The rate of Jimmy's deterioration was alarming after this fight. Was very close but see Ken winning by two rounds. Mind you,I'm open to argument.
You know, he did not fight badly after Norton, just not as good as before him. Occassio, Dokes,Cooney were all winnable for him, I thought he beat Dokes and Ocassio really. Also had some good wins too, a bunch of them actually. But after 82', yea, he went all wrong.
I am with you on this. I don't know where in the world you are, but here in the UK we have a weekly paper, "Boxing News", and after the Ocasio bout the headlines read: "Shocker - Young a jaws victim".
Florida, yea, that's just what people say after a Young fight! Oh! He doesn't punch enough! They don't take into account him not getting hit much at all and countering effectively. So, lets say he beats Ocassio and Dokes, he would probably have gotten a title shot, he would have been in shape of his life more than likely
Young was in line for the winner of Holmes-Norton if he'd beaten Ocasio. If memory serves, if Young had beaten Ocasio in the rematch Young still would've gotten Holmes in March. Regarding the Norton - Young fight, I haven't scored it. But as a 10 year old Norton fan watching it on TV back in '77 I recall it being a little too close for comfort.
@robert ungurean ....you know I can't resist chiming in on Jimmy Young thread... I saw the fight live waaay back then in '77 on that new fangled color Magnavox my parents bought, and I wasn't disappointed at all in my man Jimmy...I thought he won 9-6. I also liked and admired Ken Norton, and though Ken fought a more intelligent, smarter fight vs Young than Foreman did, it just wasn't enough. Jimmy did his usual magical thing defensively, but something else too...he stunned and rattled Norton from time to time with thise sneaky, out of the blue right hand counters. Young had a better chin than Norton, and he withstood Norton's body attack well enough IMHO...hey, credit Kenny for having the right idea in mind...that when fighting an elusive target like Jimmy's head, to go to a more stationary target like the body...similar in intent to what Peppermint Frazier did vs Nicolino Locche in their bout,....but it just wasn't quite enough vs Jimmy Young. I've watched the fight many times over on You Tube, and I'm convinced that Jimmy did enough to win, just like he did vs Ali. Jimmy always had more than just his opponent to worry about...he had to also contend with the biased scoring of crooked/incompetent judges. No wonder it got to his head after that Norton robbery...and it explained those losses to Occasio, Page, Dokes, etc.,...but he pulled it together most impressively in that fight with Cooney, with only that hideous cut keeping him from humbling and schooling the then "top of his game " Irishman. Jimmy Young is obviously one of my favorite heavyweights...maybe THE favorite, and as far as I'm concerned, occupies a place in the stratospheres with a select few other great defensive masters, and is without a doubt IMO the greatest heavyweight to never win the title. There, and as my bud @jowcol would say, "that's my .02 cents"...and a great thread Robert!
Great Post RC!! I remember watching that on a B&W tv my aunt gave me in my room. I was 12 and started watching fights about a year befor. I thought Jimmy won by a couple rounds myself and also felt he beat Ali. I gotta watch this again this week.
Robert, I frankly expected Norton to win, but Jimmy didn't let me down. Yes, I think I'll watch it again too, as I have some time off in the next few days. Of course, the one I still love to watch,...that I treat myself to from time to time, is Young-Foreman...I friggin' LOVE that fight....
Watched the fight with my friends Gregg & Dean at Dean's house. My other two buds, Tom and Mike took their wives to a sports bar to watch.I was totally p***ed after the decision! Went down the street for some more beer afterwards and the guy in front of me told the cashier, after a huge purchase, "Won big my man! Ken Norton's footing this tab!". To which I replied: "Well, if that's the case you should be ashamed of taking Ken's money because he clearly lost." The guy was literally in my face wanting to fight?!? Even tipsy, I think (my counterpunching lefty self) I would have popped a right jab or two, laid back against the cases, and waiting to lure him in for a straight left, right hook, and finishing looping left bomb! ha ha I walked away. Keep in mind that, in Nevada, the ref doesn't score a fight; three judges do the work. When they asked the ref who he thought won, he immediately said Young. Jimmy always suffered from the 'counterpunching bias' in scoring eyes IMO. Norton (did) deliver a good body attack throughout the s c r a p but, he was getting nailed throughout and never really hurt Jimmy. How about round 10? That Jimmy counter right stunned Ken, stopping him dead in his tracks. Someone once told me: "Young's a powderpuff puncher, he can't hurt anyone." I replied: "You may be right, but he hits hard enough to keep the big bangers at bay and off of him!" If he didn't have that, which he clearly did, everyone would have walked right through him. One of my favs! My $0.02