Who ya got?

Louis 69-3(55)
Tunney 81-1-3(48)

This would be a very good fight, nice matchup.

I love Joe Louis, but Tunney is one of the few that could give him problems and possibly beat him.

I can see this being a close decision either way.

Definitely a good fight. I rate Joe Louis a better fighter than Gene Tunney, but I can easily envision Tunney giving Louis one helluva fight. He was a defensive marvel who also packed a solid right-hand punch. His handspeed was better than average and he had a solid chin. He would also be alot faster on his feet than Louis. I can see him staying out of harms way for some time sticking his jab in Louis' face.

How ever, I do see Louis catching up to Tunney later on in the fight and ending in within the full distance. Louis was nothing if not patient and seldom got frustrated. Eventhough he was slow on his feet, he was also very good at cutting off the ring, taking away alot of the advantage held by Tunney because of his far greater mobility. He was also great at conserving his energy.

I see Tunney slowing down some after 6-7 rounds of running, with Louis starting to land some telling punches. His crisp, jolting shots would have Tunney slowing down even more. By the 12th round, I see Tunney being caught on the ropes by possibly the best finisher of all time, with Louis forcing the ref to step in.

Joe Louis by tko12.

Who ya got?

Louis 69-3(55)
Tunney 81-1-3(48)

My heart says Joe but my head says Tunney.

Two things from my perspective....I just finished the 400+ page biography of Tunney by Jack Cavanaugh. I knew Tunney was special before this, but the book was, for me , a real eye opener.

Also, if Joe Louis had an achilles heel, it was slick boxers. Everybody here remembers what Billy Conn was doing to him. In my mind, I have Tunney being a far superior fighter than Conn, who was no slouch himself. So, if Billy Conn was able to frustrate Joe, what would the bigger, harder punching, more clever and more disciplined Tunney do with "the brown bomber"?

If I had no money bet on this fight, I'll go with Joe Louis. If I had to bet the house on this match up, I would have to reluctantly go with Gene Tunney.

My heart says Joe but my head says Tunney.

Two things from my perspective....I just finished the 400+ page biography of Tunney by Jack Cavanaugh. I knew Tunney was special before this, but the book was, for me , a real eye opener.

Also, if Joe Louis had an achilles heel, it was slick boxers. Everybody here remembers what Billy Conn was doing to him. In my mind, I have Tunney being a far superior fighter than Conn, who was no slouch himself. So, if Billy Conn was able to frustrate Joe, what would the bigger, harder punching, more clever and more disciplined Tunney do with "the brown bomber"?

If I had no money bet on this fight, I'll go with Joe Louis. If I had to bet the house on this match up, I would have to reluctantly go with Gene Tunney.

Nice insight, another thing to remember was Gene Tunney was immensly tough and I suspect Joe might be able to hurt him or even put him down, but I'm not sure if he could keep him there.

Nice insight, another thing to remember was Gene Tunney was immensly tough and I suspect Joe might be able to hurt him or even put him down, but I'm not sure if he could keep him there.

I agree it's a matchup taylored to give Louis trouble. The only thing is, those slick fighters who gave him fits like Conn he STILL found a way to beat them in the end; then too, even if you gave Louis trouble in the first fight he'd destroy you in the rematch.

Poet