Gene Kilroy, who was Ali’s former business manager, says he’s sure Norton is ‘‘in heaven now with all the great fighters,’’ and Kilroy would like to hear that conversation.

Norton broke Ali’s jaw in their first fight, beating him by split decision in 1973 in a nontitle fight in San Diego. They fought six months later, and Ali narrowly won a split decision.

They met for a third time on Sept. 28, 1976, at Yankee Stadium and Ali narrowly won to keep his heavyweight title.

Hard to imagine a boxing fight at Yankee Stadium.

Still, sad day. Norton was 70. He had suffered a series of strokes.

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like getting into the ring with the man who broke my jaw six months earlier.