 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date | March 26, 1974 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Poliedro de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreman wins via 2nd-round TKO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
George Foreman vs. Ken Norton was a professional boxing match contested on March 26, 1974, for the WBA, WBC and The Ring heavyweight championships.
Undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman had little trouble in his two fights the previous year. First he captured the WBA and WBC heavyweight titles after dominating Joe Frazier, scoring six knockdowns in less than two rounds in an easy technical knockout victory in January 1973. Foreman would follow this by making his first defense against José Roman in Tokyo in September of that year, easily winning the bout by first-round knockout. For his second defense, Foreman was matched up against Ken Norton for a March 1974 bout held in Caracas, the capital and largest city in Venezuela. Ken Norton was coming off two successive fights against Muhammad Ali in 1973, winning the first fight in March by split decision (famously breaking Ali's jaw in the process), and then narrowly losing the second by another split decision in September. Norton's impressive performances against Ali made him one of the top heavyweight contenders for Foreman's titles, but the future hall-of-famer was installed as a 3–1 underdog against the hard-hitting champion and given little chance of obtaining a victory. A week before the fight had happened, promoter Don King, banking on a victory by Foreman, had already signed a deal that would see Foreman make his next defense against Ali in the "Rumble in the Jungle." [1]
A 3 to 1 underdog, Norton was back in a familiar position, promised less money than Foreman ($200,000 to the $500,000 George was guaranteed), and deemed a solid underdog to the hard-slugging Texan. If Caracas seems like a strange destination to hold a heavyweight boxing event, there was a practical reason it was sought out as the host: an agreement had been reached stipulating all taxes would be waived. [2]
Don King produced the initial guarantee, a $10million letter of credit from Carl Lombardo, a 34‐year‐old Cleveland construction millionaire. King earlier had persuaded Lombardo to put up $400,000 for the Foreman‐Norton bout here. [3]
The fight would last less than two rounds with Foreman scoring his third consecutive knockout victory to retain the heavyweight titles. The two fighters fought an even first round, but Foreman quickly gained an upper hand in the second and sent Norton to the canvas three times in the round. Foreman stunned Norton about a minute into the round and followed it up with a combination that sent Norton down into the ropes for the first knockdown. Norton was able to continue the fight, but Foreman continued his attack and quickly sent Norton back down with a left hand to the head. Norton would again get back up and continue but was once again attacked by Foreman who put Norton flat on his back with another combination. Norton would get back up, but referee Jimmy Rondeau decided to call the fight and Foreman was declared the victor by technical knockout (TKO) at exactly two minutes of the second round. [4]
There was considerable controversy after the fight as both fighters ran into unexpected trouble with the Venezuelan government. The fight had been made in Venezuela on the basis that all taxes would be waived. However, a day after the fight, the government reneged the offer and insisted that they collect 18% of the fighter's purses, which was $700,000 for Foreman and $200,000 for Norton. Authorities stopped both men at the airport and neither could leave the country unless they posted bonds for the tax money. Norton settled his dispute first, paying $47,000 in taxes and posting a $60,000 bond which enabled him to leave the country on March 29. [5] Foreman, however, remained in the country as Venezuelan government demanded no less $150,000 in taxes from his purse. [6] After five days of negotiations, Foreman's camp was finally allowed leave on April 1. [7] The tax problems ultimately led to the fight being dubbed "The Caracas Caper."
Larry Holmes is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the "Easton Assassin".
George Edward Foreman is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister, and author. In boxing, he competed between 1967 and 1997 and was nicknamed "Big George". He is a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. As an entrepreneur, he is known for the George Foreman Grill.
Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. was an American professional boxer who competed from 1967 to 1981. He was awarded the WBC world heavyweight championship in 1978, after winning a close split decision over Jimmy Young in a title eliminator bout, after which Leon Spinks refused to fight with him.
Gerhardus Christian Coetzee OIB was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997. He was the first African in history to ever fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984. He held notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and undisputed world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas and wins over top contenders Ron Stander, Scott LeDoux and James Tillis.
