Why is Joe Louis Rated so Highly?

[LacedUp]

Agreed, and you're right, to keep it on track...

Louis's opponents were of lower calibre and skill than Foreman, Ali and Holyfield's opponents. This is evidenced by the stats of the boxers, the records, analysis of their opponents and the video of their fights.

Overall he might have been a better boxer than Ali who was fundamentally fairly poor. He definitely was a better technical boxer than Foreman who for the first part of his career could barely box. Of course Ali would likely batter Louis into submission due to his size and speed (and later strength) and Foreman would knock him out in the 1st round due to insurmountable strength and power. Of course Holyfield is a completely superior boxer in everyway than Louis.

Lb for lb? No fighter who fought exclusively at HW (unlimited) can ever assume lb for lb status at all. The closest example might have been Mike Tyson considering he was a smaller HW fighting larger ones mostly. Marciano stat wise except he never faced a decent big opponent. Other than that, only former limit division fighters who move up to HW have the necessary skills to be considered lb for lb like Holyfield and Haye etc. Guys like LEnnox or Ali for example who rely on their size advantages as part of their style cannot translate lb for lb.

Joe Louis is a particularly silly example for anybody to suggest he was a lb for lb great fighter since, despite some classic fights against oafs where he was outsized, mostly he outsized nearly all of his opponents. More specifically, he outsized all of his skilled opponents.

[Elroy1]

If HWs like Lewis and Ali can't translate lb for lb because they rely on their size advantages, then how is Wlad in the top 10 P4P?

I completely disagree with Wladimir being in a lb for lb ranking for the same reasons.

Who ranks Wladimir in a lb for lb fashion?

[Weltschmerz]

We can conclude that Weltschmerz's knowledge about boxing is as big as my interest in Anorak's love life.

Play the world's smallest violin, bieber boy

[LacedUp]

Play the world's smallest violin, bieber boy

[Weltschmerz]

Bieber is self combusting right now.

[VG_Addict]

I completely disagree with Wladimir being in a lb for lb ranking for the same reasons.

Who ranks Wladimir in a lb for lb fashion?

The Ring, TBRB, and a lot of fans, just to name a few.

[crold1]

it's probablynot appropriate to put hiim in the top 10 p4p of all time.


he's rated second best, behind ali, at HW because of his reign. he fought some good - very good fighters, and he was champion forever.



looking at film of louis, which is very well preserved [near HD quality in some cases,] we can see his skills and his talents. he was one of the most potent offensive fighters ever. i rate his right hand above all others in the history of the sport. it was educated, sharp, and devastatingly powerful.

He was the best Heavyweight combination puncher that ever lived. His foot speed was spotty but his hand speed was underrated and he could kill guys dead with either hand.

[Elroy1]

The Ring, TBRB, and a lot of fans, just to name a few.

Well I can honestly say that that is totally wrong and doesn't stand up to common sense. The ring etc are ******ed to have made that ranking for Wladimir, fair is fair!

Wladimir is a great HW champion, he utilises his height advantage over his opposition allied to his skills and strength to win. Take the height advantage away though and his strength and it clearly isn't enough to compete lb for lb with limit division champs who have necessarily a much broader skillset.

Obligate HW's can have a more minimal skillset and still thrive because they are explicitly allowed to out size their opposition in range and muscle and also allowed the luxury of storing some body fat within reason.

One of the first times I can ever agree with your (usually) dumb ass!

[ShoulderRoll]

His shuffling footwork was by design. Jack Blackburn wanted him to be in balance and able to plant his feet at all times, that way he could always hit with power.

He trained Louis the same way he was trained when he was a boxer.

[New England]

Man, you just exposed yourself as a fool.

Brewster was 226lbs up to even larger and a hulking power house at that weight with a very heavy bone structure.

For anybody reading what you wrote and then doing a quick check they could see immediately that one of these guys (Brewster) is someone you would not want to bump into in a dark alley and who you might find working security on a door somewhere.

The other guy (Louis) looks by comparison like a school boy who has had a few seasons of sports day under his belt but really could use a few sandwiches.

Reality is is that even comparing Louis to Brewster in h2h terms is laughable! There's no way Louis could even fight properly this calibre of opponent.

i exposed myself as a fool, aye?