Norris: Tyson no easy task

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999 | 10:45 a.m.

There's no agitating Orlin Norris, or provoking him.

He is, after all, from the Norris Family of Fine Fighters, and they take their cue from their distinguished, if aging, father. Orlin Norris Sr., now retired but once his sons' trainer, is more an action-speaks-louder kind of guy.

And while Terry Norris spoke freely during a boxing career that peaked during two separate stints as the World Boxing Council junior middleweight champion earlier in the 1990s, he, too, was more reserved than the typical smack-talking slugger.

His brother, Orlin, has always been approachable, fairly unflappable and seemingly sincere.

He isn't brash and he isn't much for blowing his own horn. If he wasn't an accomplished fighter, he could be mistaken for an itinerant pacifist.

The conflict in that attitude vs. current reality is that Norris must, on Saturday night, face the still-dangerous Mike Tyson at the MGM Grand Garden. That 10-round bout, worth $800,000 to Norris, will either serve as his springboard to greater heights and public appeal, or it will effectively end his largely overlooked career.

At the age of 34, he's 50-5 with 27 knockouts and saddled with the reputation of having had his greatest success as a cruiserweight. Nonetheless, the vast majority of his fights have been as a heavyweight and over the course of his 14-year professional career he has defeated three former heavyweight champions (Greg Page, Oliver McCall and Tony Tucker).

But Tyson, while likely not the menacing fighter he once was, looms as an extremely formidable challenge to the San Diego native and resident -- and poses a far greater danger than the likes of Page, McCall or Tucker.

"I'm fighting a tremendous puncher," Norris said Wednesday at the final prefight news conference. "My job is to not get hit with that big shot."

Few who have faced Tyson have avoided a certain carnage. The former heavyweight champion is 46-3 with 40 knockouts and, amazingly, hasn't had a fight go to a decision since getting the judges' nod June 28, 1991, in a bout with Razor Ruddock. Tyson's fabled punch is legit.

And skeptics say Norris is in there to take it, go down, be counted out and contribute to another of Tyson's seemingly endless resurrections.

So, Orlin, how does that ruffle your feathers?

"Writers all say, 'You can't do this, you can't do that,' but I've always been confident in my abilities," Norris said. "I've had a few fights before this that people didn't think I would win, yet I did.

"I'm sure I'll have to deal with Tyson's pressure, but he'll have to deal with mine too."

Those around Norris fall back on a singular claim: Their man will give his best effort and not walk into the ring intimidated.

"The only disadvantage for Orlin in this fight is that he's never been in a major, major fight like this," said his lead trainer, Abel Sanchez. "If that part of it doesn't affect him, Tyson will be in trouble."

Even promoter Dan Goossen, whose primary concern in Tyson, is certain Norris is up to the task.

"Orlin's coming to win, no doubt about it," he said. "This isn't just about a payday to him. But that's what Mike wants. He wants a man who will be there when the bell rings."

Speaking of which, with Tyson having pulled out of eight fights (for assorted reasons) during his career, Norris is pleased his injury-prone opponent survived training camp and apparently is ready for their Saturday confrontation.

"I feel good about that and I'm starting to feel good that the fight is only a couple of days away," he said. "This is a very big opportunity for me and a win will do tremendous things for my career. I'm glad there aren't any problems and it's nice to know the fight is going to happen."

If he's not susceptible to a prefight anxiety attack, Norris' problems will be limited to contending with Tyson in the ring. Bettors don't give him much of a chance, as he's a plus-900 underdog in the MGM sports book.

"I've never had anything easy and I know this isn't going to be an exception," Norris said. "I don't have a crystal ball or anything, but I'm going to be there Saturday and take my chances.

"I've learned to be a good boxer. I have good lateral movement and speed, and although a lot of people say I can't punch, I can, especially when I'm fighting a guy my own height."

Norris is 5-foot-10 and 218 pounds, Tyson an inch taller and about 224.

"We're both going to be right there and won't have to get on our tippy-toes," Norris said. "That's something different for both of us."

As a "small" heavyweight, Norris has been durable if not spectacular. Of his five official losses, three were to heavyweights (Tucker, in their first of two meetings, Bert Cooper and Henry Akinwande), while he actually lost to a fourth heavyweight, Tony Tubbs, in a bout that was later ruled a no-contest after Tubbs tested positive for drugs.

Norris has fought as a heavyweight in his eight most recent outings.

As a cruiserweight early in his career and then again from late 1991 through '95, Norris gained the World Boxing Association title and held it for two years until losing to Nate Miller. (Norris also lost to journeyman Olian Alexander in his third pro fight, at 195 pounds.)

Given his strengths and weaknesses, his cornermen are anticipating the fight going most if not all of its 10 rounds and that Norris will land some scoring punches while remaining evasive.

"Orlin is a boxer who can punch a bit," Sanchez said. "We expect 10 rounds and that it will be a tough fight for both men."

Norris nods at the assessment, lending his silent approval.