Would Prime Foreman Ever Beat Jimmy Young?

Whilst Champion, Foreman stops Jimmy by rounds 5-6 imo.

 

I think Young had his number he's a tricky durable defensive fighter and Foreman had issues vs boxers.

I know some people say Foreman changed his style somewhat after the Ali fight and was more measured vs Young.

But I'm not convinced a more aggressive Foreman would necessarily beat Young either. Young was only ever stopped twice in a 21 year career once by Shavers when he was green as grass very early in his career. And then by Cooney whilst past his prime and that was on a cut aswell.

Young was historically not an easy fighter to stop and Foreman wasn't known for his stamina and didn't pace himself. So unless Foreman got rid of Young early which is as I said historically very hard to do then I think Foreman is going to have issues.

I think any version of Foreman is going to have major problems vs a prime Young between 1975-1977.

Whilst Foreman’s wins over Frazier, Norton, are impressive stylistically they have no barring on how Foreman does vs Young. Because neither of those fighters could fight on the backfoot and aren't boxers they are come forward fighters.

 

Agreed.

 

That was the last time I can think of where the DKP guy did not get the benefit of the doubt. After that bout the DKP guy did not get the short end of the stick. So a different timeframe and a different result.

 

Agree 100%--excellent analysis. If prime George fought prime Young I think Jimmy was crafty enough to avoid Foreman's power early on-then he could simply outlast him and pull out a decision. Young would make the fight "boring"--but that was his MO.

 

Since prime Foreman did fight Young, and lost to him, you've got to favor Young in a single fight. But since the thread is asking whether prime Foreman could ever win a fight against Young, the answer is yes. Flip a coin enough times, and it'll come up the side you want. I'd expect Foreman to win one out of three or so.

 

"George did not know it, but while I may have been standing, I was out cold. He could have pushed me over with his little finger. How I survived that round I will never know." young himself admitted he was out on his feet against George. If a foreman who was trying to box instead of going for the knockout came this close to stopping young, i don’t see why a more aggressive one wouldn’t get the job done.

 

Foreman tried everything in his power to get rid of Young in round 7 and yet Young recovered and actually finished the round stronger. So I'm not seeing how Young recovering in the same round after being hurt is an argument in favour of Foreman.

If Foreman tries to be more aggressive early vs Young he leaves himself more vulnerable in the 2nd half of the fight and stamina was an issue with younger Foreman in regards to pacing himself.

Young is not an easy fighter to stop as I already pointed out Young was only ever stopped twice in a 21 year career once by Shavers very early in his career and once by Cooney on a cut.

So it's going to be quite a task for Foreman to stop Young early when historically it's not an easy thing to do especially against a style that Foreman has issues with.

 

Oh hell yes.

But I am aware that no one will listen because Jimmy Young is so revered here.

 

Ye. Almost stopped him already and that was while stalling, barely a year on a new direction with Clancy, and in a microwave. Jimmy always would have been a fight to be taken seriously though, but even Ali realized it only in retrospect, treating him like a B-class.

 

He's not revered I think people realize he wasn't the most exciting fighter and was a bit of a spoiler.

But he did compete a good level between 1974-1977 he got a draw vs Shavers that most felt he won.

Lost a controversial decision to Ali that alot felt he won.

Beat Lyle twice convincingly.

Beat Foreman comprehensively.

Lost a razor thin close fight to Norton that some felt he won.

Foreman may be greater than Young but that doesn't mean Young doesn't have a troubling style for him stylistically. And over the years we've seen plenty of fighters historically greater than the opponents they're facing lose because styles make fights.

As I already pointed out Foreman’s wins over Norton, Frazier, are great but they don't have any significance on how Foreman matches up with Young because stylistically those opponents are worlds apart from Young.

 

On the right track but more than slightly imo.

It had nothing to do with age but his new trainer Gil Clancy's new teachings.

Foreman's legs were WAY to close together, which affected his gait, and natural body mechanics, which imo made him visibly less powerful (even if he was still very powerful). That's imo one of the reasons Frazier lasted longer in their second bout, along with Foreman fighting at a more measured pace.

His jab "looked" good but didn't seem to have much weight on it, he didn't move behind it and put his weight behind it like he did against say Norton, and Frazier.

If you watch his fight with Dinero Denis, Foreman's feet are crossing constantly, and his uppercut looks "crooked" for lack of a better term, due to his altered foot placement.