Who would win, Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Louis??

If they fought three times...it will be the exact result of the three times Frazier fought Ali... But I do agree with some stuff you guys said..this will probably be Ali's hardest Fight, but Ali's hand speed was just too fast for Louis and Ali's footwork was freakin incredible compared to Louis'. So for me Ali will win by TKO in like the 13 round due to too much bleeding on Joe's face..

The Brown Bomber wasn't rated at #1 on the RING Magazine's 100 greatest punchers of all-time for nothing.

I do agree with you that Ali peaked professionally with Cleveland Williams (who was damaged goods by that point), but his defense was always suspect. Good reflexes, but he made too many mistakes that he wouldn't get away with against a sharpshooter like Louis. when Ali got older - 1970's, he stopped moving around so much and relied on his ability to take a punch, this would be a mistake with Louis, Joe could take u out with combinations and he was mentally stronger than the Foreman who fought Ali. While Foreman is bigger, and maybe stronger, Joe Louis was the greatest boxer - puncher of all time. i know i said before i thought Ali would squeak out a decision against Louis, but after thinking about how Ali almost got knocked the fuck out by little Henry Cooper, and how Foreman didn't really get knocked out by Ali as much as defeated psychologically, i now think a prime Joe Louis wins this fight, by late stoppage

I do agree with you that Ali peaked professionally with Cleveland Williams (who was damaged goods by that point), but his defense was always suspect. Good reflexes, but he made too many mistakes that he wouldn't get away with against a sharpshooter like Louis.

You make a very good point there, but that 60's Ali was also the version who was floored by Cooper and Sonny Banks and still could never fight well on the inside. No...it wasn't the same version. Ali improved vastly between the Cooper fight & the end of his initial reign.

You make a very good point there, but that 60's Ali was also the version who was floored by Cooper and Sonny Banks and still could never fight well on the inside.

The Conn comparison doesn't work. Conn didn't run away for every second of that fight. He also had adequate inside fighting skills unlike Ali so he was able to survive in there with Louis when need be. Louis would kill Ali inside IMO, or if Ali was stupid enough to go to the ropes with Louis the fight would end right there. Louis was much more calculating than Foreman and a quicker, better boxer and wouldn't have squandered his punching power hitting elbow and shoulder. Comparing Foreman to Louis and Ali to Conn is just a bad idea. Louis was better than Foreman overall and Conn was a more well versed boxer than Ali (though not as big and strong). & you're making the mistake of placing the 70's version of Ali in against prime Louis. The Ali who beat Zora Folley & Cleveland Williams is prime Ali. That version DID NOT go back to the ropes.

The Conn comparison doesn't work. Conn didn't run away for every second of that fight. He also had adequate inside fighting skills unlike Ali so he was able to survive in there with Louis when need be. Louis would kill Ali inside IMO, or if Ali was stupid enough to go to the ropes with Louis the fight would end right there. Louis was much more calculating than Foreman and a quicker, better boxer and wouldn't have squandered his punching power hitting elbow and shoulder. Comparing Foreman to Louis and Ali to Conn is just a bad idea. Louis was better than Foreman overall and Conn was a more well versed boxer than Ali (though not as big and strong). I agree with you there. I believe Louis wins this for the reasons you stated.

The Brown Bomber could knock you out with a jab, and the guy had a laser right hand, plus he could punch you as hard in round 15 as he could in round one. A fucking fantastic fighter!

The Conn comparison doesn't work. Conn didn't run away for every second of that fight. He also had adequate inside fighting skills unlike Ali so he was able to survive in there with Louis when need be. Louis would kill Ali inside IMO, or if Ali was stupid enough to go to the ropes with Louis the fight would end right there. Louis was much more calculating than Foreman and a quicker, better boxer and wouldn't have squandered his punching power hitting elbow and shoulder. Comparing Foreman to Louis and Ali to Conn is just a bad idea. Louis was better than Foreman overall and Conn was a more well versed boxer than Ali (though not as big and strong).

Billy Conn's the best LHW I've seen, I rate him over Moore. Always have done. Look back at previous posts of mine on this site and you'll see. Beating a hungry Billy Conn at his peak was an absolutely awesome feat as far as I'm concerned. Conn over Moore? That's just based on how you feel he looked right? It certainly can't be based on accomplishment.

I loved the way Joe Louis punched. He's the most complete offensive fighter in history. But, I think of how he truly struggled with Billy Conn...before taking him out. Ali was far bigger than Conn, far better......with an all-time great chin. He would hit Joe more than Conn did, harder than Conn did, & would absorb whatever Joe came back at him with better. Ali by decision or late TKO. Billy Conn's the best LHW I've seen, I rate him over Moore. Always have done. Look back at previous posts of mine on this site and you'll see. Beating a hungry Billy Conn at his peak was an absolutely awesome feat as far as I'm concerned.

