Ex-heavyweight champion Ken Norton, who boasts of being one of the few men to beat the "Greatest" Muhammad Ali, has died due to poor health last Wednesday, September 18. His son announced the boxing champ's passing to the media. He was 70.
In an interview with Yahoo! Sports, Gene Kilroy, a former business manager of Ali, said that Norton had been fighting poor health the past two years. ''I'm sure he's in heaven now with all the great fighters. I'd like to hear that conversation," he added.
Norton is one of the few men who dominated Ali, beating the boxer considered by many as the greatest of all-time in 1973 via a split decision. The two men would fight again six months after and Ali won a controversial split decision. The final match between the two great ring gladiators took place on September 18, 1976 at the Yankee Stadium, where Ali again won narrowly to successfully defend his heavyweight title.
He would eventually come back the following year and was declared champion by the World Boxing Council after winning a heavyweight title eliminator.
Norton also faced other top-caliber fighters of his era. On June 9, 1978, he lost a classic 15-round match against Larry Holmes in what is considered as one of the greatest heavyweight fights in history. Norton finished his career with a record of 42 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, with 33 knockouts. After his career, he would star in several movies and even had a stint as a fight commentator.
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