high point was knocking out Earnie Shavers in round 1. A tough competitor.
Very true and sadly Jerry and his brother suffered terribly with dementia caused by boxing.
R.i.p to both were Quarry and Norton friends? I was always curious
@marleywills2160 I don't think they were friends, Norton called Quarry a predjudiced man and Quarry said a few disparaging things about norton... But who knows maybe they were just trying to build the fight.. anyway R.I.P. to these great fighters
Quarry had the most heart I've ever seen. Heart got him to an early demise too
It was so sad ,him and his brother both. I damn near cried when i saw him in a interview in 94 or 95. He could hardly talk and smiled alot. They had another brother who wound up with Parkinsons.
He beat shavers rd 1 ko. And beat ron lyle etc
You could tell Ali was in shape in the 2nd fight.
Word up!!!
Ten pounds lighter about 211. Norton was 205 for that fight.. amazing power at that weight!
The Richard Attenborough of boxing documentaries
Norton was a beast. I Learned something new about him today. Another good one Rich.👍
A beautifully worded ending. He was a brave fighter in a tough era.
Both of Eddie Futch's guys fought dumb fights against Foreman. Joe wasn't in the best of shape and grossly underestimated George. He tried to outmuscle him and stood in front of him instead of staying on the angles and slipping side to side. He also left his right hand in the gym that Eddie had him working on more in the sparring sessions.
Norton didn't throw enough jabs and also stood in George's power zone. He backed up and backed up and backed up without jabbing and throwing his right hand. Waiting to counter got him knocked out. You have to give credit to George for getting the job done against both Frazier and Norton. That was the fear the world had for Ali when he signed on to fight George. Two of the best heavyweights that took him the distance and gave him trouble lasted just 4 rounds combined against Big George.
I believe Ken won the third fight with Ali and as the champion he should have got the decision against Holmes... great work again Rich as always 👏
Thank you, Alan.
I don't think so I watch full fight twice Ali win by point. It's not about who hit the hardest it's about who hit more.
I agree Norton won the third.
Extremely good video on Kenny may he rest in power one of my favorite Boxers I was born in the 60s grew up in the 70s i remember all of this it was the times the people what a great time and Kenny Norton was & still is a Boxing Legend..
Norton is STILL underrated. Great fighter from an era of great fighters. He beat Ali good in that first fight and most thought that he won the second and third fight as well. Ali could never figure Norton out. Ali said during an interview with Mark Cronin in October 1976:
"Kenny's style is too difficult for me. I can't beat him, and I sure don't want to fight him again. I honestly thought he beat me in Yankee Stadium, but the judges gave it to me, and I'm grateful to them."
Norton was bitter, stating after the fight: "I won at least nine or ten rounds. I was robbed."
Again, thanks Rich!!!
Always a pleasure, Britt. Thanks.
I always liked Norton. So glad you did a doc for him, Rich. Keep the "hits" coming. You really do have the best fighter docs on all of the internet; no contest!
To this day, Larry Holmes cites his fight with Norton as the toughest of his career. He recites the date, June 9, 1978 as a sort of mantra, symbolizing his entry to championship glory.
You mean Tyson was a pushover? :)
@@ghostdance56 Holmes was 38 years old when took that fight after being out of the ring for 2 years. He would’ve stayed retired until Don King offered Larry a payday he couldn’t refuse. Even Tyson said he didn’t believe he fought the real Larry Holmes that night in the post fight interview.
@@connshawnery6489 - Yeah, I'm aware of that son. And yet Larry claims another fight where he was steamrolled was harder. I think he's being a little nostalgic.
@@ghostdance56 If you think four uncompetitive rounds with 22 year old prime Tyson was tougher than 15 competitive rounds against Norton in your physical prime then that’s your opinion.
@@connshawnery6489 - I have no doubt about it. I've always believed getting crushed and totally destroyed by an opponent was the worst that could happen to you. And I'd say being crushed by Tyson was notably somewhat 'tougher' than a competitive fight with Norton, and it's the reason Holme's got crushed. I'm using the normal definition of 'tougher' of course. But thats just me. LOL
Intelligent, well spoken, a true sportsman. He fought anyone and has all the elements of a champion. RIP
A great fighter, a better man.
