Cruiserweight World Champion
After the Tucker performance, Norris struggled to find contenders who would risk fighting him, and was forced to move down a division, into the cruiserweights. Having won the USBA belt in that division, in 1993 Norris beat Marcelo Victor Figueroa to capture the vacant WBA cruiserweight title and went on to successfully defend the title five times, including two wins over Arthur Williams and a victory over Adolpho Washington (two future world champs). Norris also retained his WBA Cruiserweight title in Mexico with a crushing win over fellow American James Heath.
In 1995 the weight draining caught up with Norris, as a very sluggish, strange performance saw him lose his belt to Nate Miller via 8th round KO in London, England. Norris was hospitalised after the fight although he checked himself out the following morning.
Read more about this topic: Orlin Norris
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