Ken Norton

Ken Norton — Kenneth Howard Norton — American heavyweight boxing champion and the rare fighter who beat Muhammad Ali in his prime, died in Henderson, Nevada, on September 18, 2013, after a stroke and related illness. He was seventy. Born August 9, 1943, in Jacksonville, Illinois, he boxed for the U.S. Marine Corps, turned professional, and on March 31, 1973, broke Ali’s jaw and won a split decision that still stands as one of the sport’s great upsets. Two more Ali fights followed — a rematch loss and a third bout Ali edged — and Norton later held the WBC heavyweight title before losing a controversial decision to Larry Holmes. The awkward, arms-crossed defense and crushing right made him a stylistic puzzle; the Marine nickname followed him into civilian fame. Hollywood roles in Mandingo and Drum, television appearances, and a son — Ken Norton Jr. — who starred in the NFL extended the name beyond the ring. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992. Later years brought quiet and illness; Henderson’s VA facility became the last venue after a career measured in arenas. Friends remembered dignity after the lights dimmed. He died in Henderson on September 18, 2013. The Ali trilogy still draws new viewers who discover that greatness includes the night the favorite lost. Norton’s gift was disciplined ferocity — a Marine’s patience turned into championship craft. Notice Nearby keeps the death date so September 18 remembers the Illinois heavyweight who made Ali bleed and history rewrite a round.