Wow Rich...what a great piece! The hairdo on his hypnotist! Made me laugh until I cried! The picture of Jr, with his Dudley DoRight jaw apparent even as a boy was priceless and as big a boxing fan as I am, I've never seen the pictures of Kenny's early KO loss to Garcia. Shocking to see him in such distress at so young an age. One of the reasons Ali isn't on my list of iconic sports figures is their third fight. He didn't deserve to win but the mystique was in full throttle for that fight. Ali would through a 6 punch flurry missing every punch but the crowd went wild, the announcers screamed plaudits into their microphones and the judges swooned. Sports Illustrated's Mark Kram wrote a memorable piece that recognized we had seen the last of the great Ali. Norton was crushed...absolutely crushed and his passion for boxing was broken never to return. So sad and unjust. He didn't deserve that. He was a good, hard working man who should have been given what he rightfully earned. By then, Ali was too big to fail.
Thanks, MrCrystalcranium...I was waiting for someone to mention the hypnotist, haha.
What you said El turdo hair style like a somebody took a dump on it it looks like that kind of
I agree with a lot of what you said. For YEARS I would list Joe Louis over Ali. My Dad was a Vietnam vet and he had issues with Ali, and maybe this is why I held Ali accountable. But in hindsight, even though in my mind he never beat Kenny, Ali beat the best possible competition in heavyweight history. Liston, Frazier, Norton, Foreman.
Norton was tough like a brand name he made for himself had that funky crab defense stamina and power but once he gained momentum on and opponent they were in big trouble and the Holmes fight that could have gone his way he still solidified himself with that that was one of the most glorious heavyweight fights of all time
Ali got a few "Don King Decisions". Hate the piece of shit. Norton was one of my favorite fighters, and after having seen this, I like him even more. Class guy, and intelligent.
Holmes v Norton was one of the greatest heavyweight fights in history. Just so incredible it leaves you speechless to witness it.
He won that 3rd fight against Ali.
great warrior, great man. love kenny norton, the fight with holmes was tremendous!
I admired how he handled the obnoxious questions that Howard Cosell would hit him with, even after losing a fight!..Then again, Cosell clearly had massive respect for Norton--as he should have!
One of the Premier heavyweights of the 70s. Love the cross arm defense he carried. Personally, I do think he beat Ali at yankee Stadium.
Norton was definitely Ali’s toughest opponent.
I think he beat Ali in all their 3 encounters but boxing corruption reigns supreme
@@asheru9254 That’s not unheard of in many boxing fan circles. George Foreman believed Ali lost all 3 Norton fights, but opinions can vary.
@@asheru9254I thought the same myself, Ali never got the better of Norton.
@@connshawnery6489 Joe Frazier was Ali's toughest opponent. Apart from the 1st fight Norton never hurt Ali like Frazier did.
Holmes vs Norton wow - I wonder what a Forman II could have been like. Thanks for another great documentary
Sure thing, Mehdi.
Iwas looking for norton documentary because i recently watched holmes vs norton thanks man
What a war! Top 5hvyweight bout of all time.
@@RyanMclainright how that ended in decision is beyond me what true warriors
My pleasure, Luka.
Always appreciated Ken Norton , The man, the Father and the Fighter.
Smart guyand hell, decent actor to !
Great piece on the great Ken Norton. And he was a champion. If you lived near him, you'd see him out and about and he was perceived as such and carried himself like a champion. Lot sharper than some people thought post-accident, despite kind of messed up speech. At some point, I caused him to dislike me, which was unfortunate because I looked up to him and saw him everywhere--gym, local fights, mall, restaurants, clubs, and a few businesses I'd go in where he owned a piece, including a spa store in Carlsbad where because of my job I was in all the time. But he was actually a nice guy if you didn't piss him off. That hypnotist performed at my high school too and I distinctly remember him basically making it sound like he was the one who won against Ali. I guess to his credit, he had a whole stage of kids thinking they were chickens, going around pecking things and stuff.
That's funny. I would think Dean's hairstyle would disqualify his cool factor to high schoolers but apparently he knew which kind of people were susceptible to his grift.
