Man who broke Muhammad Ali8217;s jaw dies at 70

He was 70. His son,Ken Norton Jr.,a coach with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL,confirmed the death to The AP.

Norton,the only heavyweight champion never to win the title in the ring,had been in poor health for the last several years after suffering a series of strokes.

Few gave Norton much of a chance in the 1973 non-title fight against Ali in San Diego,but his awkward style and close-in pressing tactics confused the former champion,who fought in pain after Norton broke his jaw in the early rounds. He won by split decision. The loss was even more shocking because Ali had only lost to Joe Frazier in 1971 and was campaigning for the title he would win again the next year against George Foreman in Zaire.