Back when a heavyweight title fight was broadcast on tv. My best friend, my dad and I sat in our game room on a Friday night, 6/9/1978 cheering our brains out during this. This ranks with the greatest heavyweight title fights in history. Two heavyweights fighting like this for all 15 rounds. Norton and Holmes were unbelievable that night.
Marvelous fighters ,Ken Norten and Larry Holmes,set a very high standard in boxing...miss the talent,hardness and skill of this caliber fighters.Greatness disappeared from boxing and we left with inferior fighters.
You are correct. I've watched the fights for 65 years, and this heavyweight championship fight was one of the best ever. Two skillful warriors who gave it all. Both were terrific in this fight. Too bad there had to be a loser.
@@antoinethomas3696 I actually had the good fortune of seeing this on TV as it happened. I was a student at University of Delaware and was enjoying a beer and pizza with my roommate before school started up again. We sat in a joint called Mr. Pizza and watched the fight all the while some drunken old local egged Norton on.."git em Kenny..kill him..git him" I'll never forget that night
@Corona Sol You make a good point. Ali was always a favorite, and it likely account for disparate scoring by judges. Did I hear correctly, that th his fight took place in Holmes backyard, Easton, PA? Was there possibly home cooking ?
15 rounds. Two of the best. I was blessed to have seen this. Sad we just don't have fighters like this in the sport anymore. Old school beats new school all day long.
That might have been one of the most brutal fights I have ever seen. Major respect for Norton, taking that kind of punishment in the 13th round and still coming back hard in the last two. I don't think I have ever seen more heart than with these two guys ., with the exception of Mohammad Ali.
Mind boggling just astounding all the energy and effort both of these warriors displayed . Absolutely no heavyweight these days can come close to this level of heart and shear willpower to stand toe to toe against such as themselves . Brutal .
Speaking of Tyson, he fought Holmes when he was way over the hill, long past his prime, and he still went four or five rounds with Tyson with none of the punching ability Holmes shows here. And none of the speed. I would love to see Tyson fighting this Larry Holmes. Not sure Tyson would win.
Ray While Riding not totally true... people just fought more than they did today therefore resulting in everyone fighting each other. Today people will fight 3 times a year at max. Ray Robinson was fighting every couple weeks lol
Absolutely true! Holmes is a hell of a fighter, fearless, and warrior. He always fights toe to toe against his opponent and his jab is just excellent. This fight and his fight aginst Shavers is breathtaking and so exciting.😂
Those were two warriors, what a fight! 15 rounds of action, no feeling each other out, they came to fight. Those gloves are heavy, and to swing them for 15 rounds like they did was amazing.
Thanks so much for posting this! What a war! How these two could take those shots from each other is beyond belief. The fact that they could box like that in the 15th is a testament to not only their conditioning but also their heart and their courage. 😳
What a tough 15 round fight. Two real warriors. Holmes at his best. Great boxer on the retreat. Only Ali could score like that while edging backwards. Real skill that few fighters ever have.
YES! & 15 Rds. in those days!! TWO GREATS! Norton was no good vs BIG punchers though! However I thought he beat ALI all 3x they fought and this fight too! He was a good man too! RIP Kenny Norton!
@@iamtman1 ...I also had Ali winning the third fight against Norton. You had to literally knock out the Heavyweight Champion in those days. The Holmes-Norton fight was extremely close. The Easton Assassin won by a hairline, fair and square. Both the latter and Norton were extremely exhausted. One of best heavyweight bouts in the history of boxing, PERIOD!!! Tyson would have never lasted through this fight. THE GOLDEN AGE OF MODERN HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING.
@@iamtman1 For mine Ali won fight 2. Kenny won the 3rd.....kept landing that right and Ali always looked unsettled by the pressure. Kenny never got hit like he did in this fight against Holmes.
@@boxeolocopunch762 ⭐️Absolutely, because of only one BIG reason too, it was 125 degrees in the ring that night in 1975 😳I’m now 57 and all these classic fights were free on ABC WIDE WORLD of SPORTS 🌈
Remember those days. Larry Holmes was a great champion but was never the people's champion. But give it to Larry. Every 6 or so months, Larry defended his title live on ABC on Saturday night. It was like a mini-superbowl. He gave back to the fans not like today. You want to watch you got to pay. Young kids don't go into boxing because they never get exposed to it.
Yep, I was a huge Holmes fan during this time...I'd get lasagna ready and make an evening of it...His fights were free on T.V...like you said; every six months or so he'd defend his title. Good times.
Ken Norton my favorite of all most underrated fighter of that time fought all the best never ducked anyone my hats off to u Mr Norton a heart of a lion !
Agree 100%. Tour comment has made me respect him more. Eventhough he knew stylistically shavers was all wrong for him he still fought him regardless. This is what legends are made of. None of this "this fights too risky, I'm gonna duck it so I dont jeopardise my perfect record and ranking" like today.
Two heavyweight greats. Sad that Kenny suffered such brain damage from the wars he was in. These guys and many like them gave it their all! True champions.
I personally think it was a draw. They both gave everything. Norton took some awesome shots, and still came back. Definitely a draw, if ever I saw one. Neither deserved to lose.
To me, pound for pound, this is the greatest fight in the illustrious history of boxing 🥊. Training had nothing to do with the last 4 rds. THAT WAS ALL 💪❤️
I am now 54 and remember this classic very well, I saw it as a DRAW! They should have had a rematch! This was one the all~time Top 10 fights from the big boys of the era! GREAT BRAWL! That 15th Rd. esp!!!
hey moron, how do you score a 15 round fight a draw? and there were three judges. so at least two of them had to score one of the fighters as the winner.
This fight still gets me out of my seat. The best 15th Round I've ever seen. Both men were DEAD tired but the heavyweight title was on the line and they fought like it! Holmes won, but I wouldn't argue with anyone who thought Norton retained his title. It was that close. It was that good!
@@mongoslade277 That's fair, but its been my experience that its not how you start, but how you finish. Holmes had Norton stunned and staggering at the bell, which might have been what impressed the judges in the end. But both men deserve respect for their performance.
