Kenneth Howard "Ken" Norton, Sr. (August 9, 1943 – September 18, 2013) was an American heavyweight boxer. He is a former WBC world heavyweight champion. Norton fought in one of the classic eras of heavyweight boxing, and competed against many of the best boxers in the division. He was known for his unconventional cross-arm style defence, which made him an awkward and frustrating opponent to face. Norton's name became household when he became the second man to defeat Muhammad Ali in 1973, and in doing so broke the champion's jaw in the process. Norton ended up fighting Ali three times, and he lost the latter two bouts. Norton is also known for his classic battle with Larry Holmes, a fight which he lost by split decision. The final round of the fight between Norton and Holmes is largely recognised as one of the greatest rounds of all time.Norton scored several decisive victories over the course of his career, which secured his place in the history of heavyweight boxing. He holds notable wins over Muhammad Ali, Jerry Quarry, Ron Stander, Duane Bobick, Jimmy Young and Randall Cobb.
Jeannette Norton (m. 1966–1968), Rose Conant (m. ?–2013)
Children
Ken Norton Jr., Kenisha Norton, Kenejon Norton, Brandon Norton, Keith Norton
Parents
Ken Norton
Siblings
Keith Norton, Kenejon Norton, Kenisha Norton, Brandon Norton
Movies
Frog and Wombat, Drum, Mandingo
TV Shows
The Next Great Champ
Star Sign
Leo
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Fact
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Inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
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Inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions in 2001.
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Inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
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Lost his last fight in 43 seconds to Gerry Cooney.
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Knocked-out undefeated Duane Bobick 38-0 in 43 seconds, on national TV.
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Was undefeated in 16 straight fights when he suffered an upset knockout loss to Jose Luis Garcia (I). Norton knocked Garcia in a rematch a few years later.
Was a sparring partner for heavyweight champion Joe Frazier.
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Lost a controversial split 15 round decision to lose his heavyweight title to undefeated Larry Holmes.
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Defeated top contenders Jerry Quarry, Jose Luis Garcia, Jimmy Young, Ron Stander and James J. Woody.
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He was 30-2 when he challenged George Foreman for the heavyweight title in 1974 and was knocked down three times and stopped in 2 rounds.
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On March 31, 1973, a 15-1 underdog, he broke Muhammad Ali's jaw and won an upset 12 round decision.
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Served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1963 to 1967 where he boxed on the Marine Corps boxing team. He compiled a record of 24-2 with 22 knockouts and won three All-Marine Heavyweight titles.
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Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1989.
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Father of Ken Norton Jr. (born 26-Sep-1966), a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers, and Keith Norton, a sports reporter with KPRC-TV Channel 2 in Houston, Texas.
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Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 1992.
$5 Million
