Thread: Holyfield on Joe Louis "I'd tear him up!"

In a recent interview with Esquire, Evander Holyfield made these following statements:

"Jesse Owens couldn't even make the Olympic team today. It's the same with boxing. I always just look at Joe Louis, I say, You know what, he kind of slow. I'd tear him up.

People say, Joe Louis had twenty-five consecutive wins as a champion. That's because they didn't have videotape. You couldn't pick up his style unless you was in there with him."

Didnt think Evander was like that dissing an ATG.

Not sure he wasn't telling the truth though, I don't think the minature heavyweights of the turn of the century or up until the 60's would have done very well against LIston and on. There are obviously a few like Joe Louis and Jack Johnson that might have held their own, but I don't see them beating guys like Lewis, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Foreman, Holyfield, Prime Tyson, Bowe, etc, etc. I think the sport has evolved too much stylistically, and in size.

Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

In a recent interview with Esquire, Evander Holyfield made these following statements:

"Jesse Owens couldn't even make the Olympic team today. It's the same with boxing. I always just look at Joe Louis, I say, You know what, he kind of slow. I'd tear him up.

People say, Joe Louis had twenty-five consecutive wins as a champion. That's because they didn't have videotape. You couldn't pick up his style unless you was in there with him."

Evander Holyfield is acting like an idiot does he not realize the garbage running tracks, and the garbage running shoes runners had back in those days ? and they certainly didn't have dietitians, and all the supplements runners have to today. Plus steroids which most runners have now and you better believe it.

As for the Joe Louis comment again just pure hating right there, Evander Holyfield was a very good fighter but he also had his faults. He got wobbled badly against B level fighters like Alex Stewart, Bert Cooper.

He almost lost to an ancient Larry Holmes losing the last 3 rounds, and just eeking out a decision by 7-5. He also received a very tough fight against Michael Dokes who was years past his best. And he lost soundly to Riddick Bowe in his prime.

I always respected Evander Holyfield but im starting to dislike him, in the last few years. With all these steroid rumours, 9 illegitimate kids, and him keep fighting well past his best trying to convince us and himself he has something left.

Which he doesn't since 2000s his record is just ridiculous, 1-1-1 John Ruiz, 0-1 against a former Middleweight James Toney, 0-1 Chris Byrd, 0-1 Larry Donald, 0-1 Sultan Ibragimov, 0-1 Nikolai Valuev.

Now IMO he did deserve the win against Nikolai Valuev no question, but just have a look at that record its ridiculous his best win since 2000s is against Hasim Rahman, and even that was on a headbutt.

6-6-1 is his exact record since 2000s why doesn't he just quit ? im starting to lose the respect i used to have for him, and these comments right here don't sound like the Evander Holyfield i used to look up to.

As for the Joe Louis comment again just pure hating right there, Evander Holyfield was a very good fighter but he also had his faults. He got wobbled badly against B level fighters like Alex Stewart, Bert Cooper.

True, but the fact that he got up and won speaks worlds about him.

Tons of ATGs have been hurt or dropped by mediocre opponents. Even Louis, he nearly got KO'd by that fat blob Tony Galento.

Holyfield is delusional, Louis is naturally bigger than him, Holyfield need to train with Lee Hainey and take growth hormone to get to heavy.

Same with the runners, they ALL take steroids or another performance enhancer to compete, Owens didnt.

Holyfield is just a bitter old diick, he resents that Mike Tyson is still better known and loved than he is and that Lewis took his glory away.

It is interesting to point out that Jesse Owens was not at all the top dog in the US at the time, apparently there was another guy who was clearly better, but he was injured and missed the Olympics. Forget his name though.

Back to the Louis thing, give him what Holyfield had to use, and it would be a different story. Surely Holyfield knows this.

Originally Posted by ross

Holyfield is delusional, Louis is naturally bigger than him, Holyfield need to train with Lee Hainey and take growth hormone to get to heavy.

Same with the runners, they ALL take steroids or another performance enhancer to compete, Owens didnt.

Holyfield is just a bitter old diick, he resents that Mike Tyson is still better known and loved than he is and that Lewis took his glory away.

