If Jimmy Young beat Ali, Lyle, Foreman and Norton then called it a day and retired where would he rank all time as a HW?
So he retires before Ocasio. Well if you alter his record it would be 25-4-2 at time of retirement. All losses and draws early in his career before he hit his stride. Well for starters I believe people would rightfully say Ali was over the hill. Long before Holmes and Berbick got to him. But I don’t think it would hurt his legacy much, maybe more people would continue to place Joe Louis over him as the sport’s best. Not too much harm there. Norton takes a hit. I think he would be strictly viewed as a man that could trouble Ali but fell short against both big punchers and good boxers. Foreman comes back and does what he does his status is unchanged. As for Young the brevity of the career only 25 total wins - I think would keep him out of a top 10 all time list. He would have to be considered the 2nd or 3rd best heavy of the 1970s. Ali at one, and a fight between Jimmy and George for second. Actually he would probably be second. He holds a win over Ali who defeated George as well as a win over George himself. He would also have a win over George’s second best win Norton. Young’s style and personality would hurt him but I think if he got those calls in those fights and exited the fight game before racking up more losses a top 20 all time heavyweight placement is possible.
So Young defeats Ali in 1976 and then defends the title against Lyle, Foreman, and Norton? He would definitely be in the top 3 heavyweights of the 1970s—Ali, Frazier, Young. Just winning the title alone would make him remembered as a legendary boxer. If Spinks is remembered for literally one win over an aging Ali, imagine what it would mean if Young had beaten Ali two years earlier and also defeated Foreman, Lyle, and Norton during that time. I think he would rank 10-15 in the all-time heavyweight rankings.
