Jimmy Young vs. Larry Holmes

I should be clear on intent also - not to be read as any form of lack of courage on Young’s part, he definitely had courage (see vs Cooney for one) - suffice to say, the fighters who take it to the nth degree in terms of putting themselves and their health 100% on the line are a rare breed indeed - and you can’t celebrate those fighters thusly if you’re too quick to discredit and criticise others who weren’t necessarily possessed of such singular and exceptional determination.

 

Very fair mate, very fair. We shouldn't forget all that. Young went into the ring against ATG punchers, ATG fighters, near ATG fighters and any amount of quality Heavyweights.

Foreman
Ali
Norton
Lyle x 2
Shavers x 2
Dokes
Cooney
Page

That's a pretty stacked list and two of them are considered by quite a few to be the two biggest punchers in history.

 

Yep, no thrill having to climb back in there with The Acorn after being brutally TKO’d - but Jimmy did and still had to cop a KD in rd 4? of the rematch by way of a body punch.

Though officially called a draw, a good many pundits believe Jimmy deserved the decision in the rematch - there should’ve been a deciding rubber - . When you list the fighters he faced as you have done, it looks very cool.

Young certainly knew how to tame the express wallopers- great stuff.

 

Young was chasing him for a bout in the mid seventies and never got it. It was a natural local rivalry of sorts with the up and coming guy from Easton fighting the guy from Philly. Lots of heavies at that time were chasing opponents and lots of potentially competitve and risky bouts were never made. almost exclusively guys fighting the B and C guys instead is what we the boxing fans got.

 

Holmes gets a decision but Young makes him look bad.

 

To be fair Ali was shot and iirc the heaviest he'd weighed in his career. Foreman was also evidently not the same fighter he was pre-Zaire.

 

True but he did school Lyle twice and there was nothing in his fight with Norton who then took Holmes to the wire. He was a solid contender.

My list of names was agreeing with Pug per his comments on Youngs courage more so than which fights he won or lost on that list. That's a pretty solid to scary bunch overall.

 

Young had two opportunities to fight Holmes and lost to Norton and Ocasio x2 that's on him.

 

I just don't think Holmes would have a problem with Young. Holmes is a quality boxer too, so UD and a significant point difference. Young wouldn't get more than 5 rounds.

 

Young was chasing him years before that.

 

Was he? Holmes really didn't come onto the scene until '78.

 

That's how I envisage it,Fergy. Nobody looks good against Young.

 

Too right mate.

 

Holmes was a prospect and not highly thought of until he beat Shavers the 1st time in 78 ? Everyone was amazed at the performance Holmes put on vs Shavers, because up until that point Holmes's career, he never really looked like a special fighter until that fight.

Regardless its irrelevant whether or not Young was chasing a fight, vs an inexperienced not highly rated Larry Holmes in mid 70s. The fact is when both men were at their most prominent stages of their careers, Young had two chances to fight Holmes and failed on both occasions, so Holmes fought the men who beat Young in Ocasio, Norton. Again as i said only Young has himself to blame for that.

 

Holmes wins on aggression via split decision