Much respect to larry holmes and ken Norton senior. Today's heavyweights as in Tyson fury, deontay slider, etc..... Wouldn't be able to last against these two 👍🏿
@@nishihundan1257 They might be bigger...but they are not better. Also, they don't have the same kind of heart and they would gas out...trying to go 12 to 15 rounds. Very few boxers of today are of the same caliber.
I remember watching the highlights on TH-cam a while back, and both men gave their all. The last rounds were brutal and both men threw very hard shots at one another.
When heavyweight boxing truly was the pinnicale of sport and with fights like this its easy to see why! Poeple talk about the size of todays heavyweights true but they dont have the skill, Heart or conditioning that these guys had no way.
@@petergreen5337 Tyson fury vs wilder total punches thrown by fury 332 TOTAL//Ali vs chuvalo in 66 Ali threw over 💯 punches and landed just about 100 in ROUND 15 alone ///heavyweight boxing is a joke nowadays
incredibly hard punches flying both ways ! its unreal how either man took and gave it. Larry has always been my favorite hvywt but Ken is totally badass !
Ken Norton was also underrated, but they both had the same problem, when it came to pushing that extra step to come above their opponent in a close fight, neither one could do it. That's what made Ali great. They had it all except that extra to push beyond to get that extra edge. Age also made a big difference here Norton was 34 to Holmes 28. Also being that close, the challenger would need to beat the champion decisively to gain the title. The same thing happened to Norton vs Ali in 76. Norton needed to win decisively and he failed to do this. I don't believe Holmes did either in this fight. Norton should have retained his title.
@@funkyflights It wasn’t very effective in this fight compared to some of his fights. His jab often controlled the entire fight, not only doing the normal function of scoring and setting up combos, but damaging his opponent. Sometimes it was so effective his opponent literally couldn’t get past it - watch Holmes-Weaver 2 for a great example. I did enjoy the part during this fight (4:40) where he starts throwing Ali’s jab instead of his own for a bit. It totally threw Norton off.
@@tomabela7949 not the best example Klitschko, one if not the one who has most title defenses at HW, was 42 years old, but sure it was exciting. But all era´s had great fighters and fights. There just some people who cant appreciate something without the down talking. The reason why many americans hold the 70's very high are partly to the fact that the hw scene has been taking over by east euro fighters and now Uk fighters.
@@tomabela7949 that one was great too but klitschko was the challenger and he is 42 years old, here norton was in his last hurrah but still the champion. That's why fights from the 70s heavyweight were more significant
King kept Holmes from a title shot because Holmes would have beaten all the top fighters at that time. King was riding the Ali money train. When Holmes got his shot he made the most of it. Holmes came up hard and didn’t have a gold medal or a big following he was just very good. Holmes always fought to get out of Ali shadow and for recognition. Holmes went on to be a great champion and would have given any fighter from any era a hard fight and probably beat most.
@@imadahmed8295 Yeah this was Norton's last stand really. I wondered why there wasn't a rematch til I realized Norton got blasted out by Shavers which got Shavers a title shot against Holmes. Norton could of got the decision here but Norton just had bad luck with judges as he had Ali defeated in 76 but Ali got the decision
Norton was my favorite boxer in the 70s. He was just an excellent fighter and a damned tough Marine! He was not on Ali's or Foreman's level, and couldn't stand up to the huge hits of Shavers, but with some better luck and timing he could have been better remembered as one of the all-time greats.
Larry Holmes is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time. He has never received the respect he deserved. Beautiful hand speed ,and the greatest left jab in history.
@@romanboxing3959 Overrated loooool. Larry Holmes was, as Muhammad Ali himself said, a master boxer, with an extremely high ring IQ, who had good mobility for a big man and possessed a great left jab, generally reckoned behind only Ali and Liston. "The Easton Assassin" used his height and reach extremely well and although not a huge knockout puncher, he possessed a strong straight right, right cross and uppercut. He also had a good chin and a huge heart. Larry was one of the best technicians in heavyweight history and he was solid defensively and had outstanding footwork.
@@romanboxing3959 Manny Steward, one of the greatest boxing trainers ever, said this about Holmes: “I think that Larry Holmes’ left jab alone, his speed, the unbelievable stamina and determination and ability to recuperate from punches-he would have been a threat to anybody because that left jab it was almost a machine by itself. He didn’t even have to have too much more than that.” But sure, let's take the opinion of a useless nobody like you over Muhammad Ali and Manny Steward. LMAO, indeed.
@Mike Markwell rocky fucking marciano? Jesus give me a break. Anyone whose boxed outside if a cardio class will tell you Fury is a miles more skilled fighter then marciano ever was
@Mike Markwell wrong wrong wrong. If hes "lumbering around" how come hes able to match athletic cruiserweights like Steve Cunningham in terms of speed? Athletic Heavyweights as well. Klitschko is one of the quickest 250 pounders ive ever seen eith the 1-2 and he couldnt land on Fury for shit! Bahaha Fury took cocaine and ate pies for two years and still made wilder look like a bum! Hes not lumbering, anyone whose not a hater can tell thats the case.
@Mike Markwell thats a fallacy right there. Your whole comment is about Tyson Furys "soft midsection" and supposed lack of cardio and you cap off your post by implying thats evidence of todays heavyweights supposed lack of skill? Those two things are completely unrelated. The fact you are deriding his skills is simply laughable. Name a heavyweight that can fight out of both stances like he can. Sometimes he can even switch stances mid-combination! Also, anyone whose watched a decent amount of combat sports knows looks can be deceiving. Chisora & Whyte had a 12 round brutal slugfest the first time round and neither of them are what we call lean. Daniel cormier has some of the most impressive cardio in the UFC and hes a fat short guy.
Holmes a ear winner boxing controlling the pace of the fight controlling opponent strong jab good tight cross Norton marching forward throwing big tight hand swings boxing wins
One of the greatest heavyweight fights from start to finish of all time!! I would put this fight right up there with the thrilla in manilla!! The conditioning of these two fighters to go at it like that for 15 rounds is mind blowing!!
I never get tired of watching Larry Holmes throw his jab. He can stick and move with it or use it to set up his right, which is no joke either. Good memories.
