Thread: Jimmy Young Has Got To Be One Of The Most Underrated Heavyweights Ever.

I think Jimmy Young was special, sure his style wasn't always crowd pleasing. But he was in a FOTY he was very skillful and a very slick/clever fighter.

He has victories over George Foreman, Ron Lyle, and should of had wins over Earnie Shavers, Ken Norton, Muhammad Ali. Its just a shame he wasn't given those decisions, can you imagine how highly rated he would be now ?

But because he was screwed over by corrupt decision's, he lost motivation and lost alot of fights which he shouldn't of, and now he will always be forgotten which is a damn shame, because he was a hell of a fighter.

His win over Foreman was great.

But I recall seein a KO loss to Shavers not a decision loss.

Could be wrong tho.

But I seen it on boxingrec a few times.

Originally Posted by Hulk

His win over Foreman was great.

But I recall seein a KO loss to Shavers not a decision loss.

Could be wrong tho.

But I seen it on boxingrec a few times.

He fought Earnie Shavers twice, the first one was when Jimmy Young was inexperienced. He only had 11 fights where as Earnie Shavers had 44 fights, the 2nd fight was a 10 rounder and Jimmy Young deserved the decision, it was a draw. But most of the ringside experts had Jimmy Young winning.

The first one was the one I was referring to then.

Leon Spinks fought Ali with 6 fights and beat him.

Originally Posted by Hulk

The first one was the one I was referring to then.

Leon Spinks fought Ali with 6 fights and beat him.

Yea but Leon Spinks had the amateur background, i don't think Jimmy Young had much of one. Plus Jimmy Young was fighting a prime Earnie Shavers.

Leon Spinks beat a rubbish Muhammad Ali, who just layed on the ropes. And let Leon Spinks win the first 10 rounds or so, by not doing any fighting what so ever.

Plus Jimmy Young truly was an elite fighter at his best, how many fighters can say they beat George Foreman, Ron Lyle x2, ? and how many people can say they deserved decisions against Shavers, Norton, Ali, ?

Can you imagine how highly rated he would be had he of got those decisions ? Jimmy Young's problem was that his style was at times too defensive, which is why he lost some decision's he deserved.

But IMO you should get credited for showing great defensive skills, and i don't care if Jimmy Young wasn't always aggressive. You don't always have to be aggressive to win fights, Jimmy Young won fights on his excellent defensive skills, great counter punching, and good handspeed.

And that worked for him very well, and he should of won those fights above.

I'd have to see the Ali and Norton fights to judge if he actually deserved to win them or not.

Beating George Foreman was a great accomplishment for him. Don't think he would beat George before George got beat by Ali.

Young is certainly an underrated HW in legacy terms,,,,He is another one of the fighters og that era lost in the shuffle of the super greats Ali, Frazier, Foreman who seemed to just own the 70's be it in the ring or in the media...

If Young came along 10 years later things would have been different for him,,,or 10 years earlier

I really don't think much of Jimmy Young. Yes he did have wins over Foreman. Lyle, etc, but he just didn't have a power and he really wasn't exciting at all. I put him in the same class as Byrd. A good fighter,great defensive skills but someone who is easily forgettable. IMO his most exciting fight was a TKO loss to Cooney. Yes I have seen most of Jimmy Young's fight's from old VHS tapes from father and was never really impressed. Underrated absolutely but is easily forgettable.

Originally Posted by The Fightfan

I really don't think much of Jimmy Young. Yes he did have wins over Foreman. Lyle, etc, but he just didn't have a power and he really wasn't exciting at all. I put him in the same class as Byrd. A good fighter,great defensive skills but someone who is easily forgettable. IMO his most exciting fight was a TKO loss to Cooney. Yes I have seen most of Jimmy Young's fight's from old VHS tapes from father and was never really impressed. Underrated absolutely but is easily forgettable.

I can see the Chris Byrd comparison's, they did fight similar somewhat. They were both very defensive and at times very boring. But then again you could say could Chris Byrd go the distance with George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Ron Lyle x2, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, and arguably have decision wins against every single one of them ?

Just imagine if he would of had a win over either of those guys, he would certainly not be forgotten. And he certainly deserved the win over Muhammad Ali.

....not crowd pleasing but special huh? And we heap this praise on Jimmy Young?

I don't want to take anything away from what Young did but this is a common occurance, there are good fighters that get lost in the mix all the time. For example, I think Ray Mercer probably stands out as a recent fighter who was very good but just came up short in the really big fights....he may have lost out on a win over Lennox Lewis, he gave Holyfield fits, blasted out Morrison but he lost out to Larry Holmes. I think if he had a shot vs Tyson around the time of the Tyson-Holyfield fights Mercer would have dominated him.