Is Jimmy Young A Top 25 Heavyweight?

Top 25? Not quite. But Jimmy Young is one of those " best night heavies ", and what I call a slow footed puncher's worst nightmare.

 

I have Young in the top 40. I did a top 100 two years ago, and that is what I placed Young.

Did Young beat Ali? Debatable! Did he make Ali look bad? Absolutely. Even Ali said this right after the fight. In addition, Young GASP shook Ali up with a punch in round 9 of their match.

Like many fighters, fans today have a misconception of who Jimmy Young is, and what he best stuff was. Young’s best stuff was great defense, and perhaps the hardest head to catch cleanly with a punch. Young had great ducking skills. If you looking for a blazing fast boxer, Jimmy Young wasn’t it. Young was rather gun shy and counter minded.

I think Young sort of took advantage of a heavyweight division in transition, with an aging Ali and Foreman. It could be argued that Young did better vs Foreman and Ali than any other man in the 1970’s, including Frazier, and Norton.

 

I wouldn't rate Jimmy Young as top 25 of all-time, but it is possible that on the right night, Young may have upset numerous guys who rate top 25 of all-time. Young was very slick and very tricky when in his prime.

Styles do make fights, and it's possible that a prime Young might have beaten a prime George Foreman every time they fought. Foreman of course is an all-time top 10 heavyweight.

In my book, Young was the best heavyweight of the seventies outside of Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Norton.

 

I have him ranked much higher than 37. The reason? When you do as well as Jimmy did in arguably the best era of heavyweights beating Ali, Foreman, Lyle, Garcia, Dunn, and Norton in which I had Jimmy edging Kenny, it doesnt matter to me that he was without some paper title.

 

Neither Young nor Witherspoon is top 25, Shavers is a definate no. He was not able to beat top guys from his own era, if not for Don King as his manager he would not have gotten a smany big fights. Lyle, Quarry, even Ron Stander all ko'd him.

 

I saw the Norton fight and thought Norton won it.

I dont rate Jimmy Young much at all. The version of Ali he fought was in as bad (or worse) shape than the Ali who lost to Leon Spinks. And I didn't think much of Young's performance at all that night either.

Young was a decent contender for three or four years, and his win over Foreman is not to be overlooked.
But I think there have been several more than 25 heavyweights in history who deserve to be rated in front of him.

Then again, some people here tell me Chris Byrd is a top 30 heavyweight of all-time.

I'd rate Jimmy Ellis and Jerry Quarry in front of Young

 

Neither Young or Witherspoon are top 25, not even close.

However, I think Young beat Ali...they didn't give it to him cause Ali was a bigger draw. He was screwed.

Young had four good years where he was a top heavy, but before and after he was ordinary.

Sorry, not a top 25, but certainly higher than "Spoon".

 

:hi:

 

Young wasn't a blazing fast boxer typr, for sure, but he was what he was, ...a defensive, "make 'em miss" type of spoiler who was harder to nail with two consecutive solid punches than anyone around. Young did what he did better than anuone, and I would rate him in the top 25 all-time.