Norton was good against boxers that didn't have a big punch (Ali, Holmes, Young) but against big punchers (Foreman, Shavers, Cooney) he got destroyed pretty quick.
Norton legendary chin? His chin was legendary for being shattered by every big puncher he faced. Norton was a great fighter. But his chin was an Achilles heel of his if anything. Shavers didn’t have one quarter of the boxing skill Norton did, but that didn’t matter because of Nortons chin.
This was an exciting title fight. The fight see-sawed back and forth over the 15-rounds. Both fighters pull out all stops to win, and in the late rounds Holmes started withering, catching shots that he wasn't catching earlier in the fight. I was sure that Ken had taken this fight by a close margin, and then came the decision????? A great fight none-the-less and one of the greatest heavyweight title fights in the past 50-years.
@@petergreen5337 dead wrong. Larry Holmes looked like a scared little girl against tyson. If Holmes was as great as you say, he'd have been able to come back at age 45 like big George did and reclaim the world heavyweight title. But as far as history is concerned, he ran like a scared little girl against tyson.
Larry Holmes proved to be a fraud. He looked like a scared little girl against tyson. If holmes was indeed a great fighter like you say, he'd have been able to reclaim the world heavyweight title at age 45 like big George did. But not even close.
One of the greatest fights of all time between two great warriors. R.I.P to Kenny Norton and as for Larry Holmes, the most skilled and underrated fighter of all time.
This fight was a brawl. Both men took awesome hits and still continued to give everything they had! If you were lucky enough to have been there, you saw one of the best fights ever fought!!!
Wow! This was amazing. The heart and will these men displayed in this 15 round fight is something you won’t witness in todays boxing. Them dudes had a brawl. This stands as one of the best fights I’ve witnessed. My elders were so blessed to have witnessed the golden age of heavyweight boxing!
Back in the day I thought it was really close& didn't remember HOW close the final score was. Kenny was good but after Ali, it was Holmes who put on boxing clinics in the ring.
Holmes had brass balls! How many low blows, via huge upper cuts, did he shake off against Gerry Cooney, who was one heavy hitter? Holmes may be the most underrated, and underappreciated, heavyweight champion in history. He's right up there with Ali, Frazier, and Foreman, in my opinion. A younger Larry Holmes would have frustrated and, eventually, worn down Mike Tyson, as long as he didn't get hit by Tyson's huge leather. Guys like Foreman, Tyson, Joe Frazier, and Sonny Liston are always one good shot away from winning any fight, against any fighter. If they hit you with it, you are going down.
Round 15 might've been the most competitive 15th round in boxing history! Symbolic of how we have to keep fighting and endure through life. Superhuman stuff, awesome.
The good old days when the heavyweight division was full of stars like Holmes, Norton, Frasier, Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Weaver and of course The Greatest!
Kenny's last great fight, I remember watching this one. What a war. Kenny was a partier though just like Frazier, probably might have been champions longer if they had been more committed to staying in shape. That's why Ali and Holmes were champions for so long, they didn't go out and party much if at all. Ali liked his sugar sweets though and had a problem with weight in the 70's after he came back but that was about the only vice I have ever read about that he had.
Legendary fight Their stamina is unmatched especially for heavyweights I however thought Norton deserved the win in this one, he won more rounds from my point of view and be was the aggressor for most of the fight although he was badly stunned by Holmes on two occasions during the fight Excellent fight by 2 legends
as a big time boxing fan of the older generations, I see why they gave Holmes the victory in this bout as Norton just wasn't a draw on the same par with Ali where Norton had given Ali the closest matches of Alis career alongside Joe Frazier and some might argue that Norton competed better against Ali then Frazier but only in terms of points rather then pure punishment which was what Ali and Frazier had as they were two warriors with serious enmity for each other at that time. Many have said that Norton won 2 of the 3 fights that he had against Ali which Ali said himself but that's just because Ali couldn't figure out Nortons crab defense style.... we saw what happened to Norton and Frazier when they met George Foreman This was when boxing was becoming a very wealthy business which it is today and boxing and all it's gangsters behind the scenes can thank Muhammad Ali for that as he was a larger then life star for the sport and brought outside eyes on the sport from politics to his outside honest celebrity which no other boxer will ever reach Ali whooped an undefeated prime Foreman while he was past his prime himself and we are talking about Foreman who is a man who came back 20 years after he was knocked out by Ali(Ali is the only man to knock Foreman out ever in a career across 20 to 30 years) and Foreman competed against the rivals of Lewis and Morrison who were the top contenders of the successing era and it is especially impressive considering that they had the benefits of PEDs which many of them used and Ali never used any of that Norton could have beaten Ali 5 times out of 10 and he is the only boxer who could have done that up until the turn of the century as I believe Ali would have been better off competing at cruiserweight if he was alive today without the use of PEDs which Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko admitted to using and you can be sure many more of them used which is a big hamper on their legacies... just imagine if Muhammad Ali wasn't a devout Muslim and took PEDs to better his performance as well
ken was champ & deserved the nod of respect & decision w/ a fight this close. hats off to both, but larry didnt do enough to dethrone a champ here. felt really bad for norton after so many wars earlier in the decade.
Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton (Highlights) HQ 2024 update
th-cam.com/video/0oKJlkgnOq8/w-d-xo.html
Back when a heavyweight title fight was broadcast on tv. My best friend, my dad and I sat in our game room on a Friday night, 6/9/1978 cheering our brains out during this. This ranks with the greatest heavyweight title fights in history. Two heavyweights fighting like this for all 15 rounds. Norton and Holmes were unbelievable that night.
I was stationed at Ft.Eustis Va and watched it on T.V. in company rec room. No HBO,DAZN or Showtime in those days.
Man, Holmes was one hell of a fighter and Norton's courage and persistence in this fight was unbelievable.. terrific fight
If Ken Norton was a little younger he would have beat Larry Holmes.
@@norrismulgrew859Had Ken norton done the same thing he did to Ali, he would have beaten Holmes by id or split decision.