No way does Ali avoid those punches as easily as you think. Ali got absolutely floored by Cooper, who was slower, less accurate, and a lighter hitter than Louis. Ali always got tagged a bit in his fights. He relied sorely on his reflexes and never bothered to employ a sound orthodox defense. This would be hell against Louis who was a master at getting his punches in at the smallest opening. As for Louis being slow, to put it as my friend Anorak on the other side of the pond might, bollocks. The guy was incredibly quick and threw the right straight as an arrow. He would knock you out with that punch from 6 inches away. He got unbelievable leverage behind those shots. I have his fight with Baer and he lands a fucking triple left hook before Baer can even put his guard up. He is behind only Ali, Patterson, and Tyson in handspeed but is much more accurate than any of them (except Tyson where it's pretty close with maybe a slight edge to Louis) and threw a straighter jab and right than anyone I've ever seen at heavyweight. To say he is worse than Foreman is simply incorrect. Perhaps you can make a case for Louis losing to Foreman due to punching power and size (I disagree with that but anyway) but Louis had MUCH more skill. He threw every punch that Foreman could except quicker, shorter, and with more knockout potential. Foreman never knocked anyone out with one punch; he clubbed them into submission with a barrage of heavy artillery. Louis on the other hand routinely rendered people unconscious with a single short right or smooth left hook, sometimes for minutes at a time. His jab alone could hurt or stun you, similar to Liston's or Holmes's jab, except Louis's was quicker. Also unlike Foreman, he fought in a calm relaxed matter and retained his knockout power for the entire fight. It's sad how poorly this legend is remembered and how little respect he gets on this forum. Have you guys only seen his post WWII fights or something? This is a good fight, and a case for Ali winning can be made, but Louis would be the toughest opponent Ali faced and was much better than either Foreman or Frazier. Louis' feet were a bit slow....but his handspeed was amazing. He put a string of beauties together, in fast succession, & with incredible power.

Weren't Conn and Ali different types of boxers though? You don't see Louis' bodywork slowing Ali down? Yeah....Ali was a bigger, faster, more unorthodox type of boxer. I don't see Louis' body attack doing much to Ali.

No way does Ali avoid those punches as easily as you think. Ali got absolutely floored by Cooper, who was slower, less accurate, and a lighter hitter than Louis. Ali always got tagged a bit in his fights. He relied sorely on his reflexes and never bothered to employ a sound orthodox defense. This would be hell against Louis who was a master at getting his punches in at the smallest opening. As for Louis being slow, to put it as my friend Anorak on the other side of the pond might, bollocks. The guy was incredibly quick and threw the right straight as an arrow. He would knock you out with that punch from 6 inches away. He got unbelievable leverage behind those shots. I have his fight with Baer and he lands a fucking triple left hook before Baer can even put his guard up. He is behind only Ali, Patterson, and Tyson in handspeed but is much more accurate than any of them (except Tyson where it's pretty close with maybe a slight edge to Louis) and threw a straighter jab and right than anyone I've ever seen at heavyweight. To say he is worse than Foreman is simply incorrect. Perhaps you can make a case for Louis losing to Foreman due to punching power and size (I disagree with that but anyway) but Louis had MUCH more skill. He threw every punch that Foreman could except quicker, shorter, and with more knockout potential. Foreman never knocked anyone out with one punch; he clubbed them into submission with a barrage of heavy artillery. Louis on the other hand routinely rendered people unconscious with a single short right or smooth left hook, sometimes for minutes at a time. His jab alone could hurt or stun you, similar to Liston's or Holmes's jab, except Louis's was quicker. Also unlike Foreman, he fought in a calm relaxed matter and retained his knockout power for the entire fight. It's sad how poorly this legend is remembered and how little respect he gets on this forum. Have you guys only seen his post WWII fights or something? This is a good fight, and a case for Ali winning can be made, but Louis would be the toughest opponent Ali faced and was much better than either Foreman or Frazier.

Weren't Conn and Ali different types of boxers though? You don't see Louis' bodywork slowing Ali down? sonny liston's bodywork didnt slow down ali. foreman's bodywork didnt slow down ali. besides, like ali said "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! your fists cant hit what your eyes cant see!"

I loved the way Joe Louis punched. He's the most complete offensive fighter in history. But, I think of how he truly struggled with Billy Conn...before taking him out. Ali was far bigger than Conn, far better......with an all-time great chin. He would hit Joe more than Conn did, harder than Conn did, & would absorb whatever Joe came back at him with better. Ali by decision or late TKO. Weren't Conn and Ali different types of boxers though? You don't see Louis' bodywork slowing Ali down?

I loved the way Joe Louis punched. He's the most complete offensive fighter in history. But, I think of how he truly struggled with Billy Conn...before taking him out. Ali was far bigger than Conn, far better......with an all-time great chin. He would hit Joe more than Conn did, harder than Conn did, & would absorb whatever Joe came back at him with better. Ali by decision or late TKO.

ali would win, no doubt in my mind. but if the fight took place against the joe louis in louis/schmeling II, nobody could beat joe louis on that night. ali by clean UD. 80% louis by KO. 20%

Were talking Prime versions. So, it's Ali jibbity-jibbity-jab in Louis face along night long. It's a wide UD or KO.