Heavyweight who put a dent in Ali's reputation

KEN NORTON

BOXER

9-8-1943 - 18-9-2013

BY GREG LOGAN

Former heavyweight champion Ken Norton senior, who once broke Muhammad Ali's jaw and threatened his self-described status as "The Greatest", has died at a hospital in Arizona where he had been undergoing rehabilitation for a stroke suffered 13 months ago. Norton, 70, had congestive heart failure.

Although he never actually won a world heavyweight championship fight, Norton carved out a World Boxing Hall of Fame career as a foe who tormented Ali with his rugged style, winning the first of their three fights by breaking Ali's jaw in the 11th round on March 31, 1973, and then losing two subsequent controversial decisions in their trilogy.

Although Norton's home base was San Diego, he had four prominent fights in New York, including wins over Jerry Quarry and Duane Bobick at Madison Square Garden, his third fight against Ali on September 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium, and the final fight of his career on May 11, 1981, at the Garden, when he was stopped by Long Island heavyweight Gerry Cooney in just 54 seconds of the first round.

Born on August 9, 1943, Norton grew up in Jacksonville, Illinois. He played college football at Northeast Missouri State but learned to box in the Marines and turned pro in 1967.

Norton carried a 29-1 record into his first bout with Ali, who had lost only to Joe Frazier at that point. Norton won a split decision for the NABF title in San Diego. After the bout, Ali revealed his jaw had been broken.

Ali asked for an immediate rematch, and the two fought slightly less than six months later at The Forum in Inglewood, California, where Ali was awarded a split decision. Although Norton lost, he earned a shot at the WBC and WBA heavyweight titles held by George Foreman, who stopped him in the second round.

Two years later, Ali and Norton squared off for the third and final time in what would be the last boxing event to be held in the original Yankee Stadium. The fight came down to the 15th round, which both judges and referee Arthur Mercante senior all gave to Ali.

In 1977, Norton defeated Jimmy Young in an elimination bout to put himself in line for another title shot. But after Leon Spinks upset Ali, he refused to fight the mandatory against Norton and gave Ali an immediate rematch. As a result, the WBC stripped Spinks and gave its belt to Norton.

In his first defence of the title, Norton lost a split decision to Larry Holmes. The scores were all 143-142, with two of the three judges favouring Holmes. After that bout, Norton (42-7-1, 33 knockouts) fought just four more times.

When he faced Cooney, Norton still had a chiselled physique, but it was an empty shell. Cooney wobbled him with the first shot, and referee Tony Perez called a halt after 54 seconds when it became clear Norton could not defend himself.

After his boxing career, Norton enjoyed a brief television and film career. He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989. His son, Ken Norton junior, also was a stellar athlete, starring as a linebacker in the NFL with Dallas and San Francisco.