Joe Louis was the greatest!

[Barn]

Ali is a greater and I've come to terms with that now I doubt my opinion will ever change.

[DreamFighter]

I am always a believer that a good giant man beats a good non giant.

try telling that to poor Jim Jeffries.

[Scott9945]

try telling that to poor Jim Jeffries.

Please explain......

[McGoorty]

Good post!.

Just a side note, although he used to fight at 200lbs or little more, Joe Louis was not so small. He was 6.2, while Ali is 6.3 , Tyson around 5.10.

I didn't mean Joe was at all small, at 6'2' he is a big boy and come to think of it I think he is big enough and so many times better than the Klitchkos and I would not be the least surprised If Louis cut them to shreds, or even Lennox, but they are still so huge and heavier that they all have a punchers chance. Louis's only ***** in his armour is that he was not immune to KO, some say Joe was flat footed but I say that when Joe wants to close the distance he was lightning, and he had great hand speed.. it was his hand speed that made him head and shoulders above all the heavyweights over a 20 year span, and the bums of the month back then would be classed as impressive and very dangerous fighters now.

[Panamaniac]

"Joe Louis was the greatest!"

And you don't need to be oldschool to realize that!!

But it does help - as in your case - to be his #1 fan... As for being "The Greatest" I know a fellow named Muhammad Ali who might give you an argument...

Reality Check - Joe Louis' place in Boxing lore:

Among Heavyweights:

1. Louis
2. Ali
3. Holmes
4. Tyson
5. Foreman
6. Johnson
7. Marciano
8. Liston
9. Frazier
10. Dempsey

Among P4P ATG's:

1. Robinson
2. Armstrong
3. Louis
4. Greb
5. Ali
6. Duran
7. Leonard, B.
8. Holmes
9. Gans
10. Pep

[MichaelSt.John]

Boxing: The only sport where fans believe the athletes are devolving.

[Ray Corso]

Best heavyweight combination puncher ever! Both hands have power and acuracy and his technique is unsurpassed! Tremendous body to head attack and a jab that will fill your eyes with water & stars!
Perfect body for a heavyweigh 6'2" 190 to 200lbs only Ali had a better one!
He had an experienced corner who at that time one an ATG in his chappy. Mr. Blackburn to this day is a mentor to all trainers because we were unwillingly repeating his common sense repetition and his techniques in conditioning. b-bomber you can eat and take whatever the new chemists are designing now but that doesn't mean you can get through a Blackburn training camp!!!!
I'm so sick and tired of hearing about the "new training techniques & modern day BS, that used today thats so much better than the "good old days"!

Someone state what New Techniques in boxing have been developed in the past 20 years? Tell me who is a more complete fighter than Sugar Ray Robinson?
Ray.

[wigg1]

I could care a less about the whole Ali vs Louis debate.
Without Joe Louis there may have never been an Ali. Louis had to break tremendous barriers in boxing..... even in golf he was the first black person to play a PGA sanctioned event. Ali did great things too.
I'm thankful for both boxers & everything they gave fight fans, & did for people in general.
They both were instrumental in the growth of the sport we all love. So for me personally that's where I'm at.

[B-Bomber]

Best heavyweight combination puncher ever! Both hands have power and acuracy and his technique is unsurpassed! Tremendous body to head attack and a jab that will fill your eyes with water & stars!
Perfect body for a heavyweigh 6'2" 190 to 200lbs only Ali had a better one!
He had an experienced corner who at that time one an ATG in his chappy. Mr. Blackburn to this day is a mentor to all trainers because we were unwillingly repeating his common sense repetition and his techniques in conditioning. b-bomber you can eat and take whatever the new chemists are designing now but that doesn't mean you can get through a Blackburn training camp!!!!
I'm so sick and tired of hearing about the "new training techniques & modern day BS, that used today thats so much better than the "good old days"!

Someone state what New Techniques in boxing have been developed in the past 20 years? Tell me who is a more complete fighter than Sugar Ray Robinson?
Ray.

I agree.

I was talking about weight and appearance. Many people think that the likes of Joe Louis could never compete with today's fighters because of the huge weight difference, and use it as a proof that the sport is evolving. That is why I mentioned chemistry.

You are surely more experienced than I about training camps back then and today, and I would appreciate it if you could sum up the main differences.

As far as technique goes, in my opinion there is no debate, especially in the heavy weight division. Louis' footwork (often criticized), choice of punches, body movement and combination punching is the evidence of a deep knowledge of the sport.

I wouldn't even bring up SRR, for I think that Louis had a better technique and was more complete than any HW in the last 25 years at least.