Former heavyweight boxing champion Ken Norton who defeated Muhammad Ali dies aged 70

Another link with boxing’s golden age has gone with the death of Ken Norton.

Norton won the WBC heavyweight title, but will always be best remembered for breaking Muhammad Ali’s jaw when he beat him in the first of their trilogy of fights.

He was part of that fabled group of heavyweights in the 1970s that, as well as Ali, included George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Leon Spinks.

Norton, who was 70, died in a care home in Arizona on Wednesday after suffering heart failure.

Foreman led the tributes to Norton, claiming he was the “fairest” of all those great heavyweights. The two-time heavyweight champion said on twitter: “They called us all handsome. Muhammad they called pretty. But the fairest of them all Ken Norton.”

Former champion Mike Tyson, who visited Norton in hospital, tweeted: “Today a great man passed away. A legend in the boxing world and a good man. Condolences to Ken Norton’s family on this very sad day.

“Ken Norton was always nice to me even when I was just an amateur fighter. He always treated me like I was somebody. Remarkable man.”

The 6ft 3ins fighter, who was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, was sculpted like a bodybuilder and became a successful actor, appearing in Knight Rider and the A-Team, although he pulled out of the movie Rocky after being cast in the role of unbeaten champion Apollo Creed.

However, his finest moment came in San Diego’s Sports Arena in 1973 when he fought Ali for the NABF title.

Ali, who entered the arena wearing a white robe of sparkling rhinestones given to him by Elvis Presley and embroidered ‘People’s Champion’, was the odds on favourite – but left with his jaw broken from a devastating left hook from Norton.

“Imagine you have your jaw broken and have to fight 10 more rounds against Norton,” said a rueful Ali at the time. Norton went to see Ali, in hospital and the Greatest told him he never wanted to fight him again.

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But he did and six months later Ali edged a split decision before also winning their third clash at Yankee Stadium on points in 1976. The 30,000 crowd booed the decision but defeat knocked the stuffing out of Norton.

He later said: “I was never the same fighter after that. I never trained so hard again, never could put the same feeling into it. I was at my best that night, in the best shape I ever was.”

He was awarded the WBC crown a year later when Leon Spinks chose to fight Ali rather than face him and lost it in a thriller in his first defence against Larry Holmes in 1978.

His last fight was a loss to Gerry Cooney in 1981 and he retired with a record of 42 wins, including 33 knock-outs, seven defeats and a draw.

He suffered poor health but close pal Patrick Tenore said: “Ken never blamed anyone. You never heard him say an ill word about anybody.”