Jimmy Young dead

By Jack Obermayor in Philadelphia: Former heavyweight contender Jimmy Young, 56, died this past Sunday of heart failure following a six day stay at a local hospital. Young, who started his pro career in 1969 and ended it in 1990, compiled an overall record of 35-18-3, with 12 KOs. His safety first approach did not win over many fans. He lacked the true power of the other big boys, so he relied on craftiness, frustrating a number of opponents along the way. His greatest victory was a decision over George Foreman in 1977. That loss sent Foreman into a ten year retirement. Later that year, Young lost a 15 round split decision to Ken Norton in an elimination bout. On April 30th 1976 in Landover, Maryland, he lost a controversial decision to Muhammad Ali in his only shot at the title.

His roster of opponents read like a who's who of that generation's heavyweights. Besides Foreman, Young beat the likes of Ron Lyle (twice on points) and Jose Roman. His defeats came at the hands of Ossie Ocasio, Gerry Cooney, Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Tony Tucker, Michael Dokes, and Ernie Shavers, with whom he also held to a draw.

After his loss to Norton, his career began a downward spiral, barely breaking the 500 mark, but yet he did capture his final two bouts, by of all things, stoppages. After that heart braking loss to Norton, he admitted never being quite the same. He turned to drugs and at times was alleged to be homeless. In the late 1990's, he attempted to become a professional referee in his home state of Pennsylvania but he never made it past auditioning in a few prelim bouts.

Information taken from an article by Bernard Fernandez in the Philadelphia Daily News


February 22, 2005