Would Jimmy Young Have Beat Tyson In Tokyo?

Boris "Buster" Badinoff

 

They could also use the services of Underdog's adversaries, Riff Raff and Simon Barsinister too, Lol.

 

I don't like the way the poll is worded, as I'm essentially forced to pick between "no chance" and "Yes. Young would have defeated Tyson". My answer lies in between these two absolutes.

Not sure if Young was quite active enough to hold Tyson off of him. He didn't really have that kind of offense. On the other hand, Tyson was noticeably not at his best and it was evident prior reports of him not training for that bout were true.

 

I'm far from a Tyson fan but it's simply not true Douglas was the first fighter to stand up to Tyson. Others like Berbick, Bruno, etc didn't lie down at all for Tyson. They were just out matched.

Their were reports prior to the bout that Tyson looked terrible in the few moments he was actually training.

 

I don't see the Mike who ran over Spinks against Buster...far from it.

I don't even see the guy who steamrolled Holmes there.

Still, he was an under 30 champ who was considered unbeatable...

 

No, the judges were very generous to Tyson in Tokyo despite the beating he was being given for most of the fight. If Tyson doesn't land a KO shot he wins a controversial decision. Judges Morita and Uchida would have bailed him out, they almost did against Douglas. Unlikely Young KOs Tyson.

 

Buster had a real powerful jab (see his fight with Williams as an example of this) and was landing it over and over on Tyson. That's what let him pull off the KO. Not sure Young would've been able to do that. Out-box Tyson? Assuming he didn't get caught and KO'd, absolutely Young could.

 

Young's only chance would be if he lathers himself in thick layers of Vaseline and baby oil, soaks the canvas, and has an annoying ref who breaks up the action every 20 seconds (Either get Kenny Bayles or Giuseppe Quartarone of the Joshua/Parker fight). Young can also raise his trunks way above his belly button ensuring that at least 70% of the body shots count as low blows. Young fights an incredibly annoying and frustrating fight: Jab at Tyson, then slip or block the incoming bombs, and back off, jab again, clinch. If backed up against the ropes or in the corner, go into a shell and let the Vaseline do it's work as Tyson flails away slipping and missing by several inches. It would be like a Jaguar trying to wrestle and bite an anaconda in a pool of mud. All Young has to do is land a few cute flurries and 1-2's to steal rounds by having a higher connect %. Young wins an ugly and frustrating to watch split decision due to the fact Tyson can barely land any body shots without fouling, and most shots to the head are either slipped by Young or have the damage reduced by all the oil grease and Vaseline.

Under normal rules with no Vaseline, high trunks, or referee shenanigans, Tyson wins a comfortable decision. Young simply doesn't have the tools to keep even an unmotivated Tyson off of him. It's a pretty bad matchup because Tyson's short sharp combinations and non stop pressure would be too high of a pace for the passive Young who'd likely run, cover up, or clinch a lot for half the round trying to survive. He didn't have Douglas powerful long jab, brutal uppercuts, or intense mid range mastery to bully Tyson.

 

Hmmmm, I'd lean towards Tyson narrowly, because of styles and also Young wasn't exactly the poster boy for consistency either. But I wouldn't put a penny on this bout.

 

The Tyson who fought Holmes was just as good as the Tyson who fought Spinks. Both bouts are Tyson at the best he ever was.

 

I have to agree with you. Same, ferocious approach.