Colzo

Frazier vs Norton both in the prime who wins??
I think this is a tough fight to call I think Frazier would have the edge in the fight and win it by late stoppage whats everyone else's opinion.

bill1234

I think Frazier would win a hard fought decision. He didn't have the massive power the Shavers, Foreman, or Cooney had that would just completely obliterate Ken with the first clean shot he landed, but he had enough power to shake Ken up through out the entirety of the fight.

I think Joe would be the one backing Norton up and getting the better of him in the exchanges, but Norton would definitely have his share of moments because he could punch very hard too. Tex Cobb said that Norton hit him with a right hand that was as hard as an average Earnie Shavers punch, which is incredibly hard.

Frazier and Norton were both slow starters but their styles would probably force a fast start. It'd be Frazier's hook on the inside vs Norton's body punches/uppercuts on the inside. Frazier would have a slight speed advantage because his hooks were shorter and crisper than Norton's hooks, and Norton would be open for Frazier's hook when he threw the uppercut.

I basically think that Frazier would be simply outslugging Norton enroute to a close, clear decision.

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Colzo

Yea thats pretty much how i see it as well pity they didnt fight back in the 70s

bill1234

They were/are good friends which is why they didn't fight. Norton was Frazier's top sparring partner for years though, and those must've been like actual fights because Frazier never took it easy on anyone. Jimmy Young was also one of Frazier's top sparring partners. Back then everyone sparred everyone, even if a fight between the two of them was extremely likely to happen. Before he made it big, Holmes was Frazier's sparring partner for Frazier's fights against Ali, and he was Ali's top sparring partner from 1971-1975. He also sparred Shavers on various occassions. George Foreman sparred Sonny Liston and Jerry Quarry frequently. Tim Witherspoon was one of Ali's top sparring partners towards the end of Ali's career.

It's a shame many of these sparring sessions weren't filmed, it'd be great to watch. Mainly the Frazier ones where he forced everyone to go to war.

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Colzo

i didnt no that fraizer and norton spared i knew that holmes spared with him and ali i think that holmes could have beaten ali from around 76 maybe b4.
I no that foreman and liston spared foreman sort of styled himself on liston i would love to see some footage of that!! liston is an underrated heavyweight like holmes in my opinion

bill1234

Holmes left the Ali camp because he had been getting the better of Ali in sparring since a bit before Ali's fight with Foreman. He admits though that Ali was nowhere as good in sparring as he was in the actual fights, but either way he knew it was time for him to move on.

Foreman has said that Liston is the only man to ever back him up when he didn't want to back up, which from all footage that I have seen, would be true if Liston backed him up. It should be said though that Foreman wasn't 100% physically mature yet, he matured physically early, but not that early.

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MEMBER OF BOXINGFORUM.COM HALL OF FAME-JANUARY, 2008