Jimmy Young vs Larry Holmes

For me, Young is a unique ring genius and a Philly guy. Those are two things I take to heart because I'll always give credit to a boxer that can spoil anybody put in his path. The way he dealt with Ali, Norton, and Foreman is beautiful. Some say boring and ugly, but I'm a purist. I'll watch Young's slick deflections and spoiler style any day.

Young actually is a "watchable spoiler". I've always had in my head the spoiler is a horrible category to be in. Today, a spoiler is just somebody that makes an ugly fight like John Ruiz or Valuev. Young made it an artwork in his time.

 

Good post and I agree, I love Young's style too it is an art. SOMETIMES Hopkins' spoiler style is good to look at like the few good moments he had with Taylor just look at the vid. I know, I'm not a fan of the music except for the last instrumental but still this is a good display of Hopkins' skills & cageyness. Boxing isn't pretty but this guy knows that & all the tricks. He pretty much schooled Winky. Who does that but Bhop?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GifXosNPd_8[/ame]

 

Yes, I agree...both Ruiz and Valuev were crude bumblers..hacks really, compared to Jimmy Young...there's something about watching a great spoiler/boxer/defensive specialist that's more appealing to me than the big ko's and the bloodletting of the sport. Young is/was, as is obvious, one of my favorite fighters ever...and this despite having never held a title...that wasn't his fault, BTW..he should have been crowned the champ the night he fought Ali...and again vs Norton..although the title in that affair was awarded "after the fact"...

 

True

 

even though Jimmy had a short prime and kind of lost interest in training after the Norton decision.....Joe Louis said about Billy Conn "he can run but he cant hide" but Jimmy was one fighter who actually found a way to hide behind his high defense and counter in flurries. Young was hard to hit and hard to hurt and other than his loss to Shavers when he was 7-3, most feel he beat Earnie in the rematch and Jimmy beat Lyle and Foreman and most feel he beat Ali and a few feel he beat Norton

 

I sat through the whole youtube fight of "Cooney-Young" from '80 last night.... A good scrape..... Cooney and Young were BOTH well prepared and in fine shape, just as Gil Clancy pointed out....

I don't think Young's age of roughly 32 was a problem or factor at all... Cooney at age 24 was simply more hungry and getting off well with his pawing left jab and left hooks to the ribs and head of Young... Hell, Cooney even snuck in some decent right hands as well to Young's body and head... Young was there to box / fight, but he got caught a few too many times and that cut was as gross of a cut that I have ever seen next to V.K.'s cut in 2003 against Lenny Lewis.... They had to stop the fight after the 4th round...... Cooney won fair and square, but Young was conditioned and was serious about that fight....

MR.BILL

 

Well Jimmy may have reached back for 1 last good performance, but it wasn't the same guy or reflexes that fought Ali. That version uses his footwork and incredible upper body movement and those Cooney shots would not have landed. Gerry wasn't exactly quick handed and he did telegraph what he was doing. If I can see it, I have zero doubts a prime Young would not have had any problems seeing those punches coming. Actually, he would have been inviting those punches.

The other thing Jimmy did not have was that straight as an arrow right hand counter by that point in time. I'd have liked to have seen Cooney get hit with them the way Lyle and Ali and Foreman had to take them. Me, after seeing him hurt with temple shots in his career and going down early against Holmes I think is a recipe for disaster facing Young when he had those top reflexes. Cooney did not have the best balance after throwing and I think Jimmy makes him miss and lands that super sneaky clean right hand. By 80, it was long gone and really the best punches he threw after the Norton bout was in the Wendall Bailey fight.

 

These are reasons why Jimmy Young was a good but never a great fighter......... Great fighters have a longer prime than 1 or 2 years...... Young was merely good when it washes out into the sunlight....... Peace....

MR.BILL

 

That doesn't mean that he wasn't a great fighter for those 1 or two years.

Anyway, this would be a dead even fight as usual with Young that could go either way but it would go to Holmes.

 

Be as it may, on the whole, Young merely equates to good... Truly great fighters can keep the train rolling for a longer period.... Young showed he couldn't...... Young was good.........

MR.BILLbbb

 

3 years. 75 to 78. That's at least on par with another guy that gets lots of free passes, Bowe.

 

This is right on the money,Briscoe ! I too admired Young back in the 70's. Even though he made my hero,Muhmmad Ali look bad ! He was not boring at all. He'd only have been so,if he'd been in the ring with those of a similar style. I would n't like to have seen a hypothetical fight between him and Chris Byrd,for example. The nearest modern day equivelant.

 

And Bowe sill is not inducted into the IBHOF here in 2010.... However, if Ken Norton has made the grade, I feel Bowe should squeeze in some day... BUT! I ain't gonna hold my breath for it to occur.....
:scaredas::bbb

MR.BILL:hat:bart