Former heavyweight champion Ken Norton (42-7-1, 33KOs) has passed away at the age of 70. The Los Angeles Times reports that Norton died at a hospital in Arizona. The former fighter had congestive heart failure. Norton is best known for his trilogy series with Muhammad Ali. He broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, on his way to winning a twelve round split decision. He lost a split decision in their rematch six months later. The following year he suffered a bruising two-round TKO loss at the hands of George Foreman.
Norton fought Ali for a third time on September 28, 1976 lost a controversial fifteen round decision at Yankee Stadium in New York. Norton last fought on May 11, 1981 - when he was stopped in the first round by Gerry Cooney.
Norton is a 1989 inductee of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, a 1992 inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, a 2004 inductee into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame, and a 2008 inductee into the WBC Hall of Fame.