Jimmy Young was an American heavyweight professional boxer. Young was known for his awkward, defensive style and counterpunching. He was one of the top contenders of the 1970s, most notably earning a victory over George Foreman in 1977 and losing a unanimous decision against Muhammad Ali in 1976. Young fought many significant fighters of his era, including twice outpointing Ron Lyle and losing only by a split decision to then-number one contender Ken Norton in a title eliminator in late 1977. A fellow boxer, Bobby Watts, was his cousin.
Earnie Dee Shaver, best known as Earnie Shavers, was an American professional boxer who competed between 1969 and 1995. A two-time world heavyweight championship challenger, he is known as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history. He scored 70 knockout wins, including 23 in the first round, for a 76.7% overall knockout rate.
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the sport's ambassador and consequent search for a new boxing hero, the continuous presence of Don King as the sport's most famous promoter, the surge of rival promoters as Bob Arum, Butch Lewis and Murad Muhammad, and major rule changes. In 1986, Mike Tyson emerged as a fresh new face in the heavyweight division, which had seen a decline in champion quality level after Ali's retirement and, later on, after longtime WBC ruler Larry Holmes' prime. In addition, the IBF and WBO began operating.
During the 1970s, boxing was characterized by dominating champions and history-making rivalries. The decade had many superstars, who also had fierce rivals. Alexis Argüello, for example, who won the world Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight titles in the '70s, had to overcome Alfredo Escalera twice before the decade was over.
Betulio Segundo González is a former boxer from Venezuela, who is considered a national hero in Venezuela. He is considered by many to be Venezuela's greatest world champion in boxing history. A combatant of 92 bouts, he fought until eleven months before he turned forty, the mandatory age for professional fighters to retire in Venezuela.
Daniel Victor "Boone" Kirkman is a former professional heavyweight boxer. He was a Contender throughout his career and scored notable victories over Heavyweight World Champion Jimmy Ellis, as well as Top Contenders and Heavyweight Title Challengers Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, José Roman and Ron Stander. He would also have fights against all time greats such as Two-Time Heavyweight Champion George Foreman, World Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton, and Top Contender and Undisputed World Heavyweight Title Challenger Ron Lyle, who was known for his brutal knockout power. He compiled a record of 36-6 with 26 knockouts.
Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer II was a professional boxing match contested November 8, 1997 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships.
Bruce Seldon vs. Mike Tyson, billed as Liberation, was a professional boxing match fought on September 7, 1996 for the WBA heavyweight championship.
George Foreman vs. Tommy Morrison, billed as the Star-Spangled Battle, was a professional boxing match contested between George Foreman and Tommy Morrison on June 7, 1993, for the vacant World Boxing Organization Heavyweight Championship.
George Foreman vs. Shannon Briggs was a professional boxing match contested on November 22, 1997, for the Lineal heavyweight championship.
Lennox Lewis vs. Lionel Butler was a professional boxing match contested on May 13, 1995. The fight was a WBC "eliminator" bout with the winner scheduled to become the number one contender for the WBC heavyweight title.
Joe Frazier vs. George Foreman, billed as The Sunshine Showdown, was a professional boxing match in Kingston, Jamaica contested on January 22, 1973, for the WBA, WBC and The Ring heavyweight championships.
George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier II, billed as "Battle of the Gladiators", was a professional boxing match contested on June 15, 1976, for the NABF heavyweight championship.
Anthony Perez was an American boxing referee and judge of Puerto Rican descent. During his career, he refereed many major boxing fights and participated in a number of boxing related documentaries.
Wilfred Benítez vs. Thomas Hearns, billed as The Battle of Champions, was a professional boxing match contested on December 3, 1982, for the WBC light middleweight title.
The second fight between Tim Witherspoon and James "Bonecrusher" Smith was contested on December 12, 1986. The bout took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was contested for Witherspoon's WBA heavyweight championship. It was Witherspoon’s second defence of the championship he had won from Tony Tubbs in January 1986.