Ken Norton and Jimmy Young

Young fought and beat a worse version of the Foreman than Norton was obliterated by.

Norton fought and beat a better version of the Ali that Young was robbed against.

Young by all accounts put on a bit of a clinic against Lyle.

At this point I have Young slightly ahead of Norton, particularly seeing as I thought Young was extremely unfortunate not to be given the decision against Ken. Not saying he was conspired against, it was a close fight, but I scored it for Young.

Edit: Apologies, may have misinterpreted the thread! Will get back to it.

 

Nice thread Stevie :good you always seem to come up with odd, but nevertheless interesting threads that require a good bit of thought to them,

Jimmy Young 1975 v Muhammad Ali 1973 (first Norton fight)
I think this matchup will always be close, I like young to take the first one. Don't think Ali would be prepared for an incredibly awkward match up at this time in his career. It's possible Ali may take it on the cards by SD though.

Jimmy Young 1976 v Muhammad Ali 1973 (second Norton fight)
Ali does much better in the rematch. I wouldn't say he takes it comfortably but maybe by 2 or 3 rounds. I think Ali and Dundee would come up with a good game plan on how to effectiey win rounds against Young and wins a decision.

Jimmy Young 1976 v George Foreman 1974
Possibly the toughest one to pick here. I think it's a 50/50. Foreman either KO's young in the first 5 or Jimmy is able to eek out a decision, but slightly closer on the scorecards than their original bout

Jimmy Young 1977 v Muhammad Ali 1976
This again is a tough one. I'll simply say a 50-50 bout, however if Ali is still the champ then he'd probably nick a close one on the cards

Ken Norton 1973 v Ron Lyle 1975
Sadly for Kenny the most likely outcome is that he can't take Lyle's power. Big Ron takes him out in 5

Ken Norton 1973 v Muhammad Ali 1976
Norton would do Ali over in this fight. Ali simply wouldn't have enough left in the tank, whereas Norton would be in fine physical shape. Norton being a nightmare for Ali stylistically and so much better off physically would lead to a competitive Norton decision 10-5/9-6

Ken Norton 1974 v Ron Lyle 1976
As Ken would have already fought Lyle he may be a more wary of the power Ron posses. a very fatuous first half of the fight may lead to a big lead on the scorecards form Lyle, but I have confidence that If Norton survives past 5 he can outbox Lyle for the second half of the fight and take a close decision.

Ken Norton 1976 v George Foreman 1977
Although Big George was not the same animal he was when he first blew out Norton I still think he's got enough left in the tank to drop and stop Norton early. Foreman KO3

 

I had to youtube them clips cuz I missed that fight in '77, but I feel the judges were right in granting Norton the win.....

Poor Jimmy Young always seems to get screwed on the decision... Why is that??? Anwser: Young was a slippery fighter who bored casual fight fans to death...

MR.BILL

 

Sorry to let you in on this bit of inside boxing knowledge bill, But boring the casual boxing fan really has no bearing on what a competent boxing judge has to do with scoring a fight. Actually, a casual boxing fan is just that, not worth a **** to boxing machinations.

 

Christ, spare me......... Norton beat Young as follows........ I'm done here....
:hi:


SR.BILL:hat

 

Just a couple of points.
Jimmy was always a nightmare for judges, even in his prime, tho his prime bouts with Lyle showed that the plodding Ron was in for a one-sided loss against him barring some left-field Sunday shot which wasn't going to happen.
Young-Ali? I think Ali deserved it because Jimmy, going against the time-tested axiom, can't be given the title by NOT taking it to the champion.
I still have Jimmy winning the Norton fight based on number of punches and ring savvy, tho I understand other's outlook on that one.
And, finally, the oft brought up Norton-Lyle scrap, IMO Lyle wasn't the big wade in bomber that would put Norton on his back toes, reach him, and stop him. Ron might well have rocked Ken early, perhaps even a KD, but Norton had the savvy, and endurance to take out Lyle mid to later rounds.
IMO Lyle's legacy was predicated on his Forman fight (with George still trying to re-invent himself), his Ali ("I really didn't try to win") effort. A 74-75 Foreman would have had Lyle on *****-street face down within 3! Or less...

 

The important thing is only one of them had championship heart.

 

I just watched the Young vs Norton fight. I could see it as a draw. Too man rounds where neither guy took charge. Norton did too much waiting.

 

I saw it several months back.Ken just edged it by the last round for me, but, IIRC, Jimmy came on later in that last round, so draw, or close Norton win is about right.

 

Young beat Ali, and got screwed out of the decision...it wouldn't have mattered if Ali was in peak shape...Young would have been a nightmare for him....even more so than Norton was.
Young beat Norton....once again, got screwed by the judges...paid off no doubt by Don King, who had his own and Ali's best interests at heart. Young DID bore the judges to death, and since what drives the sport of boxing along is money, it would have been counterproductive if they scored the Ali /Norton fights vs Young honestly. No mover and shaker in any sport, especially boxing, wants a fighter...admittedly, a negative fighter like Jimmy Young as a champion. STYLES DO MATTER....especially when it comes to money. Don King wasn't about to let Jimmy Young get a decision vs his beloved moneymakers, Ali and Norton. This is one of the things that have sucked regarding boxing for many years....it's the reason why Teddy Brenner said of Harold Johnson that there was no place for him in the big money picture because "boxing has no place for perfection"...the great Harold Johnson got screwed around almost as badly...almost as badly....as Jimmy Young.

 

I rewatched the Young bouts vs Ali, and the one vs Norton....he should have won both fights....these were two decisions that stunk to high heaven.

 

George would have knocked out Young as he should have in '77.

 

Young vs Norton was a very close fight.Maybe the fix was in anyway in favour of the more marketable Norton, but it was no robbery.Young just wasn't quite offensively sharp or busy enough to clearly offset Norton's lesser defence but higher workrate.

I'd rather have seen him get the decision, as i've never had much love for the workmanlike, bland style of Norton(beautiful left to the body aside), but he just didn't quite seize the chance imo.
For his style, Young needed a better, more consistent jab to really put distance for himself in these kind of fights, where the opponent isn't just a telegraphed swinger he can slip and counter easily.