It’s not the 50th anniversary of a memorable fight, but it’s pretty darn close at 49 years. It was on this day in March of 1974 when a peaking George Foreman made the second defense of the world heavyweight title; this seemingly “Big George’s” personal, you-dare-take-it-from him-at-your-own-risk property at the time.
Ken Norton engaged in many big fights, he faced many big names, and of course, he was (briefly) heavyweight champion. But Norton is by far and away best known for his three closer than close battles with Muhammad Ali.
On this day back in 1978, two heavyweights at opposite ends of their careers gave the sport a classic fight, a fight that many fans and historians say has the greatest 15th and final round in heavyweight history.
The George Foreman who showed up in Caracas, Venezuela to fight Ken Norton in the second defence of his world heavyweight title, was one bad dude.
45 years ago, the one and only Muhammad Ali ruled the roost as far as the talent-rich heavyweight division was concerned.
If he was still with us, former WBC heavyweight champ Ken Norton would be celebrating his 78th birthday today. Born in Jacksonville, Illinois on August 9th, 1943, the physically gifted Norton went on to make his mark on the heavyweight division during a golden era.
43 years ago, at the sports pavilion at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, heavyweights Larry Holmes and Ken Norton gave us one of the greatest heavyweight title fights of all-time – and arguably THE greatest 15th round in heavyweight history.
Ken Norton had been there, Gerry Cooney wanted to get there. On this day 40 years ago, these two heavyweight giants who were at wholly different stages of their respective careers, met in New York.
The Greatest Final Round In Heavyweight History
The fight that took place 42 years ago today, between heavyweight greats Larry Holmes and Ken Norton, is a much-celebrated classic; a superb fight older fans watch as they reminisce how truly special the heavyweight division once was, younger fans as they attempt to fully understand how special it was back then.
How bad was the peak George Foreman? Many years before his remodeling, when he returned as a smiling, shaven-headed peoples’ champ who everyone was pulling for, Foreman was a terrifying destroyer.