@@mustafaatalay212he was older and slower
Marvelous fighters ,Ken Norten and Larry Holmes,set a very high standard in boxing...miss the talent,hardness and skill of this caliber fighters.Greatness disappeared from boxing and we left with inferior fighters.
@@mustafaatalay212Holmes neutralized Norton, he knew what he did to Ali, he wasn’t going to go that route.
That has to be one of the most under-rated heavyweight title fights of all time! Holy ....
You are correct. I've watched the fights for 65 years, and this heavyweight championship fight was one of the best ever. Two skillful warriors who gave it all. Both were terrific in this fight. Too bad there had to be a loser.
I really hate that I didn’t watch this live. I was never a Holmes fan but he absolutely EARNED that decision
@@antoinethomas3696 I actually had the good fortune of seeing this on TV as it happened. I was a student at University of Delaware and was enjoying a beer and pizza with my roommate before school started up again. We sat in a joint called Mr. Pizza and watched the fight all the while some drunken old local egged Norton on.."git em Kenny..kill him..git him" I'll never forget that night
That shitvwas better than rockie
Not underrated. On the 80s they said this was the best heavyweight fight after thrilla in manila
Huge heart Ken Norton!
Rest in peace champ, you earn a peaceful forever.
@Corona Sol You make a good point. Ali was always a favorite, and it likely account for disparate scoring by judges.
Did I hear correctly, that th his fight took place in Holmes backyard, Easton, PA? Was there possibly home cooking ?
@Corona Sol
why?
RIP???? What? He in the ground? Who put Kenny there? Frazier?
@@quantumpotential7639 Died 13 September, 2013 at the age of 70.
The man who reach something because OF A LUCKY PUNCH (AND TIEFHS TRAINER AND ALI MANAGER) ? You suck!
15 rounds. Two of the best. I was blessed to have seen this. Sad we just don't have fighters like this in the sport anymore. Old school beats new school all day long.
nope. Fury would beat any guy from the past
@@WastedBananas Not true
@WalkingOnSunshineMan lmao if you picking Ken fucking Norton over Fury thats on you LMAO. I know i aint that deluded
@@WastedBananas Fury struggled against a British level John McDermott. Calm the Fuck down.
@@WastedBananas did you just want to open your mouth for the sake of breathing or to just spit nonsense?
Round 15 had to be one the best rounds in Heavyweight history. 2 great warriors!
Hagler and Vito antuofermo tho not heavyweights .was also one of the exciting 15 round I can remember
That might have been one of the most brutal fights I have ever seen. Major respect for Norton, taking that kind of punishment in the 13th round and still coming back hard in the last two. I don't think I have ever seen more heart than with these two guys ., with the exception of Mohammad Ali.
Warriors…
Joe Frazier also
Mind boggling just astounding all the energy and effort both of these warriors displayed . Absolutely no heavyweight these days can come close to this level of heart and shear willpower to stand toe to toe against such as themselves . Brutal .
Right. They can't get close
Yes yup
I much prefer these fights that go the distance rather than a Tyson 1 round knockout.
Speaking of Tyson, he fought Holmes when he was way over the hill, long past his prime, and he still went four or five rounds with Tyson with none of the punching ability Holmes shows here. And none of the speed. I would love to see Tyson fighting this Larry Holmes. Not sure Tyson would win.
In 1990s there were :
1.Lennox Lewis vs Ray Mercer. It is unusual Lewis's fight turned to a slugfest.
2. David Tua vs Ike Ibeabuchi.
One of the best fights in boxing history. We can ask no man for more than these two gave that night. Incredible courage.
could ask for some defensive skills in the last round
Find a heavyweight, any heavyweight who can go at like this for 12 rounds, let alone 15! One of the best heavyweight fights in history.
kenneth joseph
You got damn right...
sure was!. I would have loved to seen norton vs marciano that would have bein some fight!
M
Di
kenneth joseph
The Heavyweight division of Boxing is a distant memory, this fight is proof 👊👊👊 Thank you Legendary fighters for the memories 👊👊👊👊
In 1970s, the heavywight division consists all the big names. Ali, foreman, frazier, norton, shavers, holmes.
Absolutely ⭐️ I’m now 59 and remember when ❤️
One of the greatest fights in the history of heavyweight boxing. It's a shame that either fighter had to lose.
A draw would have been a fair result, Holmes was given it but Norton should have shared it.
Back when fighters came to fight.
Back when everyone fought everyone, regardless of record, win, lose or draw.
Ray While Riding not totally true... people just fought more than they did today therefore resulting in everyone fighting each other. Today people will fight 3 times a year at max. Ray Robinson was fighting every couple weeks lol
they also had there share of mismatches back then.
They had to fight often, as small as the purses were.
@@Ozzy4747 It adds up to the same thing. Times have changed, but times changes the people.
Today they make every excuse Not to fight each other. Back then they all fought each other ot they were obsolete. No Twitter or facebook Back then
Absolutely true! Holmes is a hell of a fighter, fearless, and warrior. He always fights toe to toe against his opponent and his jab is just excellent. This fight and his fight aginst Shavers is breathtaking and so exciting.😂
Those were two warriors, what a fight! 15 rounds of action, no feeling each other out, they came to fight. Those gloves are heavy, and to swing them for 15 rounds like they did was amazing.
Thanks so much for posting this! What a war! How these two could take those shots from each other is beyond belief. The fact that they could box like that in the 15th is a testament to not only their conditioning but also their heart and their courage. 😳
Glad you enjoyed it 🙋 , just uploaded a much better highlight version of this fight , check out my last vid 👍
I miss this Era of Great Heavyweight Fighters and Fights! Holmes, Norton, Frazier, Ali and Foreman all fought each other!
Amazing Time!
Foreman and Holmes never fought but it would have been a good fight
@@TheNewenglandboys yes , the fight that never happen
And earnie shavers!
Earnie Shavers, Ron Lyle were 2 Beasts in the mix too back then.
@@MrStanleyMilton jerry quarry was great too.
What a tough 15 round fight. Two real warriors. Holmes at his best. Great boxer on the retreat. Only Ali could score like that while edging backwards. Real skill that few fighters ever have.
