Jimmy Young Vs Michael Spinks.

[KOJOE90]

I am thinking of the Jimmy Young who beat Lyle & Foreman against the Spinks who fought Holmes. Both these guys were a simular size and both had very awkward styles and I admit i struggle to visualize how this clash of styles would work out.

Any thoughts fight fans?

[Michael Frank]

Never one to go blindly with the "good big guy beats the good little guy" theory, but I'd have to take a prime Young here. Rather than disect them on pros/cons, I'll just say that Young was competitive with several of the top 70s heavies, and was one himself.

Michael beat Holmes, Cooney, and Tangstad at heavy, but #3 was a dead guy, and the first 2 were WAY past their best days, and were struggles for Michael based on their huge size advantage. Michael was a great light-heavy with no significant weakness, but Young was faster and bigger (and I feel stronger), plus could take Michael's punch.

I like Jimmy by decision, and if he gets aggressive (unlikely for him), with a knockdown of Michael along the way.

[Elwill7847]

I'd have to agree with Michael that Jimmy Young would beat Spinks at heavyweight.

[blv30]

Young would beat Spinks, but it sure as hell wouldn't be easy for him.

[don1234]

I think in this matchup Spinks would be the puncher. If anybody scores a knockdown it would be Michael, though the chances are neither would leave their feet. Both fighters, in their own unique ways, are masters at setting traps and keeping opponents off balance. They would offset each other to a certain extent, in that department, but would also make for fascinating interplay. Appreciation for the latter could only come from boxing's dedicated fraternity. The casual fan would probably wonder what the hell he had stumbled into watching. Spinks herky-jerky moves, Young's willingness to lay way outside the ropes if pressed, this would be theater with little drama, despite the close decision.

One footnote. They do share a common opponent. Cooney. Gerry was served up a plate of Young when he was feasting on shot once-contenders. Seven years later Gentleman Gerry popped out of retirement hoping to grab an easy title from Spinks. A bad cut ended Jimmy's contest but Michael, after seemingly 50 unanswered punches landed on an up against the ropes Cooney, sent Gerry back into "what he could have been we'll never know" land. Until, of course, Big George returned.

[KOJOE90]

Having given this some more thought I am going to pick Young on points, he just had a better track record at Heavyweight.

This may well be an seriously ugly fight to watch, with both fighters cancelling each other out defencively but Jimmy wins on points.