Is Joe Louis Still Overratred.

[The Old LefHook]

To me nothing is more obvious than that Louis has been traditionally underrated. I am not convinced Baer could even beat prime Schmeling. Who did Louis ever beat that was as good as Schmeling? Answer: No one. Louis clearly lost to Walcott. and was given the decision anyway. Besodes, is Old Walcott as good as prime Schmeling.

Louis had mighty slow feet. There has been loose talk around the forum about how fast his feet were when he was younger and wanted them to be. Just talk. No one has backed the contention up with film.

Some Louis fundamentals were very sound. But still, from what I have seen Louis has his work cut out for him even making the top 10 heavyweights AT comfortably.

[Lopez_Boxing]

Hes no Anthony Joshua i know that

[BKM-]

To me nothing is more obvious than that Louis has been traditionally underrated. I am not convinced Baer could even beat prime Schmeling. Who did Louis ever beat that was as good as Schmeling? Answer: No one. Louis clearly lost to Walcott. and was given the decision anyway. Besodes, is Old Walcott as good as prime Schmeling.

Louis had mighty slow feet. There has been loose talk around the forum about how fast his feet were when he was younger and wanted them to be. Just talk. No one has backed the contention up with film.

Some Louis fundamentals were very sound. But still, from what I have seen Louis has his work cut out for him even making the top 10 heavyweights AT comfortably.

Rated higher than he should be, absolutely. I find it preposterous that there are still many people who rank him above Ali. It's an impossible argument.

His legacy relies fully on his longevity and technical skills for his era. A masterful HW boxer, ahead of his time indeed. I get it, his punching was like art.

But he fought in a weak HW era, and certainly his best opponents were Schmeling(whom he's 1-1 with, and although he proved to be better in the end, I think a long technical beatdown resulting in a KO is worse than getting caught cold and finished in the 1st round IMO) and Walcott, whom most believe he lost to. And then Charles and Marciano who beat him past his prime. It shows again, his own era was weak.

He also gets too much leeway. Can you imagine the critique other ATG's would get for being dropped by the level of opposition who decked Louis, and how much trouble he had with Conn etc. People respect Louis too much to be blunt and honest. All great fighters should be treated with the same level of scrutiny.

[The Old LefHook]

Sorry, folks, I made a dreadful error. I meant to say that Louis is overrated. because of his historical impact.

[Rusty Tromboni]

To me nothing is more obvious than that Louis has been traditionally underrated. I am not convinced Baer could even beat prime Schmeling. Who did Louis ever beat that was as good as Schmeling? Answer: No one. Louis clearly lost to Walcott. and was given the decision anyway. Besodes, is Old Walcott as good as prime Schmeling.

Louis had mighty slow feet. There has been loose talk around the forum about how fast his feet were when he was younger and wanted them to be. Just talk. No one has backed the contention up with film.

Some Louis fundamentals were very sound. But still, from what I have seen Louis has his work cut out for him even making the top 10 heavyweights AT comfortably.

He's picture-perfect.

Please tell me what Arguello or Golovkin do better.

In their own eras they were feared and highly effective. They didn't find plodding giants, either. You can argue that their eras were con****uously absent of movers a la Pep or Benitez or Jones, I'll give you that.

I get it, Louis wasn't a mover and was easy enough to hit by anyone who dared to do so. But Ali wasn't a puncher, and he's called GOAT. Louis was as bad a "mover" as Ali was a "puncher", both did alright.

I actually think Louis does BETTER against more modern opponents. He packs on extra weight, and he can fight in spurts. No BRaddocks or Conns to have to worry about spoiling his night.

[sleazyfellow]

Want to see fast footwork from Louis? The first Baer fight is him at his best. Also, yeah the era was weak but not bad as early to mid 50s. His ranking is just right, right above or below Ali as number 1 or 2. The reason some people put him above Ali? Easy, he knocks out his opponents mostly, what you expect from a heavyweight. That and the 25 defenses. He was Sonny Liston before Sonny Liston, he was George Foreman before George Foreman.

[GhostofDempsey]

Hardly overrated, not nearly so as Ali.

[QueensburyRules]

- -Ok, we agree Ali though not fast over 100meters would beat Joe, but Joe would knock him down and maybe out.

Prob solved!!!

[The Old LefHook]

The #1 heavyweight of all time could still be overrated, and has been. The Will of Cassius Clay still overcomes all heavyweights before and after himself, but in some cases the fights would be much harder than we once supposed. He was willing to literally ruin himself to overcome opponents. And the #2 AT heavyweight could be underrated but still have the right ranking at #2. Got that?

[Marchegiano]

I'm confused about the Schmeling comparison. Why is Max your measuring tool?