Jimmy Young - The forgotten heavyweight

[Controversial]

A fighter that often gets overlooked or forgotten was Philly heavyweight Jimmy Young.

He was not exciting to watch, not particularly tall or big and had little punch power. His record doesn't exactly set the world alight either, retiring with a 34(11)-19-2 record. Yet he beat and outboxed some of the best fighters in the 70's, arguably the best era in the divisions history.

Its surprising his confidence wasn't shattered after being thrown into the ring in 1973 against Earnie Shavers who was 42(41)-2 at the time, Young was 7(2)-3 and was stopped in 3 rounds. Yet 18 months or so later Young held Shavers to a draw, many thought he won, the story of Youngs career it seems.

He beat Ron Lyle (twice) when Lyle was (30-1-1) and again when Lyle was (32-4-1), George Foreman (45-1) and held Shavers to that draw when Shavers was (46-4). He also lost a controversial decision to Ali (50-2) and a split decision to Norton (39-4). Again some people thought Young done enough to get the nod over Ali. Even more people think he should have got the decision over Norton.

It is thought his loss to Norton was the final straw for Young and he was never the same fighter afterwards. Still good enough to take the up and coming fighters like Ocasio 11-0, Dokes 14-0, Page 18-0, Tubbs 14-0 and Tucker 25-0 the full distance albeit losing on points each time.

Its probably because of his defensive, counter punching and unexciting style that many people do not get too excited over Young, however his career certainly wasn't a boring one.

It could be argued that if he got the nod in the controversial decisions he got, Jimmy Young would have defeated Lyle, Shavers, Norton, Foreman and Ali. Not many heavyweight fighters can claim as many scalps as that in the 1970's, Ali being the only exception that I can think of.

Not bad for a fighter that ISN'T even in boxings hall of fame

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Jimmy was a bad man. I met him when I was 8 or 9 years old walking the street in baltimore by the inner harbor. He stopped and talked to me for 5 or 10 minutes and was pretty happy that a young kid knew who he was. He would have schooled Vitali.

[Controversial]

Jimmy was a bad man. I met him when I was 8 or 9 years old walking the street in baltimore by the inner harbor. He stopped and talked to me for 5 or 10 minutes and was pretty happy that a young kid knew who he was. He would have schooled Vitali.

I agree. Nice story by the way. Its a shame he doesn't really get the recognition he deserves, probably his cautionary style and lack of power, not the most exciting fighter to watch. It just goes to prove that boxing is more than undefeated records and knockouts, fighters like Young show that skill alone is enough to beat the best.

[HomicideHenry]

You often hear these days that the biggest man is usually the best. Jimmy Young followed another philosophy, that best is best. Who else can you name who defeated George Foreman, lost a split decision to Ken Norton, and who should have gotten the decision over Ali? That's three out of the four best HW's of the 1970's that Young showed up in the ring. The man was on equal ground with them, whether anyone wants to admit that or not. His prime was too short, his peak lasted under two years. What might have been had he been given that decision over Muhammad...

[Goodnight, Irene]

He's probably overlooked in general, but gets his due on this particular board.

[Mr E]

A fighter that often gets overlooked or forgotten was Philly heavyweight Jimmy Young.

He was not exciting to watch, not particularly tall or big and had little punch power. His record doesn't exactly set the world alight either, retiring with a 34(11)-19-2 record. Yet he beat and outboxed some of the best fighters in the 70's, arguably the best era in the divisions history.

Its surprising his confidence wasn't shattered after being thrown into the ring in 1973 against Earnie Shavers who was 42(41)-2 at the time, Young was 7(2)-3 and was stopped in 3 rounds. Yet 18 months or so later Young held Shavers to a draw, many thought he won, the story of Youngs career it seems.

He beat Ron Lyle (twice) when Lyle was (30-1-1) and again when Lyle was (32-4-1), George Foreman (45-1) and held Shavers to that draw when Shavers was (46-4). He also lost a controversial decision to Ali (50-2) and a split decision to Norton (39-4). Again some people thought Young done enough to get the nod over Ali. Even more people think he should have got the decision over Norton.

It is thought his loss to Norton was the final straw for Young and he was never the same fighter afterwards. Still good enough to take the up and coming fighters like Ocasio 11-0, Dokes 14-0, Page 18-0, Tubbs 14-0 and Tucker 25-0 the full distance albeit losing on points each time.

Its probably because of his defensive, counter punching and unexciting style that many people do not get too excited over Young, however his career certainly wasn't a boring one.

It could be argued that if he got the nod in the controversial decisions he got, Jimmy Young would have defeated Lyle, Shavers, Norton, Foreman and Ali. Not many heavyweight fighters can claim as many scalps as that in the 1970's, Ali being the only exception that I can think of.

Not bad for a fighter that ISN'T even in boxings hall of fame

Could not agree more. I thought he deserved the nods against both Norton and Ali. I didn't see the Shavers rematch but know a couple guys who did, both of whom know whereof they speak and both of whom thought Young won the fight. Young was quick, clever and a real competitor. His power was under-rated-- he didn't score knockouts because he never, ever went after people, but he could sure ring your bell if you came in disrespecting him. He was thrown in way over his head early on, and he got his tail waxed a couple of times but he did learn how to fight!

[granberry]

I saw the 2nd Young-Shavers fight.

Young won it by a mile. He made Shavers look like he didn't know how to fight. For a heavyweight Young was fast as lightning and threw punches in bunches--(something he would not do later).

When the draw decision was announced, Shavers jumped in the air for joy. Shavers had a badly closed eye and barely made it to the end.

A short time later I read that this unknown Jimmy Young had beaten high ranked contender Ron Lyle in a fight in Hawaii.
That caused me to think back seriously to the Young-Shavers fight I had seen, and wonder if Shavers may not have been that bad, but his opponent may have been the cause of the one sided fight.