Why is Joe Louis held in such high regard?

[Ray Corso]

People who actually know boxing know that Joe Louis was a superior boxer compared to the fighters then and now! Comparing individuals is a "fan based" argument, comparing skills and techniques is what an experienced boxing person would consider!
Evaluate the punching power and acuracy along with the tecnique and no heavy compares to him. His punches were exucuted at the shortest distance he could get to for the most impact!! His head movements were minimal in motion so he could counter quickly with maintaining balance!!!!

I could go on and on but that being said is MORE than any heavyweight today is capable of doing! I credir Louis for his learning abilities and ofcourse Mr. Blackburn for supplying the knowledge!

When I watch Wlad fight I see an oversized man trying to look like Joe Louis, Wlad does a great job with the contenders that are here but he does nothing better than Louis did! Nothing!!! Ray

[bojangles1987]

if you can't look at the tape and say "holy f#ck is this guy a great offensive fighter," you have no business talking about joe louis. the man revolutionized punching.

best right hand ever. short, to the point, accurate, and devastating.


when the HW championship was the most coveted trophy in sport, louis held it for over a decade. he mixed in some inactivity because of world war 2. his contenders have been, for the most part, much stronger than wladimir's.

Shocked me the first time I really went on a Joe Louis watching binge. He was an amazing offensive fighter. I'd seen the big fights, but never really watched and studied just how good he was.

[HWChampion]

I can't stand people who over hype old school fighters. And just because they fought more often automatically makes them better than any new school fighters. I would love to see Louis get destroyed by Lennox.

[LacedUp]

if you can't look at the tape and say "holy f#ck is this guy a great offensive fighter," you have no business talking about joe louis.

This right here^.

Wlad is not only getting criticism for fighting bad opponents, but also for stinking the place out at the same time.

[BUNGALOWS]

LOL OP. Louis used to eat bigger fighters up. It was always the smaller, crafty ones that gave him problems.

Louis is undoubtedly a top 2 HW of all time, and my favorite HW of all time.

[BUNGALOWS]

if you can't look at the tape and say "holy f#ck is this guy a great offensive fighter," you have no business talking about joe louis. the man revolutionized punching.

best right hand ever. short, to the point, accurate, and devastating.


when the HW championship was the most coveted trophy in sport, louis held it for over a decade. he mixed in some inactivity because of world war 2. his contenders have been, for the most part, much stronger than wladimir's.

This right here.

[bklynboy]

I can't stand people who over hype old school fighters. And just because they fought more often automatically makes them better than any new school fighters. I would love to see Louis get destroyed by Lennox.

I think that Lennox, if he came in shape, might have a chance. Not because he's taller (2") or heavier (if he came in soft at 240 he would be dead) or has a longer reach but because he was a skilled fighter who was able to take some lumps. But he had too many fights where he lost focus (see his KO loses) and where he ate too much leather.

Joe Louis was a far better fighter than you give him credit for. He was able to slip punches and not simply lean back to avoid them.

Take a look at Lewis v Ray Mercer. Now imagine that Mercer came in with 5-8% body fat (like middleweights do); imagine him faster, with more endurance, greater ability to slip punches (because he's lighter) and now realize that he's the same height, same weight and same reach as Joe Louis.

Louis could most definitely beat Lennox Lewis. Now I'm not saying that Lewis could never beat Joe Louis or that he wouldn't be competitive in their fights - he would because he was a skilled, talented fighter not because his weight and height was so much more.

Here's another example - Evander Holyfield. Same weight and height and reach as Joe Louis. He held his own against Bowe and Lewis and would have done so much better if his love of trading punches didn't get in the way of his boxing. And remember he fought Lewis at the age of 37 or 38.

Joe Louis was not too small to KO Lennox Lewis or WK.

Oh, one more thing. Louis had some pop in his gloves. Much more than Evander Holyfield.

[Mr.Fantastic]

He was black in a segregated era. On top of beating the German when the world was watching by great fashion, even if he had already lost to him previously.

Personally, even after watching a couple of his fights, I don't think he was what people make him out to be. But that's how media and fans are, always exaggerating people's accomplishments.

[shutupmeg]

Joe Louis resume is vastly better than Wlads.

He has wins over guys like:

Primo Carnera
Max Baer
Jack Sharkey
Jim Braddock
Tommy Farr
Max Schmeling
Billy Conn
Jersey Joe Walcott

Those fighters were far greater during their time than the opponents Wlad is facing now.

[Check_hooks]

He was easily the best HW of his era. This thread is as bad as the would Duran fight GGG thread