YES! & 15 Rds. in those days!! TWO GREATS! Norton was no good vs BIG punchers though! However I thought he beat ALI all 3x they fought and this fight too! He was a good man too! RIP Kenny Norton!
He learned a lot from his former boss, Ali was one of the best ever in getting himself out of trouble. And Larry picked up on that.
Norton definitely did NOT beat Ali in fight 2, and fight 3 very close (8-6-1) I had Ali winning. Fight 2 Ali won at least 7-8 rds of 12.
@@iamtman1 ...I also had Ali winning the third fight against Norton. You had to literally knock out the Heavyweight Champion in those days. The Holmes-Norton fight was extremely close. The Easton Assassin won by a hairline, fair and square. Both the latter and Norton were extremely exhausted. One of best heavyweight bouts in the history of boxing, PERIOD!!! Tyson would have never lasted through this fight. THE GOLDEN AGE OF MODERN HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING.
@@iamtman1 For mine Ali won fight 2.
Kenny won the 3rd.....kept landing that right and Ali always looked unsettled by the pressure. Kenny never got hit like he did in this fight against Holmes.
Start to finish. Maybe the best heavyweight fight in history.
Definitely up there with the Ali vs Frazier I
You could certainly make a case for it!
@@chirovip58 thrilla in manila 1975 is considered the best heavyweight fight
@@boxeolocopunch762 ⭐️Absolutely, because of only one BIG reason too, it was 125 degrees in the ring that night in 1975 😳I’m now 57 and all these classic fights were free on ABC WIDE WORLD of SPORTS 🌈
What a joke
Remember those days. Larry Holmes was a great champion but was never the people's champion. But give it to Larry. Every 6 or so months, Larry defended his title live on ABC on Saturday night. It was like a mini-superbowl. He gave back to the fans not like today. You want to watch you got to pay. Young kids don't go into boxing because they never get exposed to it.
Maybe it's not a good thing to rattle developing brains around in a kids skull, maybe that's why
These fights were wars
Yep, I was a huge Holmes fan during this time...I'd get lasagna ready and make an evening of it...His fights were free on T.V...like you said; every six months or so he'd defend his title. Good times.
Paul Mccarter Like football?
.
Ken Norton my favorite of all most underrated fighter of that time fought all the best never ducked anyone my hats off to u Mr Norton a heart of a lion !
I think Norton beat Ali every time they fought.
I agree
@@RaysDad that's what you get for thinking
Agree 100%. Tour comment has made me respect him more. Eventhough he knew stylistically shavers was all wrong for him he still fought him regardless. This is what legends are made of. None of this "this fights too risky, I'm gonna duck it so I dont jeopardise my perfect record and ranking" like today.
Norton avoided only Ron Lyle
Two heavyweight greats. Sad that Kenny suffered such brain damage from the wars he was in. These guys and many like them gave it their all! True champions.
His brain damage was from a car accident.
@@matthews8576 Didn't know that. Thanks.
Most of Norton's brain damage was from his car accident.
@@josephblow5946 thank you Joseph, for setting the record straight.
Ken Norton was in a automobile accident, and I think he suffered a head injury.
I personally think it was a draw. They both gave everything. Norton took some awesome shots, and still came back. Definitely a draw, if ever I saw one. Neither deserved to lose.
"Neither deserved to lose" is so true
They should give this match a draw, as it was esteemed to be. Then give the fight a rematch. It will give Norton some much more money, and Holmes too.
Should have to beat the champ.
Im not a Holmes fan but Norton lost. Holmes just punched more
Agree. Slpliy decision and all three judges had the winner by one round.
To me, pound for pound, this is the greatest fight in the illustrious history of boxing 🥊. Training had nothing to do with the last 4 rds. THAT WAS ALL 💪❤️
I agree.
maybe in top 5 heavyweight history not all boxing man ! see middleweight bouts they are legendary
By far one of the greatest top five heavyweight championship fight in history...
I am now 54 and remember this classic very well, I saw it as a DRAW! They should have had a rematch! This was one the all~time Top 10 fights from the big boys of the era! GREAT BRAWL! That 15th Rd. esp!!!
I wouldn't want to see this again. Ken Norton's head was out of shape after the fight. Too much damage.
Nicky Depaola ...CLASSIC BOXING AT ITS BEST, PERIOD!!!
Thats a fair call nicky although i had Norton by one round.
hey moron, how do you score a 15 round fight a draw? and there were three judges. so at least two of them had to score one of the fighters as the winner.
That 15th round was brutal.
This fight still gets me out of my seat. The best 15th Round I've ever seen. Both men were DEAD tired but the heavyweight title was on the line and they fought like it! Holmes won, but I wouldn't argue with anyone who thought Norton retained his title. It was that close. It was that good!
Probably a tie would have been appropriate
That late flurry by Holmes at end of the 15th was what decided it. Pretty amazing considering that Holmes fought with an injury in his shoulder.
Indeed, indeed....HAHAHA
Norton knocked Holmes mouthpiece out in the 15th and controlled the first 2 minutes. Gotta give it to Norton
@@mongoslade277 That's fair, but its been my experience that its not how you start, but how you finish. Holmes had Norton stunned and staggering at the bell, which might have been what impressed the judges in the end.
But both men deserve respect for their performance.
Much respect to larry holmes and ken Norton senior. Today's heavyweights as in Tyson fury, deontay slider, etc..... Wouldn't be able to last against these two 👍🏿
I’m not so sure of that. Both would handle Wilder no problem, but I believe both of them would have trouble with Fury.
That's a silly statement. Both Fury and Wilder are HUGE compared to the fighters of yesterday--and both have incredible speed and power.
🤣🤣
@@nishihundan1257 They might be bigger...but they are not better. Also, they don't have the same kind of heart and they would gas out...trying to go 12 to 15 rounds. Very few boxers of today are of the same caliber.
Size isn't everything, but you can't just discount it either. Fury at 6'9 270 would be a handful for either one of these guys
That's in the top 10 of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time
Maybe top 5
So true. Those 2 were valiant gladiators by all definition!
@@deacontheseer4804 YEP!
