Lot 6•
Hublot. The unique Kenneth Howard Norton WBC chronograph wristwatchKing Power, Ref:703.OM.0218.HR.WBC12
29 September 2012, 21:00 PDT
Las Vegas, Bellagio HotelSold for US$60,000
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Hublot. The unique Kenneth Howard Norton WBC chronograph wristwatch
King Power, Ref:703.OM.0218.HR.WBC12
Satin-finished 18ct King Gold case (48 mm diameter) with black ceramic bezel held by 6 black PVD titanium screws, glazed exhibition back held by 6 screws, crystal with WBC logo transfer and Kenneth Howard Norton signature, 18ct King Gold crown with black rubber insert and chronograph pushers in black PVD, equipped with HUB4100 automatic chronograph movement (252 components) with 42 hours power reserve and cut out rotor, satin-finished gilt dial, applied gilt baton hour markers baton hands with green luminescent, chronograph hand with Hublot logo, three subsidiary dials for running seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours. On the 30 mm subsidiary dial, the first 3 mm in red represent a boxing round. Date aperture between 4 and 5, fitted strap in Porosus Hornback green alligator and spare black rubber strap with black stitching, titanium micro-blasted black PVD deployant clasp with decorative gold plate; case, dial and movement signed.
Satin-finished 18ct King Gold case (48 mm diameter) with black ceramic bezel held by 6 black PVD titanium screws, glazed exhibition back held by 6 screws, crystal with WBC logo transfer and Kenneth Howard Norton signature, 18ct King Gold crown with black rubber insert and chronograph pushers in black PVD, equipped with HUB4100 automatic chronograph movement (252 components) with 42 hours power reserve and cut out rotor, satin-finished gilt dial, applied gilt baton hour markers baton hands with green luminescent, chronograph hand with Hublot logo, three subsidiary dials for running seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours. On the 30 mm subsidiary dial, the first 3 mm in red represent a boxing round. Date aperture between 4 and 5, fitted strap in Porosus Hornback green alligator and spare black rubber strap with black stitching, titanium micro-blasted black PVD deployant clasp with decorative gold plate; case, dial and movement signed.
Footnotes
An all-around high school athlete from Jacksonville, Illinois, Ken Norton was so talented that his hometown high school had to change the rules to curb his prodigious athletic talents. His coach entered him into countless track events and the teenage athlete won every one, thus began the Ken Norton Rule in which no athlete is permitted to compete in more than three track and/or field disciplines.
This talented teen went on to the sport of boxing, where his talent would soon flourish. As professional boxer, Ken won his first 16 bouts until he was defeated by Jose Luis Garcia. Unabashed, Norton returned with more enthusiasm winning 13 bouts in a row! With 29 wins and only 1 defeat "The Black Hercules" earned the opportunity to fight for the NABF title against the sport's greatest legend, Muhammad Ali. Norton proceeded to break Ali's jaw in the second round, silencing the ring banter, earning a convincing win against the great, and making his name amongst an elite group of fighters. While Ali won their next two encounters, each time it was by a proverbial whisker on his neatly repaired jaw.
In 1975 after winning two consecutive fights, Norton defeated Jerry Quarry in a fifth round TKO, filling the NABF title seat Ali had left vacant. Norton was deservedly awarded the WBC Crown after defeating Jimmy Young in a 1977 elimination bout.
On June 9th 1978, Norton's title was lost in his first defense by just one point to a young, hungry, up and coming Larry Holmes. The fight was a lion-hearted classic of power, courage, willpower and determination. By the fifteenth and final round, Ken and Larry had given it all. Both were on the verge of exhaustion, but they dug deep and slugged it out for the precious title in one of the greatest rounds of modern era boxing. They will forever be remembered for those three minutes, which brought the crowd to their feet.
A 1989 inductee into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, a 1992 inductee into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, a 2004 inductee into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame, and a 2008 inductee into the WBC Hall of Fame, Ken Howard Norton embodies the true spirit, tenacity and heroics that make a boxing legend!