Ken Norton Sr., an International Boxing
Hall of Famer who is recognized by pundits as one of the greatest
heavyweights in the sport's history, died Wednesday after a long battle
with congestive heart failure.
He was 70 years old.Norton, whose professional boxing career spanned three decades, died at an Arizona hospital where he had been undergoing rehabilitation due to complications stemming from a stroke,
according to the Los Angeles Times' Claire Noland. Norton had previously overcome two strokes, a heart attack, quadruple bypass surgery and prostate cancer.
Upon hearing of Norton's passing, many in the sports community reached out to offer their condolences:
The former heavyweight champ is perhaps best known by boxing fans for his trilogy of fights against Muhammad Ali in 1973 and 1976. In the first bout between the two men, held at the San Diego Sports Arena, Norton shocked the world by defeating Ali in a split-decision and breaking his jaw in the process.
Ali would get revenge with controversial victories in their next two fights—one later in 1973 and the other in 1976—but Norton's victory over Ali in their first fight made him a star. He parlayed that notoriety into a fight against George Foreman in 1974, and a title win over Jerry Quarry in 1975 when Ali had vacated the strap.
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