Sport: Five-Minute Massacre

"l am not a violent man."

—George Foreman

For a time last week Ken Norton might almost have believed that. Heavyweight Champion Foreman certainly seemed to be going out of his way to avoid a fight. The scene was Caracas, where Norton and Foreman were supposed to be preparing for a title bout. Foreman, though, was doing a lot more posturing and protesting than preparing.

In the 14 months since he had rendered Joe Frazier defenseless and bereft of the title, Foreman had defended the championship just once—and that was against the obscure Joe Roman of Puerto Rico. Out of the ring...