Loved Kenny, absolute machine who held his own in a period of greatness… one tough man
Great work Rich. Ken Norton was one of the best heavyweights in the Golden Age Era along with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers, Jimmy Ellis and Jerry Quarry just to name several big names and legends. Wish Norton could have fought his buddy Smokin' Joe and Ron Lyle who Norton put on a war with them and he would have batter the fading Jimmy Ellis at that time of his rising in the heavyweight ranks. Keep it up Rich.
Thanks, Scorpio. Norton-Lyle would have been a banger.
@@RichtheFightHistorian No problem Rich and we strongly agreed about this matchup.
The more I look back on times like this the less impressive Ali is. He's still one of the best technical boxes ever. But overall, and as a person... Ali wasn't as "great" as I remembered. Wish he could have left boxing earlier
Sooo true.
Don Kings judges kept him in the game.
@@mr.eggplant866 man, Don King might be one of the worst things to ever happen to boxing. That and too many damn belts!
@@hiyabuddy7Strange how Ali was run out of boxing and his license to fight was revoked without any due process and banned from fighting and yet Don King was never banned by any state or organization. Lol,Howard Cosell always wondered the same thing.
Come on man Ali is as impressive as it gets, you probably don’t know enough about him. Yes Norton was his toughest test and he probably didn’t win all the fights but he’s still the GOAT.
You gotta remember this was 10 years after Ali had wins over guys like Sonny Liston. Wins over Frazier x2, Patteron x2, Liston x2, Foreman, Quarry x2, Shavers, and Norton himself. Ali WAS that great, don't get it twisted.
God bless Kenny Norton, nice video rich 😊
Thanks, Kieran.
Great Episode!!! Ken Norton truly one of the Best and he got Robbed in that last Ali fight. Watched All those fights and thought Norton could have been Winner in each of them.
Thanks, D man.
Always great Rich with these documentaries..All that can be said is Ken Norton was a great Boxer, Champion and father. Super footage.🥊👏
Thanks very much, Brett.
Quite the man was Ken Norton movie star looks body of a Greek God world class athletic skills great fighter 👏 Rip MR NORTON awesome was you ❤
Norton had charm, and class...those attributes are seldom seen in the world of boxing!
Ken Norton was a crafty , skilled, awkward ,pressure fighter with an excellent jab
However, his one big weakness was that he couldn't fight going backwards.
.He could hang with the best boxers and counterpunchers but anyone who was strong enough to push him backwards could take him out.pretty handily
Gratitude for sharing.
Thank You I never was able to see much of r. Norton, I was on the road delivering freight. I admired His build and knew he was a special guy ☺👉👍👏👏👏💯😃👀💬Yup❗ G-G.
I figured this out in "95" when I watched the 3 DVD set from (Blockbuster)? Ali was my hero growing up and I had to admit that he got his ass WHOOPED at least twice and one could make the arguement that Norton took all 3.
Ken Norton was a great man. Everyone should watch Champions Forever. He broke Muhammad's jaw in the 2nd round. RIP both men. I love them both.
Champions Forever was a great film! I converted mine to DVD and Blu-ray. Did you know during the filming Frazier got drunk and kept trying to get close to Ali and start trouble? Holmes and Foreman kept him away so nothing happened. Joe carried alot of hurt and bitterness.
God rest Ken Norton’s soul he was a amazing yet underrated boxer. An amazing man who was a warrior for fighting for his son who his ex wife left him with.
Holmes should've rematched Norton. It had the potential to be a great trilogy alongside Ali-Fraizer, Gatti-Ward, Barrera-Morales, Bowe-Holyfield, etc. There are good reasons Holmes wasn't highly regarded in his time. And it wasn't just that he beat up on a washed-up Muhammad Ali. He cherry picked half his fights, didn't seek to unify all the heavyweight title belts, ducked high ranking competition (Greg Page, Michael Dokes, and Gerrie Coetzee to name a few), refused to give rematches to fighters that took him to controversial decisions (Ken Norton, Tim Witherspoon, and Carl Williams to name a few), and last but not least, his sore loser attitude in his losses to Michael Spinks. I could've overlooked at least half of this if he would've given Ken Norton a well-deserved rematch.