Its up there with Ali Frazier 1 and Holyfield Bowe 1
@@lukebullen705 let’s not forget Tyson vs Ruddock 1 and 2
I remember watching the highlights on TH-cam a while back, and both men gave their all. The last rounds were brutal and both men threw very hard shots at one another.
See how you felt watching this 40 year old fight? That's how real fights make you feel!!!
Xacrias Uhdheen Man it couldn't be more real.🇺🇸
You nailed it that fight gave me the chills
Never disappointed watching Larry Holmes fight
When heavyweight boxing truly was the pinnicale of sport and with fights like this its easy to see why! Poeple talk about the size of todays heavyweights true but they dont have the skill, Heart or conditioning that these guys had no way.
J'aime la box
These guys threw more punches in each round than most of todays heavyweights throw in an entire fight.
I would go that far ,but it a thriller
@@petergreen5337 Tyson fury vs wilder total punches thrown by fury 332 TOTAL//Ali vs chuvalo in 66 Ali threw over 💯 punches and landed just about 100 in ROUND 15 alone ///heavyweight boxing is a joke nowadays
@@active.7universal And got brain damage
@@active.7universal you go fight then.
@@app6984 I don't get paid to BOX nor do I claim to be a pro boxer
incredibly hard punches flying both ways ! its unreal how either man took and gave it. Larry has always been my favorite hvywt but Ken is totally badass !
Plus Kenny had a nice set of legs.
Norton has the heart of a lion, just keeps coming. Both men have a chin like granite. What a war.
Love Larry Holmes, his jab was a masterpiece.... Such an underrated champ ...
Ken Norton was also underrated, but they both had the same problem, when it came to pushing that extra step to come above their opponent in a close fight, neither one could do it. That's what made Ali great. They had it all except that extra to push beyond to get that extra edge. Age also made a big difference here Norton was 34 to Holmes 28. Also being that close, the challenger would need to beat the champion decisively to gain the title. The same thing happened to Norton vs Ali in 76. Norton needed to win decisively and he failed to do this. I don't believe Holmes did either in this fight. Norton should have retained his title.
The Holmes jab in this fight was sooo inefective
@@jesusrobles6816 .... Holmes jab was always effective, it set up how he boxed...
Yes ,my man yes ,I heard sugar ray say he loved it ,I ignored sugar ray ,damn was I wrong. Beautiful jab.
@@funkyflights It wasn’t very effective in this fight compared to some of his fights. His jab often controlled the entire fight, not only doing the normal function of scoring and setting up combos, but damaging his opponent. Sometimes it was so effective his opponent literally couldn’t get past it - watch Holmes-Weaver 2 for a great example.
I did enjoy the part during this fight (4:40) where he starts throwing Ali’s jab instead of his own for a bit. It totally threw Norton off.
That 15th round was amazing.
*Larry Holmes... The greatest and beautiful left jab of all time*
How can anyone watch this and take the post-Lewis Heavyweight division seriously?
These were truly great fighters in truly great fights.
Fuck off they are all great have you watch Joshua Klitschko
@@tomabela7949 not the best example Klitschko, one if not the one who has most title defenses at HW, was 42 years old, but sure it was exciting. But all era´s had great fighters and fights. There just some people who cant appreciate something without the down talking. The reason why many americans hold the 70's very high are partly to the fact that the hw scene has been taking over by east euro fighters and now Uk fighters.
@@knockup100 true we cant just appreciate all eras
@@tomabela7949 that one was great too but klitschko was the challenger and he is 42 years old, here norton was in his last hurrah but still the champion. That's why fights from the 70s heavyweight were more significant
@@faehrncioas1611 dosent matter about a age use your brain wladimir was as good as always
Man, was Larry Holmes quick in his prime. Quick, and powerful.
Yes ignored this fight back then I finally seen it and it was MARVELLOUS.
I felt great for Larry, i'm still convinced that Ali ducked him to fight Spinks instead.
King kept Holmes from a title shot because Holmes would have beaten all the top fighters at that time. King was riding the Ali money train. When Holmes got his shot he made the most of it. Holmes came up hard and didn’t have a gold medal or a big following he was just very good. Holmes always fought to get out of Ali shadow and for recognition. Holmes went on to be a great champion and would have given
any fighter from any era a hard fight and probably beat most.
What a great fight, it's what boxing is all about heart. RIP KN.
Norton was already on the way down and Holmes on the way up. Norton still gave him one hell of a fight!
John Laslow I agreed , They fought in June 9 -1978 , Norton was 35 yo and larry holmes not even 29 yo ..so the age is a big factor here
War!
@@imadahmed8295 Yeah this was Norton's last stand really. I wondered why there wasn't a rematch til I realized Norton got blasted out by Shavers which got Shavers a title shot against Holmes. Norton could of got the decision here but Norton just had bad luck with judges as he had Ali defeated in 76 but Ali got the decision
Norton was my favorite boxer in the 70s. He was just an excellent fighter and a damned tough Marine! He was not on Ali's or Foreman's level, and couldn't stand up to the huge hits of Shavers, but with some better luck and timing he could have been better remembered as one of the all-time greats.
just look nortons shape in 1976 ,when he fought Ali,
certainly he wud have beaten homes in his prime
One of the biggest bouts in boxing history. ty 4 uploading.
Larry Holmes is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time. He has never received the respect he deserved. Beautiful hand speed ,and the greatest left jab in history.
That’s cause he was overrated. He was gifted decisions and fight many tomato cans 😂
@@romanboxing3959 Overrated loooool. Larry Holmes was, as Muhammad Ali himself said, a master boxer, with an extremely high ring IQ, who had good mobility for a big man and possessed a great left jab, generally reckoned behind only Ali and Liston. "The Easton Assassin" used his height and reach extremely well and although not a huge knockout puncher, he possessed a strong straight right, right cross and uppercut. He also had a good chin and a huge heart. Larry was one of the best technicians in heavyweight history and he was solid defensively and had outstanding footwork.
@@matthewchristine3476 Yes! Overrated! And how many trash cans and gift decisions did he get? LMAO!
