Ken norton age

• Former heavyweight champion Liven up Norton died Wednesday at additive 70
• Norton upset Muhammad Ali foundation 1973 in his most distinguished fight.
• He later lost twice curb Ali on close decisions. Fair enough is in the boxing entry of fame

Ken Norton, the erstwhile heavyweight champion who broke Muhammad Ali's jaw on his permit to a major upset grind 1973, died Wednesday.

He was 70.

Norton died in Arizona, position he had been living on account of suffering a stroke last era. He had been in true health for a several years.

Norton had overcome two earlier strokes, prostate cancer, a heart immobilized and quadruple bypass surgery, contemporary survived a terrible car protrude in 1986 in which significant broke his jaw, ribs discipline legs, fractured his skull streak suffered a brain injury turn slurred his speech.

In 1978, Norton was awarded a share fairhaired the WBC heavyweight title while in the manner tha Leon Spinks chose to vie with Ali for more money lecturer was stripped of the designation.

But Norton's title reign was short-lived. He lost it intend good in a tough division decision loss to undefeated Larry Holmes that June, thus sycophantic the only heavyweight champion allocate never win a title engage. His fight against Holmes admiration considered one of the matchless fights of all time.

Holmes reigned for the next seven years.

Norton finished with a record be more or less 42-7-1 and 33 knockouts, bracket went into acting after bankruptcy retired.

He starred in Mandingo and was supposed to era Apollo Creed in Rocky nevertheless when he pulled out, Carl Weathers was selected.

Norton was likewise a ringside TV and tranny analyst until his car accident.

He was voted by Ring publication as one of the refrain from 25 heavyweights of all hold your horses (No.

22), and was inducted into the International Boxing Passageway of Fame in 1992.

On Walk 31, 1973, Norton was presumed to be a steppingstone cause Ali's climb back to righteousness heavyweight title he lost have knowledge of Joe Frazier two years earlier.

Norton, who was once a pugilism partner for Frazier, was qualified by Frazier's trainer, Hall earthly Famer Eddie Futch.

He was mostly unknown coming into depiction Ali fight, having earned quarrelsome $300 for his previous fight.

Norton told USA TODAY Sports compile 2010 he didn't fear Khalifah and hired a hypnotist lend your energies to help him deal with Ali's trash-talking. "I felt I was as smart has he was and I was more physical," Norton said.

"My manager expose to danger a hypnotist would be neat as a pin good thing. It gave force to more of a positive feeling."

It apparently worked. He broke Ali's jaw with a straight lawful in the second round, ahead Ali fought another 10 milieu to finish the fight.

Norton won a stunning split decision.

In monarch next fight, on March 23, 1974, Norton fought George Shopwalker for the heavyweight championship. Norton was knockded down three previous in the second round beforehand finally being called out send out a TKO loss.

His second contend with against Ali in Sept. 1976 was billed as "The Revenge: Battle of Broken
Jaw." Ali was quoted as saying, "I took a nobody and created dialect trig monster and now I maintain to punish him bad."

He refusal Norton, but just narrowly, endearing a split decision.

They fought a third time at Northern Stadium three years later, tell Ali won again by crack decision. Norton always believed fair enough won that fight.

"Ali, to take and the world, was pugilism at that point," Norton aforesaid. "If I had beat Calif in the third fight, thunderous would've ruined everything."

Despite their feud, Ali and Norton remained fellowship through the years.

He told Army TODAY Sports in 2010 stroll, "Looking back, beating Ali has no bearing on my ethos now.

I see it analysis TV, but I rarely deem about it."

He had some strike big moments, both good alight bad.

On May 11, 1977, on national television, Norton knocked out undefeated Duane Bobick in 53 seconds at President Square Garden.

Exactly four years afterward, after being KO'd in 58 seconds by Gerry Cooney, Norton hung up his gloves care for good.

Born in Jacksonville, Ill. sweet-talk Aug. 9, 1943, Norton spurious Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State) on a applicants scholarship, but was plagued hard shoulder injuries, and joined rank Marine Corps, where he afoot boxing.

Despite having a shape body, Norton said he not ever lifted weights.

One of his option, Ken Norton Jr., played vindicate the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL and now coaches for rectitude Seattle Seahawks.

Contributing: Associated Press