I couldn't agree with you more... Larry was underrated for years, but now he is totally overrated...
after holmes norton had little left. the holmes fight took so much out of him, he wasnt the same afterwards. he was 35 years of age, no holmes triologie was comming up. he gave his very best in the holmes fight, what an effort! but was an almost spent force after this war.
@@clemensmeyer7023 Maybe, but we'll never really know, will we? Holmes wasn't the puncher that Shavers and Cooney were. Norton would look washed up against them, as big punchers have always been his kryptonite. But against Holmes, Norton could take his punches pretty well. Ken's mistake in the Holmes fight was (by his own admission) not going on the offensive soon enough. I think had he done so, he would have won a close decision in an exciting all action fight. And that's exactly what I think would have happened had there been a rematch. Which in turn should have led to a third fight in which Holmes probably would have ended up winning (possibly by knockout), but it would have been a fun action fight while it lasted. As it is, all we have are what ifs and what might have beens. Which I think also applies to Holmes' career. I will stand by my assessment that Holmes was a good champion, but not a great one.
Norton was in decline after the Holmes fight. There would have been no trilogy as Holmes would have been more dominant in a rematch.
@@5star64 Although I don't deny his age being a factor, I feel like Norton's decline was caused more by mental factors than physical ones. He was demoralized from losing three close and controversial decisions (two to Ali and one to Holmes). And even his decision win against Jimmy Young was close and controversial. He just gave up mentally and emotionally and it showed in his later fights. However I think had he gotten another title shot against Holmes, he would've been able to muster that heart and drive at least one more time. This combined with him learning from the mistakes he made in the first fight, would have helped Norton pull out a close win.
Masterpiece video Norton definitely special great to see Eddie Futch at work
That shit about Alis broken jaw was just his refusal to admit a clean defeat without trying to create a Brave Ali narrative. Norton won all 3 fights with Ali but its impressive that he got the decision even once. And shame on Cosell for stepping on the drama of the scorecard reading.
He didn't win the second fight at all. The third fight is debatable.
Ali's jaw was broken. That's not a "narritive" it's a fact.
@@Th0ughtZ_he won the second fight without a doubt should've been a Unanimous Decision only an idiot would say otherwise
@@Ken_Frazer-619 Lol whatever you say.
but WHEN was it broken? It appears it happened in the 11th. Ali said it happened in the second. Which narrative did the media buy? Easy: the one that make Ali look like a superhuman.@@Jonathan-pp3du
Another great video, Rich. Appreciate the time you put into this.
Thank you, David.
Thanks for the video, RICH THE FIGHT HISTORIAN
In the 3rd fight Norton won his rounds big while Ali won a lot of his rounds by a small margin. When I watched the fight live in TV I had the impression Norton clearly won. But when I rewatched it decades later on youtube (and scored it) I was surprised how many rounds I got "even" and Ali came out as a winner by one round.
No one who knows how to score a fight would ever give it to Ali.
@@eac1235 I guess you do not know either.
Great one what a legend may he rip, hopefully you can cover ORLANDO CANIZALES
Foreman was a bad matchup stylistically. Too big and strong
I totally agree.
Norton just seemed to fall apart against huge punchers.
With his wide stance, he just couldn't retreat properly.
Norton was a really good heavyweight who deserved more credit than he ever got.
That fight with Holmes was one of the all time great fights and it was so close you could flip a coin as to who won.
Rest in peace Ken.
You are remembered!
After watching a few minutes of this I thought what a Boxing Legend
Thanks for the video Rich ❤
My pleasure, John.
Ken "The Black Hercules" Norton
PRO record: 42-7-1, KO's 33
Amature record: 24-2 / 3x Marine heavyweight champion
# Heavyweight Champion of the World: 1977-1978 / World title record: 0-3-0
# 2-time NABF heavyweight champion: 1973-1973 & 1975-1976.
# Greatest career victories: Mohammad Ali, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Ron Stander, Duane Bobick & Boone Kirkman +
Draw with Scott LeDoux.
# Career defeats: Mohammad Ali x2, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney & Jose Luis Garcia (Norton avenged this loss)
AWARDS / RECOGNITIONS:
- 1961 Went to Northeast Missouri State University on a football scholarship and studied elementary education.
- Served in the United States Marines Corps from 1963 to 1967 with graduating from NCTC Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida.