@@romanboxing3959 Manny Steward, one of the greatest boxing trainers ever, said this about Holmes:
“I think that Larry Holmes’ left jab alone, his speed, the unbelievable stamina and determination and ability to recuperate from punches-he would have been a threat to anybody because that left jab it was almost a machine by itself. He didn’t even have to have too much more than that.” But sure, let's take the opinion of a useless nobody like you over Muhammad Ali and Manny Steward. LMAO, indeed.
After all of these years, this is the best heavyweight fight I've ever seen.
better than Joshua vs Klitschko?
@Mike Markwell rocky fucking marciano? Jesus give me a break. Anyone whose boxed outside if a cardio class will tell you Fury is a miles more skilled fighter then marciano ever was
@Mike Markwell wrong wrong wrong. If hes "lumbering around" how come hes able to match athletic cruiserweights like Steve Cunningham in terms of speed? Athletic Heavyweights as well. Klitschko is one of the quickest 250 pounders ive ever seen eith the 1-2 and he couldnt land on Fury for shit! Bahaha Fury took cocaine and ate pies for two years and still made wilder look like a bum! Hes not lumbering, anyone whose not a hater can tell thats the case.
@Mike Markwell thats a fallacy right there. Your whole comment is about Tyson Furys "soft midsection" and supposed lack of cardio and you cap off your post by implying thats evidence of todays heavyweights supposed lack of skill? Those two things are
completely unrelated.
The fact you are deriding his skills is simply laughable. Name a heavyweight that can fight out of both stances like he can. Sometimes he can even switch stances mid-combination!
Also, anyone whose watched a decent amount of combat sports knows looks can be deceiving. Chisora & Whyte had a 12 round brutal slugfest the first time round and neither of them are what we call lean. Daniel cormier has some of the most impressive cardio in the UFC and hes a fat short guy.
Having said all of that, you have to give Len Norton his due. Boy, did KN show great punch resistance and a champions will to win. What a fight
Holmes a ear winner boxing controlling the pace of the fight controlling opponent strong jab good tight cross Norton marching forward throwing big tight hand swings boxing wins
what a great classic fight. RIP Kenny Norton
This is one of the best Fight ever 💯 in the heavyweight division
ali vs norton 2 is the best fight
People got they money's worth out of this one.
I wanna see,Mike Tyson vs Leon spinks.
And it didn't cost you $100 to order.
One of the great fights...warriors!!
One of the greatest heavyweight fights from start to finish of all time!! I would put this fight right up there with the thrilla in manilla!! The conditioning of these two fighters to go at it like that for 15 rounds is mind blowing!!
Wow!! Great fight!! This is when boxing was entertaining!! I love the Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Holmes Era.
I never get tired of watching Larry Holmes throw his jab. He can stick and move with it or use it to set up his right, which is no joke either. Good memories.
This fight was one of the Greatest HW Championship fights ever. Very under-appreciated and overlooked fight. Both men gave their all.
Holmes with that legendary jab. Norton with that legendary chin. The golden era of Heavyweight boxing.
Norton's Chin was glass though
Lolol! Norton had a glass jaw.
Norton was good against boxers that didn't have a big punch (Ali, Holmes, Young) but against big punchers (Foreman, Shavers, Cooney) he got destroyed pretty quick.
Norton legendary chin? His chin was legendary for being shattered by every big puncher he faced.
Norton was a great fighter. But his chin was an Achilles heel of his if anything. Shavers didn’t have one quarter of the boxing skill Norton did, but that didn’t matter because of Nortons chin.
Das beste Box Kampf der Welt was ich gesehen habe
I remember this fight on tv. All I can say is, I’m proud to have witnessed history being made
one of the best boxing match...both boxers can make the audience satisfied...salute
One of the greatest rounds I have ever seen. 15#
One ofthe greatest heavyweight fights ever witnessed
one of the best heavyweights ever the jab is unbelievable one of the best in history footwork power a true technician
I watched it live back then. II think it was the best heavyweight title fight in history. The competitiveness, stamina, both fighters giving all.
This was an exciting title fight. The fight see-sawed back and forth over the 15-rounds. Both fighters pull out all stops to win, and in the late rounds Holmes started withering, catching shots that he wasn't catching earlier in the fight. I was sure that Ken had taken this fight by a close margin, and then came the decision????? A great fight none-the-less and one of the greatest heavyweight title fights in the past 50-years.
I was 7 years old when I watched this fight with my Dad but I still remember it like it was yesterday, its even better now watching the highlights
I watched this fight live when I was age 17. I am now age 56. What a great fight
Damn! Holmes is fast, similar to fight style of Ali❤
Holmes one of the best ever in his prime
Agreed
@@petergreen5337 dead wrong.
Larry Holmes looked like a scared little girl against tyson. If Holmes was as great as you say, he'd have been able to come back at age 45 like big George did and reclaim the world heavyweight title.
But as far as history is concerned, he ran like a scared little girl against tyson.
Larry Holmes proved to be a fraud. He looked like a scared little girl against tyson.
If holmes was indeed a great fighter like you say, he'd have been able to reclaim the world heavyweight title at age 45 like big George did.
But not even close.
@@bradhuskers not everyone is like big George. Heck even Tyson avoided George foreman
@@alokrip9226
Well said. Very well put.
One of the greatest fights of all time between two great warriors. R.I.P to Kenny Norton and as for Larry Holmes, the most skilled and underrated fighter of all time.
This fight was a brawl. Both men took awesome hits and still continued to give everything they had! If you were lucky enough to have been there, you saw one of the best fights ever fought!!!
When a highlight video is 14 min long, you know it's one hell of a fight
This might be one of the top 5 heavyweight title fights ever
What a joke
Agree, what a fight!
Unbelievable fight! You won’t see this no more.
The best fight Ken Norton ever fought.
Norton in his prime would have won this fight.
Norton vs Ali 1
@@nikolailic431 it was definitely this fight against Holmes. It's not even close.
One of the best fights ever! Two champions with skill, power, and heart.
Two warriors regardless of the result👏👏👏💪
Rashid Mishari ihlas felek nas
Wow! This was amazing. The heart and will these men displayed in this 15 round fight is something you won’t witness in todays boxing. Them dudes had a brawl. This stands as one of the best fights I’ve witnessed. My elders were so blessed to have witnessed the golden age of heavyweight boxing!