YOu can't assume all athletes take Steriods. Guys like Usain Bolt would beat any sprinter in any generation with or without modern techniques.

Louis wasn't that big, he was shorter than Holyfield, and weighed less than Holyfield did at heavy, we don't know how long Holyfield allegedly took steriods. If anything they were about the same size, but Holyfield is used to fighting really good fighters like Bowe, Lewis, Foreman who were way bigger than him.

Originally Posted by ross

Holyfield is delusional, Louis is naturally bigger than him, Holyfield need to train with Lee Hainey and take growth hormone to get to heavy.

Same with the runners, they ALL take steroids or another performance enhancer to compete, Owens didnt.

Holyfield is just a bitter old diick, he resents that Mike Tyson is still better known and loved than he is and that Lewis took his glory away.

Holyfield was taller and heavier than Louis, I don't see how you say he was smaller. The difference is that when Holyfield was a heavyweight there guys like Tyson, Lewis, Bowe who were way bigger than him, and still athletic, fast, and hit hard.

Originally Posted by ross

Holyfield is delusional, Louis is naturally bigger than him, Holyfield need to train with Lee Hainey and take growth hormone to get to heavy.

Same with the runners, they ALL take steroids or another performance enhancer to compete, Owens didnt.

Holyfield is just a bitter old diick, he resents that Mike Tyson is still better known and loved than he is and that Lewis took his glory away.

I have to defend Evander Holyfield here it is unfair Mike Tyson is more well known and loved. Mike Tyson beat alot of stiffs and mostly everytime he stepped up and fought very good/great fighter he lost.

Mike Tyson was lucky he come along at that right time when boxing needed a star. And of course he had a massive punch which helped to promote him.

I enjoy watching Mike Tyson fights i watched a whole heap of them last week, but if you actually study up on his opposition. Its a pretty poor list of fighters, except for an old Larry Holmes, Light Heavyweight Michael Spinks.

And Evander Holyfield was very unlucky that Buster Douglas upset Mike Tyson, and he didn't get his shot. Because i think Mike Tyson was far enough gone at that time that Evander Holyfield could of took him.

And despite Evander Holyfield being a massive underdog against Mike Tyson in 1996, and only 1 sportwriter out of 42 picking Evander Holyfield. He still doesn't get credit for fighting a fine fight and whooping Mike Tyson which is very unfair. I think boxing fans are well too kind to Mike Tyson and make a ton of excuses for him.

Originally Posted by Taeth

Not sure he wasn't telling the truth though, I don't think the minature heavyweights of the turn of the century or up until the 60's would have done very well against LIston and on. There are obviously a few like Joe Louis and Jack Johnson that might have held their own, but I don't see them beating guys like Lewis, Ali, Frazier, Liston, Foreman, Holyfield, Prime Tyson, Bowe, etc, etc. I think the sport has evolved too much stylistically, and in size.

Even if there may be some truth in what you're saying... I think it's pretty classless of Holyfield to be spouting off on previous champions, especially dead ones. Evander should worry about other things, such as hanging up his gloves for good before someone hurts him beyond the point of no return.

Holyfield is my all time favourite HW. But he gets eaten alive by Louis.

Well he has a point but i dont know why he would say somthing like that but lets get real how do you think he would do with the competion that Evander Holyfeild dealed with i mean have you seen some of the fighters Louis fought against for the defences they were not really fighters there is a reason the called it bum of the month club because they were bums. Holyfeild beat Tyson, Bowie, Holmes, Foreman and Moorer all good heavyweights and even in his late 30's gave Lewis in the rematch a good fight i think his age and heart condtion have effected him but he still has fought through it and i could see Holyfeild beating Louis i think Holyfeild was just as good if he were in that era could of done the same thing.

When Evan Fields started out his pro career he weighed less than Louis did at his debut.

Evan took growth hormone to get bigger.

Fields is jealous of every other fighter held in higher regard than himself (much like Holmes) and no matter what anyone says alot of people would still make a prime Holyfield an underdog against a prime Tyson, a prime Tyson wiped the floor with Holmes, a prime Holyfield struggled with Tysons older left overs.

Here's the esquire article.

Evander Holyfield Biography - Quotes from Evander Holyfield - Esquire