Where do you rate Jimmy Young in 70s era?

I rate him in the "screwed over" category. He beat Ali and Norton both IMO...but the guy couldn't get a break with the crooked/incompetent judges.
In a 3rd match with Shavers, he would have totally outclassed him like he did in the rematch with Lyle....same if he were rematched with Foreman. Pretty high standing, I'd say.
Young was the only guy who had to fight 4 guys at once.

 

Right on Red! Counterpunchers, especially the 'slick' ones don't seem to be held in high regard with the judges pens. Quarry (4 draws?) and Galindez (close scraps) are evidence of this. Tho Jerry and Victor delivered some major counter shots which may sway the judges, Jimmy simply landed a plethora of counters throughout the fight. But...anytime those big swatters started bombing away, Jimmy gave 'em a 1-2-3 that stopped 'em dead in their tracks. As my late friend said: "Jimmy didn't hit HARD but he hit hard enough to keep the big bangers off of him!" In closing, I'll give Ali the Landover nod over Jimmy (maybe) tho his ducking out of the ring cracked me up!! There wasn't a rule against that was there?
And, as you said Red, I'll go to my grave saying Young beat Norton that night. Broke my heart.
That 10th round had us going nuts!! "He's in control and poised!".
I'm out...

 

I always rate Jimmy #1! Went in there, did his thing, and got screwed buy the judges. The guy was total class too!

 

Young should have been champion somewhere in the mix...with a defense against Holmes.

 

I appreciate that Jimmy was a handful for anyone but the guy kind of had the instict only to fight hard enough to keep things close. Nothing wrong with that. Tommy Farr was the same. There were a lot of fights on a young s resume with lesser fighters that really don't add up if he truly was that great.

It looks great that there is a case Jimmy beat Foreman, Ali and Norton but it does not tell the story. What if Ali was the one who's decline made the 1970s look so competitive?

Yes Lyle, Young, Bugner, Shavers, Norton and Quarry were good fighters but there have always been good fighters like that. That's what contenders are. Neither of them were as good as the faded Joe Frazier was in the 1970s and that's who they had to be better than to be afforded actual greatness or championship material because he was the one who cleaned out the division in his prime.

The 1970s benefits from more mainstream scrutiny than all previous decades because this was the first decade of colour TVs and the fantastic celebrity of Muhammad Ali - a faded fighter by that decade.

My take on Young is that he was a good contender. same with Norton.

 

I don't agree that Young beat Foreman or Ali, and obviously neither were at their best. He also got badly mangled by Cooney when still in his early thirties. I'll say, if anything, he seems to me slightly *over*rated these days.

 

He is slightly overrated. He lost to Norton in my opinion and when he fought Ali like it has been stated Ali was in decline.

 

He was a cutie and was very hard to look good against .. he had decent size for the era , speed, a terrific chin, a good jab and speed and exceptional defense .. not much of a hitter by any means .. at his best he was a tough match up .. his fight with Norton was close but I felt Ken took it .. the Ali fight was a nonevent as Ali showed up grossly out of shape .. he did terrific against a plodding Lyle and Foreman .. my biggest criticism of him was that he let himself get out of shape an blew his prime years ..

 

Turned into a big fat pig.

 

I concur

 

The Foreman decision was not controversial

 

Well, Young was likely robbed vs Ali and beat Foreman.

I think he came around at the perfect time and matched up well vs. slower opponents. Young wasn't that fast, but he was slick and hard to hit cleanly with countering skills.

I've always said if Larry Holmes had a chance to fight that Foreman in the later 70's, and Ali a bit earlier, he does a better job than Young did vs the same legends.

 

True but Larry is a top all time guy. Young was tricky and talented.

 

I think he lost the fights you mentioned. I'd put him between 35 and 40 all time at heavy. A 70s top 10 would be an interesting thread. But I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on that confidently, I feel. Good question though, OP.