Jimmy Young vs Jody Ballard in a ten round non-title heavyweight bout

Date: September 14, 1977

Venue: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

Young stance: orthodox

Ballard stance: orthodox

Jimmy Young never had it easy as a pro. After losing to contenders Randy Neumann and Earnie Shavers early in his career, Young's record at one point was 7-4. Young went on to challenge Muhammad Ali for the undisputed title in 1976, and many observers felt he won. After a couple of easy tune up bouts, Young earned a second points decision over Ron Lyle. This was followed by a points win over George Foreman - a fight that ended with Foreman having a religious experience that led to his first retirement.

Jody Ballard turned pro in 1974, and had a promising start to his career, winning his first 11 bouts. Usually, he lost when he stepped up a level. By the time he faced Young, his record was 25-9 with 15 KOs.

For an in depth look at their respective records, visit:

Jimmy Young - https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/276

Jody Ballard - https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/16075