Back in the day I thought it was really close& didn't remember HOW close the final score was. Kenny was good but after Ali, it was Holmes who put on boxing clinics in the ring.
Norton was a Paper Champion....and was not worthy....He simply didn't have it in him to be a Champion!!!!
This was a GREAT fight. Remember it like it was last year.
What a fight...this guys had balls....
Holmes had brass balls! How many low blows, via huge upper cuts, did he shake off against Gerry Cooney, who was one heavy hitter? Holmes may be the most underrated, and underappreciated, heavyweight champion in history. He's right up there with Ali, Frazier, and Foreman, in my opinion. A younger Larry Holmes would have frustrated and, eventually, worn down Mike Tyson, as long as he didn't get hit by Tyson's huge leather. Guys like Foreman, Tyson, Joe Frazier, and Sonny Liston are always one good shot away from winning any fight, against any fighter. If they hit you with it, you are going down.
That's was a great fight
Round 15 might've been the most competitive 15th round in boxing history! Symbolic of how we have to keep fighting and endure through life. Superhuman stuff, awesome.
One of the Greatest and most underrated boxing matches in history. Top 10 for me probably
What a fight man great fight.
Man!!!! That last round was SOMETHING ELSE!!! The whole was good, but that last round, brought everything from both fighters. WOW!!!!!
The good old days when the heavyweight division was full of stars like Holmes, Norton, Frasier, Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Weaver and of course The Greatest!
You don't see fights this good with fighters this skilled and tough with real stamina like this anymore.
Kenny's last great fight, I remember watching this one. What a war. Kenny was a partier though just like Frazier, probably might have been champions longer if they had been more committed to staying in shape. That's why Ali and Holmes were champions for so long, they didn't go out and party much if at all. Ali liked his sugar sweets though and had a problem with weight in the 70's after he came back but that was about the only vice I have ever read about that he had.
Ali’s vice was sugar, magic and pussy
Ken Norton stayed in shape. He just started Boxing late
When was Norton ever out of shape? He looked super lean and fit, from his first fight to his last.
Norton was involved in so many great fights he fought everyone who was anyone, both these two would be world champions today,
Legendary fight
Their stamina is unmatched especially for heavyweights
I however thought Norton deserved the win in this one, he won more rounds from my point of view and be was the aggressor for most of the fight although he was badly stunned by Holmes on two occasions during the fight
Excellent fight by 2 legends
as a big time boxing fan of the older generations, I see why they gave Holmes the victory in this bout as Norton just wasn't a draw on the same par with Ali where Norton had given Ali the closest matches of Alis career alongside Joe Frazier and some might argue that Norton competed better against Ali then Frazier but only in terms of points rather then pure punishment which was what Ali and Frazier had as they were two warriors with serious enmity for each other at that time. Many have said that Norton won 2 of the 3 fights that he had against Ali which Ali said himself but that's just because Ali couldn't figure out Nortons crab defense style.... we saw what happened to Norton and Frazier when they met George Foreman
This was when boxing was becoming a very wealthy business which it is today and boxing and all it's gangsters behind the scenes can thank Muhammad Ali for that as he was a larger then life star for the sport and brought outside eyes on the sport from politics to his outside honest celebrity which no other boxer will ever reach
Ali whooped an undefeated prime Foreman while he was past his prime himself and we are talking about Foreman who is a man who came back 20 years after he was knocked out by Ali(Ali is the only man to knock Foreman out ever in a career across 20 to 30 years) and Foreman competed against the rivals of Lewis and Morrison who were the top contenders of the successing era and it is especially impressive considering that they had the benefits of PEDs which many of them used and Ali never used any of that
Norton could have beaten Ali 5 times out of 10 and he is the only boxer who could have done that up until the turn of the century as I believe Ali would have been better off competing at cruiserweight if he was alive today without the use of PEDs which Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko admitted to using and you can be sure many more of them used which is a big hamper on their legacies... just imagine if Muhammad Ali wasn't a devout Muslim and took PEDs to better his performance as well
Yes
One of the greatest games.
Ken Norton was awesome in 13, 14 and 15th round.
I am amazed how Holmes could walking around in 14 and 15th round.
those announcers could not have sounded more biased for Larry Holmes in that fight.
brussell639 yup
I thought the same thing.....VERY biased.
So true!
I thought they were biased for Norton. They said it was too close to call....but it looked to me like Holmes won.
Totally agree brussel...i had Norton the winner here.
This Was The Fight Of The Year In '78! I Remember Watching It With My Father! This Fight Made Larry Holmes A Legend!
I watched this fight on TH-cam before and man they went at it!!!!! Great fighters great 🥊. And I think Holmes won the fight which was EXTREMELY CLOSE
Both work hard both great fighter. Mr Norton Rip
Holmes - Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 = 6 Rounds,Norton - Rounds 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14 = 6 Rounds,Drawn - Rounds 5, 12,15 - 3 Rounds DrawnIt's a DRAW!!! And I was a huge Larry fan....
Tai Pan i agree
excellent point !! I was 15 on this day and saw this classic as a " DRAW " as well !!
But the rounds that Norton won weren't very decisive. I thought Norton was more hurt than Holmes was.
I agree mike , i had Norton by 1 round.
@@Lord_Hillcrest01 could have 1-2 rounds that were either way depending on the scorer/judge. I cant pick a winner
The Classic !! I have never seen two fighters give it everything they had next to dying in the ring. Incredible fight.
Two great fighters. Larry Holmes probably had the best left jab among all the top Heavyweights.
Holmes was much more tecnical and speed
Phil Vorgias I agree. Strong strong strong jab.
jockoboy 46 your right.
jockoboy 46 yup I knew he said that.
Sonny Liston had the best jab in boxing history.
Still watching old fights,new fights are really boring
ken was champ & deserved the nod of respect & decision w/ a fight this close. hats off to both, but larry didnt do enough to dethrone a champ here. felt really bad for norton after so many wars earlier in the decade.
Just amazing! They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.