1941 Billy Conn vs 1916 Jess Willard

[Spartacus Sully]

And I don't know about that, Conn took some good shots from Louis. Willard isn't even in Louis' ballpark power-wise.

P4p but punch for punch louis isnt even in willards ballpark.

willard killed a guy with his upper cut sending his jaw bone through his brain and almost sets dempsey down with a jab with in the first few moments of their fight.

are we really considering a 174 lb conn that fought louis even surving a match against a 245 lb willard?

absurd.

[BigStereotype]

P4p but punch for punch louis isnt even in willards ballpark.

willard killed a guy with his upper cut sending his jaw bone through his brain and almost sets dempsey down with a jab with in the first few moments of their fight.

are we really considering a 174 lb conn that fought louis even surving a match against a 245 lb willard?

absurd.

Willard has more power than Louis? I should say not. Willard was big and strong and could do damage, but Louis was a sublimely powerful puncher. There's a difference between doing damage because you're strong and having perfect punching technique AND terrific strength. Not that Louis was as strong as Willard, he wasn't. But I'd rather take a Willard shot than a Louis one.

[Scott9945]

P4p but punch for punch louis isnt even in willards ballpark.

willard killed a guy with his upper cut sending his jaw bone through his brain and almost sets dempsey down with a jab with in the first few moments of their fight.

are we really considering a 174 lb conn that fought louis even surving a match against a 245 lb willard?

absurd.

Willard lost to others that size who weren't in Conn's class. Even Dempsey was just 13 lbs over the lightheavyweight limit. So yeah we're considering it.

[Spartacus Sully]

Willard has more power than Louis? I should say not. Willard was big and strong and could do damage, but Louis was a sublimely powerful puncher. There's a difference between doing damage because you're strong and having perfect punching technique AND terrific strength. Not that Louis was as strong as Willard, he wasn't. But I'd rather take a Willard shot than a Louis one.

louis had more power then willard? I should say not.

theres a diffrence yes but willard did know how to punch.

there is a diffrence between some one who is just strong and some one with perfect punching technique. but once you get the basic punch down the diffrence decreases exponetially as the work required for an increase in power increases expotentially.

take some one thats 245 of muscle and never boxed before you might have a point but willard had fought a few matches and was champion, at one time, he knew how to punch and punch hard.

also alot of the damage of louis comes from his ability to draw the opponet in and hit him on the way in not from pure punching power but stragety.

id rather the hit from louis any day of the week then a hit from willard.

id rather the hit from willard any day of the week then a combo from louis.

[Spartacus Sully]

Willard lost to others that size who weren't in Conn's class. Even Dempsey was just 13 lbs over the lightheavyweight limit. So yeah we're considering it.

not against any person he had properly trained for.

dempseys not conn he didnt run, he was heavier then him, he was better out of a crouch, he had better head movement, he was more experienced at fighting bigger people and looking at his ko to tko ratio id even venture to guess dempsey hit harder then louis.

plus dempsey had the advantage of hitting willard on the way up which con would not have.

the trained 240 lb willard that got in the ring with johnson might just kill conn.

[BigStereotype]

louis had more power then willard? I should say not.

theres a diffrence yes but willard did know how to punch.

there is a diffrence between some one who is just strong and some one with perfect punching technique. but once you get the basic punch down the diffrence decreases exponetially as the work required for an increase in power increases expotentially.

take some one thats 245 of muscle and never boxed before you might have a point but willard had fought a few matches and was champion, at one time, he knew how to punch and punch hard.

also alot of the damage of louis comes from his ability to draw the opponet in and hit him on the way in not from pure punching power but stragety.

id rather the hit from louis any day of the week then a hit from willard.

id rather the hit from willard any day of the week then a combo from louis.

You might be right in terms of sheer impact, but the bolded is important too. Conn withstood some hellacious combinations to the body and head. Now I'm not saying that Willard couldn't knock Conn out. That'd be silly. Willard was a puncher and Conn the much smaller man. But I would bet on Slick Willy out boxing Willard and doing so fairly easily.

[Spartacus Sully]

You might be right in terms of sheer impact, but the bolded is important too. Conn withstood some hellacious combinations to the body and head. Now I'm not saying that Willard couldn't knock Conn out. That'd be silly. Willard was a puncher and Conn the much smaller man. But I would bet on Slick Willy out boxing Willard and doing so fairly easily.

conn definatly has better skills but i just dont see him lasting 15 rounds with out taking the hit that puts him down for the count.

with that much weight diffrence theres only 2 options, attack all out hoping to over whelm the guy, or dance around till the other guy wears out or gets frustrated.

a trained willard has the stamina to throw haymakers all the way into the 15th round.

the best chance of conn winning is on points against an apathetic willard considering a 70 lb weight advantage as all he needs to defend his title and gasses by the 5th round.

[JAB5239]

not against any person he had properly trained for.

dempseys not conn he didnt run, he was heavier then him, he was better out of a crouch, he had better head movement, he was more experienced at fighting bigger people and looking at his ko to tko ratio id even venture to guess dempsey hit harder then louis.

plus dempsey had the advantage of hitting willard on the way up which con would not have.

the trained 240 lb willard that got in the ring with johnson might just kill conn.

The year before he lost a 12 round decision to 175lb Tom McMahon. assuming this fight is 15 rounds I see no reason a much more talented and celebrated Conn cannot do the same thing as McMahon yet in more impressive fashion.

[Spartacus Sully]

The year before he lost a 12 round decision to 175lb Tom McMahon. assuming this fight is 15 rounds I see no reason a much more talented and celebrated Conn cannot do the same thing as McMahon yet in more impressive fashion.

i cant find much out about the fight.

as willard was a replacement for levenski how long did willard have to train for it?

gunboat smith might be a better example of a lighter person beating willard as willard probly trained for the fight but im sure one can just chalk that up to expericen and age on smiths part being 34-6 to willards 13-2 and like 6 years younger then willard.

[Suckmedry]

Conn could probably win, but you know, with a 60 something pound weight difference he'd need to be careful.