Ken Norton net worth: Ken Norton was an American professional boxer who had a net worth of $5 million at the time of his death in 2013. He is most widely remembered for being one of only two boxers to defeat Muhammad Ali during his prime. He broke Ali's jaw in the 12th round of their fight in March 1973. They fought twice more. He lost both fights, though the third bout is still widely debated. Ken Norton died on September 18, 2013.
- Category:
- Richest Athletes › Boxers
- Net Worth:
- $5 Million
- Date of Birth:
- Aug 9, 1943 - Sep 18, 2013 (70 years old)
- Place of Birth:
- Jacksonville
- Gender:
- Male
- Height:
- 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
- Profession:
- Professional Boxer, Sports commentator, Actor
- Nationality:
- United States of America
Ken Norton was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, and excelled in athletics while in high school. He was an All-State selection in football, and competed in eight different track and field events his senior year, taking 1st in seven of them. The "Ken Norton Rule", was subsequently implemented for all Illinois track and field teams. It limited the number of track and field events in which a student athlete could participate to four. He started boxing in the early 60s while he was in the United States Marine Corp, and went on to win three All-Marine Heavyweight titles. He turned professional after completing his service in 1967. He went on to fight 50 bouts over the course of his professional career, winning 42 of them, 33 via knockout.
Ken's son, Ken Norton Jr., went on to become a professional football player and coach.
Earnings
Ken earned $300,000 for his first bout against Muhammad Ali in 1973. That's the same as around $2 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation. He would go on to earn millions more from guarantees and Pay Per View bonuses primarily from his two rematches against Ali.

(Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)