The serene backdrop of Caracas, Venezuela, stood in stark contrast to the shocking brutality that George Foreman inflicted on Ken Norton in the second defense of his heavyweight championship on March 26, 1974.
In just five minutes of action, the Adonis-like fighter from Jacksonville was knocked to the canvas three times by hammer blows from Foreman, who improved his record to 40-0 (37 KOs) via a second-round stoppage.
After Sonny Liston, and before Mike Tyson, there was Foreman. All three were cast in the same mold: former street muggers turned knockout artists who instilled fear in their opponents long before a punch was thrown. The “invincible” motto was passed down to the trio during their respective heavyweight title reigns, although history will show that it was overrated.
Foreman, a former Olympic champion, had taken the sport’s biggest prize from previously undefeated Joe Frazier in January 1973. The colossal Texan slammed Smokin’ Joe to the canvas three times in the first round and repeated the dose in the second round before before destruction occurred. until stopping.
To repeat, Foreman gave Japan its first heavyweight championship fight when he faced the unknown (and completely unfit) José Román in September of that year. It was a terrible mismatch that could have easily ended in death. Foreman mauled the Puerto Rican challenger, knocking him down twice before finishing the job with a spectacular right hook.
Norton, 30-2, enjoyed a career-defining 1973. In March, the former Marine, then ranked No. 7 in the world, broke Muhammad Ali’s jaw and won a 12-round split decision over “The Greatest.” One of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history, the victory catapulted Norton in a big way. And although Ali avenged the split decision loss five months later, many felt Norton deserved that verdict as well.
More than a year into his title reign, with only one defense against cannon fodder, the WBA and WBC gave Foreman a deadline. The message was simple: fight a worthy contender or else. With Ali and Frazier ready to fight for the second time, Foreman opted to face the most formidable challenger he could find.
At the official press conference announcing the fight with Norton, a reporter asked why the sport’s number one heavyweight was so inactive. “Previous champions had a lot of contenders,” Foreman said before taking a thinly veiled jab at Ali. “Some people never hurt anyone; he’d leave them standing and they’d dance, and the guy would follow him around the ring. After I fight people, no one keeps telling me, ‘I’ll get you next time!’ or ‘I want a rematch!'”
The Foreman-Norton fight was marred by controversy. During the week of the fight, the champion’s team insisted on having an American referee, but their request was rejected. Shortly after, reports emerged that Foreman had suffered a knee injury, meaning the fight was now in jeopardy. The commission got the message. With just hours until fight time, Seattle-based Jimmy Rondeau was drafted in as the third man in the ring, and Foreman’s mysterious ailment disappeared in an instant.
Don King was so confident of a Foreman victory that the bombastic promoter had already begun negotiations for a Foreman-Ali fight in Kinshasa, Zaire. Even the profits (a record $5 million for each fighter) were made public. As it turned out, King had every reason to be confident.
Ali, who was ringside in the role of analyst, had avenged his loss to Frazier two months earlier and was now the number one contender for the title. However, the former champion was hinting that Norton would upset Foreman and those expectations were reinforced when Norton boxed effectively in the first round. “Any guy who goes 24 rounds with me has to be great and no George Foreman, who is still a good amateur, is going to destroy Ken Norton because I couldn’t do it,” Ali said.
Just over two minutes later, Ali would have egg on his face. Trapped against the ropes and under fire in the second round, Norton tried to come out from the left and was caught by a powerful right hand to the jaw. Confident that the blow had effect, Foreman followed with a left and five consecutive rights, the last of which attacked Norton when the ropes had already held him.
Norton remained dizzy throughout Rondeau’s count and had the legs of a drunk man trying to stay upright in high wind. When the action continued, Foreman rushed in and sent the challenger into the ropes again without landing a clean blow. Norton was doomed!
Immediately after the second eight count was administered, Foreman pounced like a lion on easy prey. The five-punch combination he followed up (two lefts, two rights and a terminal left) is perhaps the best and most brutal finish to Foreman’s Hall of Fame career.
Incredibly, Norton recovered before the count of 10 was completed, but he was in no condition to take a sip of water, much less defend himself against a powerful destroyer like Foreman. Rondeau ended the fight at 2:00 of the second round.
Rumors that Foreman was an “invincible” fighter only grew stronger after this overwhelming victory.
“I’m going to whip George Foreman,” an animated Ali told commentator Colonel Bob Sheridan in the ring as the pair discussed the upcoming ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’ “He can’t hit me with that thing. I’m a professional!”
The rest, as they say, is history.
