Ken Norton dead at 70

[malaise]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/former-heavyweight-champion-norton-dies-235928012--box.html
<snip>
He was the second man to beat Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali's jaw and sending him to the hospital in their 1973 heavyweight fight.

Norton, who died Wednesday at the age of 70, lost that fight for the heavyweight title. But he was forever linked to Ali for the 39 rounds they fought over three fights, with very little separating one man from the other in the ring.

''Kenny was a good, good fighter. He beat a lot of guys,'' said Ed Schuyler Jr., who covered many of Norton's fights for The Associated Press. ''He gave Ali fits because Ali let him fight coming forward instead of making him back up.''


''Ali tore up his ankle while training and we were going to call the fight off but didn't,'' former Ali business manager Gene Kilroy said. ''Ali said it's not going to be that tough.''

It was, with Norton breaking Ali's jaw in the early rounds and having his way with the former champion for much of the night. The loss was even more shocking because Ali had only lost to Joe Frazier in their 1971 showdown and was campaigning for the title he would win again the next year against George Foreman in Zaire.

[panader0]

1. RIP Ken