Ken Norton

Ken Norton 2008

Kenneth Howard " Ken " Norton ( born August 9, 1943 in Jacksonville, Illinois, † September 18, 2013 ) was an American heavyweight boxer and actor.

Career

Norton was an outstanding athlete already at Jacksonville High School. His track coach reported him once in a competition for eight different disciplines. Norton won five of them, and was at three second. Since then, in Illinois the " Ken Norton Rule" is that an athlete may only be registered for three competitions.

He began with the U.S. Marine Corps ( Marines ) with the boxes.

In 1967 he became a professional. He had with Eddie Futch a renowned coach who also oversaw Joe Frazier. He showed also good athleticism and stamina, but always had problems with his poor slave capabilities. So it was in 1970 against Aaron East Ling on the ground and went later in the year against only 86 kg Venezuelan southpaw Jose Garcia KO.

On March 31, 1973, he fought for the first time against Muhammad Ali. In this struggle it was for the title of North American Heavyweight Championship. The fight in San Diego was not sold out. Norton was viewed only as a stopover as part of the comeback of Ali after his defeat in the first fight against Frazier. Norton broke Ali in one of the first rounds of the lower jaw and won in the end with a " split decision ", ie a split point decision, in which only two of the three ring judges voted for him.

Six months later ( Sept. 10 ) took place the rematch in Los Angeles; this time Ali won a spectacular battle between two boxers equivalent. This point victory was also a " split decision ". Some observers were of the opinion that Norton had also won this fight.

On March 26, 1974 Norton fought despite this defeat, precisely in the wealthy have become by the oil price increase in Venezuela, the home of his first Vanquisher Garcia, against George Foreman for the world championship and went to the second round KO.

He suggested the failed White Hope Kirkman, defeating the on the descending branch located Jerry Quarry and in the rematch Garcia prematurely.

In 1976 he had the opportunity again to fight in a third fight against Ali, who had beaten Foreman surprisingly, at Yankee Stadium in New York to the World Cup. In this fight, the judges' Ali said to a unanimous points victory. The decision but it is considered one of the two most controversial results in Ali's title fight (besides the decision in the fight against Jimmy Young in the following year, in the build-up phase also Ali's victory over Doug Jones was controversial ). Most Boxjournalisten and many observers and opponents Muhammed Ali, Norton certified to have won the fight.

Norton was considered a " nemesis " Alis; his boxing style was this not because Norton, as well as Frazier, a lot of hit and almost continuously built up pressure. The supposedly bad chin, which was awarded Norton sometimes due to his knockout defeat was Ali's punching power to withstand. When the impact force of the enemy did not impress him, Norton was always fully competitive, which also showed the later fight against Larry Holmes.

Below Norton struck unbeaten " white hope " Duane Bobick in the first round KO difficult, which he had also underpinned its reputation as a formidable opponent of the whites.

The second really big win of his career celebrated Norton on a tight point victory over Jimmy Young on November 5, 1977 having lost a controversial verdict against Ali in 1976 and was able to defeat it, George Foreman in the year. The fight went to the Norton top contender in the heavyweight division.

1978 Leon Spinks should, Ali had officially conquered, boxing actually against Norton, pulled it but plan to return to fight against Ali. Therefore, the WBC Association eluded him his title. On March 18, 1978, the WBC made ​​history by the Association Norton appointed world champion without a title fight. The Federation just told the fight against Jimmy Young Norton subsequently compete for the titles.

However, Norton was not long retain the title. Already in the first defense of the title he met the undefeated Larry Holmes. After a brutal fight over 15 rounds Holmes narrowly won with a " split decision " before the last round, the two were located on all three labels par. The fight went down in the history of heavyweight boxing as one of the most spectacular and also boxing driven best title fights. Holmes never gave Norton a rematch.

Norton's career as a world-class boxer was over when Earnie Shavers hit him in the first round KO. Against Scott LeDoux he reached a draw, but was twice on the ground, the unbeaten Randall Cobb he beat on points.

In 1981, Norton back from boxing after he, in the first round KO was gone hard against the undefeated Gerry Cooney, the only white man who could defeat him. This win was extremely lucrative for Cooney, against the Quarry and Bobick seemed to be just the spectacular knockout victories Nortons a contrast program and credible hope and thereby got millions for a title shot against Larry Holmes. Norton is still unique among all heavyweight champions because he was world champion, having won without a single title fight.

In addition to his sports career Norton began with acting. He portrayed among others, the slave Ganymede in the movie Mandingo in 1975. Due to a serious car accident, he was wearing temporary mental and permanent physical damages. Norton is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The relationship with his son, Ken Norton Jr., a football player in the National Football League ( NFL) was, at times very tense.

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