I know its in bad taste when we have such limited footage of a fighter to profess an intimate understanding of how he operated. I will say this in my defense regarding the great Charlie Burley: Certain regions have developed certain characteristics and Pittsburgh was always a pedigree when it comes to technically superb boxer punchers. Fighters like Billy Conn and Spadfora to name a few and of course Burley. So when we look at Burley we are seeing an approach, a relatively cerebral approach to the Sweet Science.
Jimmy Young it would seem to me, would be cut from the same cloth, despite being from Philly... Young could never fit into the "Philly Fighter" Mold... No Frazier, Witherspoon, shades of big punches and viscious body attacks... Young in a room full of Philly fighters would appear much like I did to my wife's relatives when we were at reception after our wedding, where I was asked: "Youse a buddhist? Was he a disciple of Jesus?"
Young like Burley never wasted a movement, a gesture, an opportunity. Young was a master of psychological warfare against the likes of Foreman and just like Burley appeared to even make the ref do his bidding. Like Burley Young never won alphabet soup honors but to those in the know was an elite fighter who conceivably could have had his hand raised against Norton, Ali, etc. Burley took Archie Moore to the woodshed 3 times! Young handled big George without even tasting the canvas.
The footage below should impress the art of economizing movements. For example, Burley used timing to maximize the effects of a lead, Young also did so. Burley used trips and traps and Young against Foreman would watch for when George's hands were coming up and blocking his face, to start a counter. The expert timing used by both men made them counter punchers in a way that even James Toney could not duplicate. Instead of avoiding a blow, waiting and returning fire, perhaps after rolling with the punch, Young and Burley would catch the guy before he was fully extended which means: The puncher is contributing to the momentum of the hit coming forwards, the puncher is caught totally by suprise because it hits him as he is concentrating on extending his punch and usually the counter is unseen.
Here is some footage of Burley and I took the foreman Young fight for young.
Jimmy Young it would seem to me, would be cut from the same cloth, despite being from Philly... Young could never fit into the "Philly Fighter" Mold... No Frazier, Witherspoon, shades of big punches and viscious body attacks... Young in a room full of Philly fighters would appear much like I did to my wife's relatives when we were at reception after our wedding, where I was asked: "Youse a buddhist? Was he a disciple of Jesus?"
Young like Burley never wasted a movement, a gesture, an opportunity. Young was a master of psychological warfare against the likes of Foreman and just like Burley appeared to even make the ref do his bidding. Like Burley Young never won alphabet soup honors but to those in the know was an elite fighter who conceivably could have had his hand raised against Norton, Ali, etc. Burley took Archie Moore to the woodshed 3 times! Young handled big George without even tasting the canvas.
The footage below should impress the art of economizing movements. For example, Burley used timing to maximize the effects of a lead, Young also did so. Burley used trips and traps and Young against Foreman would watch for when George's hands were coming up and blocking his face, to start a counter. The expert timing used by both men made them counter punchers in a way that even James Toney could not duplicate. Instead of avoiding a blow, waiting and returning fire, perhaps after rolling with the punch, Young and Burley would catch the guy before he was fully extended which means: The puncher is contributing to the momentum of the hit coming forwards, the puncher is caught totally by suprise because it hits him as he is concentrating on extending his punch and usually the counter is unseen.
Here is some footage of Burley and I took the foreman Young fight for young.
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