- 1977 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year Award.
- 1992 inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- 2004 inductee into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame.
- 2008 inductee into the WBC Hall of Fame.
even ali knew he got a favor from the judges in that 3rd norton fight - you could see it in his face - when he was waiting for the decision !
@@hollywoodjoe123 Amen so true!!! They robbed Norton.
@@hollywoodjoe123Ali thought he lost the 2nd fight too. That's the one where he threw punches at his trainer Bundini Brown after the fight
@@hollywoodjoe123 Punchers (Foreman Shavers) were Norton's Kryptonite
Nice to see Boone Kirkman's name...he was from Renton, Washington, my home state...Boone was just a tough street kid, known for fighting, when he was discovered. A not very big White guy (202lbs), who did have some punching power...He was one of those five boxers who faced Foreman in that strange boxing event. He dared to clobber Foreman with one good right hook...Foreman then quit toying with him, and destroyed him against the ropes! Boone soon quit the fight game, and ran a tavern in his home town for years.
Great video of a great fighter. Norton-Holmes was epic, and not that it matters, but I still think Kenny won the 15th round.
another brilliant video Rich did not want it to end ! thanks again my friend.
Always a pleasure, Kim. Thank you.
Great job Rich.You’ve started the new year with a bang!Thoroughly enjoyed this video.Ken Norton was a warrior Period
Thank you, Paul.
Norton beat Ali all three times, no matter what the record says.
I like that his Wikipedia page quotes his book, about Ken winning Father of the Year (twice) that "Of all the titles that I've been privileged to have, the title of 'dad' has always been the best."[
Great effort. Thanks for posting
My pleasure, Andy.
I" love both good bangers🎉🎉 R.I.P.🎉
This whole video has me crying !
Brilliant, thanks for this will watch it later, Ken Norton was a great fighter
He sure was, thanks Mr Moon.
I knew my voices lol 😂
That second fight with Ali announced by the fabulous Chick Hearn ……
Another class episode Rich
Thanks, Matthew.
As usual, a tremendous work you did Rich.
Thank you, Captaincrochet
Yeah Ken u were one of the best heavyweight champ where ever u go champ keep swinging champ
I've had plenty of plenty of arguments with people regarding Norton. In my opinion, he beat Ali all three times.
Ali's fans are deluded.
The 1st and 3rd fight? Yeah I’d say he beat Ali with the 1st fight being undoubtable.
The 2nd fight? Ali won that one clearly to me.
Please don't tell me you think ali won the yankee stadium fight?
Lol.
Perfect example of corrupt judging.
@@mr.eggplant866That’s the 3rd fight so no……. I think Ali lost that one.
I get it. Ali’s fans bother you but at least read my comment.
@@mr.eggplant866only a dumbass would say Norton won all 3 fights
Norton was such great sportsman and fighter, Ali looked defeated after every fight with him.
Hell yeah. I knew you would get here and I've been looking forward to it for a while. Just know this'll be a good 'un
Thanks, Ryan.
I’ve got a crazy story. I had a friend in middle school- I went to Washington elementary in Jacksonville where he was born anyway one of my best friends for a good chunk of my childhood always said Ken Norton was his cousin all the time I said why don’t you call him and have him come up to the school right so I’m over at his house after school one day he says my cousins coming over bam in walks ken Norton. Fucking unbelievable he smelled like money and had a gold necklace with a boxing glove on it. He came to the school and just kinda chatted for a minute I still have the autograph he gave me. Absolutely insane. Rest in peace ken and rest in peace to his actual cousin Alex Jackson ❤️ I miss you man
Kenny seems to be the guy who always delivers, always give tough matches, always force his opponent to give 100% and always loose by one point
Had he won 3 times against Ali and against Holmes, he would have been much much more considerated
I was a big Ali fan in the 70s. I saw the 3rd Ali/Norton fight live on closed circuit in St. Louis.
Even I scored it for Norton!
Great work. Even better than I expected. And these fights are better than I remembered as a kid. Love watching your stuff when I'm relaxing with a night cap. Cheers.
Thank you, Ike.
