Holyfield says Joe Louis couldn't make it in boxing today

[revs1227]

blasphamy joe would ko holy hard

[Benny Leonard]

Holyfield is right, Joe Louis and Jesse Owens didn't have the HGH/Steroids he and other Olympians are alleged to use.

[Benny Leonard]

Here is one man's thoughts on what he'd do to Joe Louis

Ali's right in a way when he talks about Joe's footwork; it may be to slow to get to Ali in his prime (prior to exile).

Now I'm not sure if Joe shuffled in the manner he did because he just didn't have the speed of foot, which I doubt since I've seen footage of him running, or was he just not trained to fight in a Dempsey like manner with sprinting forward to make up room; which is possible.
But Ali shouldn't act like it will be easy; he was knocked down twice before his exile by fighters of lesser quality than Joe.

[Benny Leonard]

If Joe Louis could pump himself full of HGH and steroids like Evander did, I'm sure he'd do fine in today's HW era. He'd probably make some noise at cruiserweight anyway.

I don't know exactly what Holyfield is talking about saying they didn't have videotape. Sure the footage isn't as good, but there's a bunch of Louis fights on film. Even before Louis, Gene Tunney was known to watch films of opponents and study them.

They had footage back then and I forget which fighter that was a "Great" was one of the first to have used film as a study tool. It was a lighter weight fighter. I read about it on one of Coxscorner articles about a fighter. I just forget which one.

[The Noose]

nice holding onto the rope with one arm and taking 10 clean headshots without bothering to block with the other defense by schmelling. really top class

Holyfield was talking about Louis, not Schmelling. And i wonder if Holyfield could have put Scmelling away in one round?

[cuzfozzy]

Joe Louis is a top 10 heavyweight champ . Holyfield a top 20 heavyweight champion. Holyfield is no way in Louis's class ...

[Benny Leonard]

Always hearsay and you can't ever be for sure with matchups like this. But Louis would have had a chance against anyone. When it comes to size all that matters is height and reach, and I suppose the blubber can wear the smaller guy out if you keep leaning on him. This does NOT win fights.
Then what do we have left? Everything else the older guys are just as good at, and quite frankly even better. They were thougher, in better shape, had better old school fundementals etc.

This is why people only say this about the old Heavyweights, not the fighters of the lower weight classes. Because ff you take size away, what do they have left?



Post of the year.

Some of the HWs today are comparable to Abe Simon...not that great. Wlad and Vitali are the exception. Although, Abe did knockout Jersey Joe Walcott way before Marciano did...but does that just degrade Marciano???


6'4, 250+ Abe Simon

[The Noose]

Ali's right in a way when he talks about Joe's footwork; it may be to slow to get to Ali in his prime (prior to exile).

Now I'm not sure if Joe shuffled in the manner he did because he just didn't have the speed of foot, which I doubt since I've seen footage of him running, or was he just not trained to fight in a Dempsey like manner with sprinting forward to make up room; which is possible.
But Ali shouldn't act like it will be easy; he was knocked down twice before his exile by fighters of lesser quality than Joe.

Some say Louis's flat footed style was perfect at luring in opponents before taking their heads off.

[cuzfozzy]

kostya tszyu seemed slow compared to zab judah , look what happened

[Abstraction]

Holyfield is a very good boxer, but i can't take him serious what with the alleged Steroid abuse, and his often headbutting in boxing.

As for Joe Louis, along with guys like say Jack Johnson, Dempsey etc. They were boxing long long long ago, so it's hard to see how they would last today. But if they were present day boxers, imo, they would KO Holyfield.