Jimmy Young As Pure Boxer

[The Old LefHook]

I believe Young ranks in the highest class of pure boxing technician. He belongs in that rating with Locche, Benitez, Mayweather, Pep and Whitaker, guys who could stand directly in a dangerous opponent's fusillade and not get hit.

Sometimes his tactics were not pleasing to the viewer, but this is normally the case with pure boxers with no punch.

By most reckonings he fought in the strongest heavyweight era ever and was a true factor. I do not feel I see Jimmy Young getting his due as a defensive specialist of the highest order. That is what I think he was.

[juggernaut666]

I believe Young ranks in the highest class of pure boxing technician. He belongs in that rating with Locche, Benitez, Mayweather, Pep and Whitaker, guys who could stand directly in a dangerous opponent's fusillade and not get hit.

Sometimes his tactics were not pleasing to the viewer, but this is normally the case with pure boxers with no punch.

By most reckonings he fought in the strongest heavyweight era ever and was a true factor. I do not feel I see Jimmy Young getting his due as a defensive specialist of the highest order. That is what I think he was.

Young was the best boxer of his era had he had power he would have beat everyone .

[sonnyboyx2]

I believe Young ranks in the highest class of pure boxing technician. He belongs in that rating with Locche, Benitez, Mayweather, Pep and Whitaker, guys who could stand directly in a dangerous opponent's fusillade and not get hit.

Sometimes his tactics were not pleasing to the viewer, but this is normally the case with pure boxers with no punch.

By most reckonings he fought in the strongest heavyweight era ever and was a true factor. I do not feel I see Jimmy Young getting his due as a defensive specialist of the highest order. That is what I think he was.

Surely you are having a laugh here with your comments.... Jimmy Young was nothing special and certainly not in the same league as the legends you have listed. Jimmy Young's claim to fame is Twice` beating Ron Lyle by decision. Young employed illegal tactics against Muhammad Ali, when holding his head out of the ropes so that Ali could not hit him. His points victory over Foreman is not a victory i credit him, i believe Foreman was "Robbed"..

[Ray Corso]

Simular to Mayweathers Methods he choose defense first but didn't always punch off his defense. He was a counter mover counter punch guy who was as boring as Mayweather and more so in that you expect less action with the big boys but drama is an essental. He brought neither. Young had excellant eye hand but he only used the offensive attributes sparingly.
He in with Ossie Ocassio would be like counting sheep!
Not a high caliber performer and a one dimentional boxer.
Ray

[The Old LefHook]

Simular to Mayweathers Methods he choose defense first but didn't always punch off his defense. He was a counter mover counter punch guy who was as boring as Mayweather and more so in that you expect less action with the big boys but drama is an essental. He brought neither. Young had excellant eye hand but he only used the offensive attributes sparingly.
He in with Ossie Ocassio would be like counting sheep!
Not a high caliber performer and a one dimentional boxer.
Ray

I think he would beat Chisora, for instance.

[young_robbed]

Yes the man in my avatar was one of the best HWs of the 70's. A great defensive fighter, certainly in the class of a Mayweather, Benitez or Locche.

He is probably the only fighter in history that could claim that he beat Foreman, Ali, Norton, Shavers, and Lyle! It's a shame he got robbed so often, the judges weren't a fan of his negative style.

Here's a good opportunity to post my highlight video of Jimmy Young:

His points victory over Foreman is not a victory i credit him, i believe Foreman was "Robbed"..

Wow. then you really don't know much about boxing. Foreman got comprehensively outboxed. It was clear as day that Foreman lost that fight.

[BKM-2010]

Showed a lot of heart against Foreman(ATG win right there) and others, one of if not the most underrated heavyweight ever. To be hit flush by a prime Foreman and not only survive and stay standing, but to rally back and hurt Foreman back in the same round? And to hurt him again and knock him down in the last round when it's extremely close in the fight? Lots of respect for that.

But I have to say that I don't like the myth that he was robbed against Ali. He should have been heavily penalized for his tactics(or should I say antics) which would have made it a more clear cut win for Ali.

[young_robbed]

But I have to say that I don't like the myth that he was robbed against Ali. He should have been heavily penalized for his tactics(or should I say antics) which would have made it a more clear cut win for Ali.

If you score it round by round, which I understand is a chore in itself, you will find that Young did the much more effective work, landed the cleaner punches and generally made Ali look like a goddamn fool with his defense. Ali really couldn't land his jab at all and even tried to feint a little bit, but Young picked up on that too.

It's definitely not a myth, I mean you can see how some think Young won that fight, right? Young absolutely fought negatively, but he still won that fight IMO.

[BKM-2010]

I mean you can see how some think Young won that fight, right?

No way in hell. Young's tactics were to hide behind the ropes whenever Ali was starting to land and going for his trademark flurries. Ali would then be forced to reset and stop hitting him. This is a disgraceful tactic that should be met with disqualification, not rewarded with the myth that you actually won because you found an illegal way to make your opponent's offense ineffective and got away with it. Thankfully Ali wasn't robbed otherwise it would have been a tragic moment in the sport.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Really good boxer but nowhere near floyd or pernell level..

I think jimmy young is in that chris byrd, virgil hill caliber level... just a step down from being a truly great boxer