This man was an absolute beast in the ring
Ken Norton for me was without doubt one of the best heavyweights throughout the 70s. The first time I seen Norton was his first fight against Ali. As we all know Kenny won and broke Ali's jaw. Kenny had a further 2 fights with Ali and the 3rd fight was a great close fight. Kenny also destroyed the great white unbeaten heavyweight bobick in 1 round. He also beat Jerry quarry who was also very underrated in a tough fight . I recall one particular round against quarry where Kenny took some real heavyweight punishment from quarry but rode it out and then stopped quarry a few rounds later. What I mostly respected Kenny for was he was always humble and spoke very well and respectable of all his heavyweight rivals. Win or lose Kenny always went into that ring and gave it everything he had. One story that I heard that always made me smile was after the quarry fight , Kenny seen quarry and his wife in the parking lot and Kenny invited Jerry's wife to come and join a real man , quarry was fuming by this remark and raced across the car park to attack Norton who quickly got in a car and drove away. Later upon being asked why Kenny retreated so quickly Kenny said......I'd fight quarry in a boxing ring anytime he wants.........but I'd never fight that boy in the street. Kenny was scheduled to fight leon spinks whom I believe Kenny would of knocked out leon in what would of been fun while it lasted, but I will never forget Kenny's fight against Larry Holmes one of the greatest heavyweight fights I ever seen. One of the saddest sights in boxing for me though was a knocked out Kenny sitting on a bottom rope unable to fall while a referee let a big punching heavyweight called Gerry cooney was allowed to hit a totally unguarded Norton. I loved Ken Norton and i loved to watch him fight. He was a real heavyweight in amongst what i would describe as potentially the greatest heavyweight era of all time. God bless you Kenny.
Yes and he couldn’t stand up against George Foreman 🤔😒. Stop it. Ken Norton was great but he will never be Muhammed Ali okay?
Was that true about the Quarry thing?
I know you like to shed light on a lot of forgotten or lost fighters but your docs are so detailed i am sure to hear some things ive never heard before. Love if you would do more docs on bigger fighters coming from more of a casual fan.
Thanks, Wutang...there will be a few of the more popular videos coming up this month.
Protect ya neck! Love that song by Wu Tang.
great doc. thank you.
My pleasure, Barry.
I watched all of Ali -Norton fights.
I don't think Ali won a round in any of those bouts.
Of course most Ali's fights were fixed (judges).
And Cosell was a prime example of the bias.....what a shill.
Ali never beat Norton. Not really. When I was a kid in the 1970's, Ali was larger than life! You had to REALLY beat him. That being said, I will bet you a beer you cant stay awake through all 3 fights consecutively. Great one Rich
Thanks, Brian.
Great efforts you put into these, they are great for information and excitement on fighters we don’t know as well as you show us. Always learning even when you think you know them you show us more in depth documentaries
Thanks, Chris. Not too much on Norton in terms of video so he was good candidate for an in-depth look.
Hey Rich,I saw a bunch of your documentaries on tubi tv that is pretty awesome man I like that.
Grest job and keep up the great work.
Thanks so much, Jordan.
LETS GOOO, I've been waiting for you to do this one for a longg time
Right on, BigBrainLynx, great profile pic.
I liked Norton ; he was must see TV. I believe Ali beat him the final two fights. I thought Ali took the 12th and deciding round in fight #2, and the 15th round in fight #3. Both fights were close but Ali won them. Now i do believe the Norton that fought Ali, beats Holmes. I thought he also got a gift decision against Young. Very good fighter.
You never disappoint.
Thanks, Gilly
During the 70s as a youth and a boxing fan Norton was my favorite from the great class of heavyweights. The 1 fight I will always remember was against Bobick which was quick. RIP Champ!!
A lot of people think that Norton beat Holmes, in my opinion I see a draw, so whether or not there would have been a rematch, it would have been nice, because Holmes never offered Norton a rematch, like Ali did for example
Norton was robbed in 1976
Punchers (Foreman Shavers) were Norton's Kryptonite.......great vid!
Thank you, WZ912.
And Cooney, even a younger Norton will freeze the first time he got hit with a Cooney hook and got blown away early.
The fact that Ali continued with a broken jaw makes him even more of a warrior...most people can't function let alone fight and take more punches 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾the true G.O.A.T
Why this man doesn't have a movie.