Anecdotes

On March 31, 1973, a 15-1 underdog, he broke Muhammad Ali's jaw and won an upset 12 round decision.

Was a sparring partner for heavyweight champion Joe Frazier.

He was 30-2 when he challenged George Foreman for the heavyweight title in 1974 and was knocked down three times and stopped in 2 rounds.

Lost a controversial split 15 round decision to lose his heavyweight title to undefeated Larry Holmes.

Served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1963 to 1967 where he boxed on the Marine Corps boxing team. He compiled a record of 24-2 with 22 knockouts and won three All-Marine Heavyweight titles.

Fought Muhammad Ali 3-times, winning once.

Was undefeated in 16 straight fights when he suffered an upset knockout loss to Jose Luis Garcia (I). Norton knocked Garcia in a rematch a few years later.

World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, 1978.

Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 1992.

Father of Ken Norton Jr. (born 26-Sep-1966), a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers, and Keith Norton, a sports reporter with KPRC-TV Channel 2 in Houston, Texas.

Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1989.

Knocked-out undefeated Duane Bobick 38-0 in 43 seconds, on national TV.

Inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions in 2001.

Inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Defeated top contenders Jerry Quarry, Jose Luis Garcia, Jimmy Young, Ron Stander and James J. Woody.

Lost his last fight in 43 seconds to Gerry Cooney.

Did not win the heavyweight title in the ring. After Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight championship in February 1978, Spinks opted for a rematch with Ali instead of fighting Norton, the WBC's #1-ranked contender. The WBC stripped Spinks of their portion of the title and awarded it to Norton in March 1978.

His loss to Larry Holmes was Norton's only defense of the WBC heavyweight title. Coupled with his losses to Muhammad Ali in 1976 and George Foreman in 1974, this made Norton unique in boxing history as a heavyweight champion who had three title fights and lost all of them.