Would Joe Louis be too small to be successful at heavyweight today ?

[Dark Lord Al]

People forget that Louis fought big heavyweights. Max Baer was 6’3 and very strong. Primo Carnera was 6’6. He was basically the size of Wlad. Buddy Baer was the same height. Abe Simon was 6’4.

Now I’m not saying these guys were as good as AJ or Fury, but Louis destroyed these fighters. It wasn’t even close. I think he would do much better than many think. Also, he would walk through the cruiserweights of today. Even from todays standards Louis has great technique.

Those fighters you mentioned are garbage , or do we conclude David Haye is the greatest of all time because he beat 7'1 Valuev ?

[powerpuncher]

People forget that Louis fought big heavyweights. Max Baer was 6’3 and very strong. Primo Carnera was 6’6. He was basically the size of Wlad. Buddy Baer was the same height. Abe Simon was 6’4.

Now I’m not saying these guys were as good as AJ or Fury, but Louis destroyed these fighters. It wasn’t even close. I think he would do much better than many think. Also, he would walk through the cruiserweights of today. Even from todays standards Louis has great technique.

Those fighters you mentioned are garbage , or do we conclude David Haye is the greatest of all time because he beat 7'1 Valuev ?

And most HWs today are garbage. Max Baer was actually legit and very strong. And saying that Haye beat Valuev proves that smaller fighters can beat bigger fighters. I’m showing that Joe Louis in fact did beat bigger fighters. It’s not as if there were no giant HWs at his time. It’s just your perception on who is good and who isn’t. Valuev was basically Primo Carnera of today. And Valuev did well for himself.

I’ve seen lots and lots of Louis fights and I’ll tell you what, his technique is amazing. No HW today is better than him. You could argue that maybe size would be his downfall, but Wilder is out here knocking out super HWs while he is light for the division. I don’t see why Louis couldn’t do the same thing.

[Primo Carnera]

People forget that Louis fought big heavyweights. Max Baer was 6’3 and very strong. Primo Carnera was 6’6. He was basically the size of Wlad. Buddy Baer was the same height. Abe Simon was 6’4.

Now I’m not saying these guys were as good as AJ or Fury, but Louis destroyed these fighters. It wasn’t even close. I think he would do much better than many think. Also, he would walk through the cruiserweights of today. Even from todays standards Louis has great technique.

Those fighters you mentioned are garbage , or do we conclude David Haye is the greatest of all time because he beat 7'1 Valuev ?

And most HWs today are garbage. Max Baer was actually legit and very strong. And saying that Haye beat Valuev proves that smaller fighters can beat bigger fighters. I’m showing that Joe Louis in fact did beat bigger fighters. It’s not as if there were no giant HWs at his time. It’s just your perception on who is good and who isn’t. Valuev was basically Primo Carnera of today. And Valuev did well for himself.

I’ve seen lots and lots of Louis fights and I’ll tell you what, his technique is amazing. No HW today is better than him. You could argue that maybe size would be his downfall, but Wilder is out here knocking out super HWs while he is light for the division. I don’t see why Louis couldn’t do the same thing.

Easy Tiger. Now take that back!

[Spicoli]

Size is overrated. That's what she said . The field over the last 30 + years is littered with guys 165 to 190ish who packed on a few pounds and competed at heavy. I don't doubt for a minute Louis would pick up a belt or 3 and maybe that's in large part to the wba having 101 available. But seriously his talent, skill and commitment compared to many of todays heavies puts them to shame. And I guarantee he wasn't shoving a suitcase of illegal banned substances in his arse and veins to help him along. Let Louis land a right hand on Wilder..going backwards like the slow motion glacial mass that is Breazeale did and see how that goes. We seem to always speak of yesterdays fighters like they're on some literal evolutionary chart and came to the ring in loin cloths and carrying clubs. This sport is more mental than physical too. It's a two way street. I'd say if many of todays comforts, politics in the sport and everything being at a fingers touch were stripped away from todays fighters and they were dropped into yesteryear v top guys they'd be in for some real trouble.

[X]

I don't agree that Max Baer was garbage. He was a big guy, fantastic athlete with a shattering right hand. A 1930's Wilder except he could box too.

I couldn't say for sure, but I definitely do not automatically subscribe to the view that everything modern is somehow 'better' than what has gone before. It's a bit solipsic and very disrespectful and naive if the past. Life wasn't really in black and white and slow motion.

Nutrition, science and wealth have certainly changed the way people train now compared to the old timers .... but nobody can tell me that any modern Fighters trains harder or tougher than, say, Rocky Marciano. Those guys didn't use PEDs.

Life was harder then, people were hungry and poorer and maybe even more desperate. Slick, pure boxers like Ray Robinson, Benny Leonard, Joe Gans, Jim Corbett were actually tough and violent motherfuckers who would eat the Adrian Broners of the world for breakfast. They fought every few weeks, 15 rounders, no standing counts, little referee interference. Muhammad Ali, the quintessential 'beautiful' boxer was one of the hardest and toughest people you will ever have heard of.

What is certain is that there was a lot more competition. You can be a ranked heavyweight much more easily now than at any time in the past because there are simply less fighters.

Heavyweights stay down quite easy now. Wladimir, even Lennox did. James Jeffries fought on after 7 knockdowns, shattered orbital, broken arm, broken ribs and jaw and several missing teeth.

Jack Dempsey was a truly violent and ferocious beast. He fought grown men in mining town bars for a few cents when he was in his teens. Does anybody really think Audley Harrison beats him just because he is bigger?

Niw, there is no way I am saying that ALL old timers would have beaten today's fighters, and that modern guys are all garbage etc etc ....... but I am definitely challenging the view that ALL modern fighters are somehow generally better and would beat most of the historical guys.

[El Kabong]

If he had the healthcare, diet, etc of today's athlete then he'd probably be around Lennox/Evander size.

He wasn't a small man and his stamina and punching power would still see him effective.

Greatest heavyweight champion of all time!

[SlimTrae]

When I read that Jack Johnson stated Joe was susceptible to the very punch that Max kept landing over and over, how is that skill? Rematch he won by taking it to Max.

Billy Conn didn't out brawl Joe, he out boxed him and then Joe did to him what Wilder does....catch up to his foe with that eraser. Conn landed that left hook over & over. At times he threw 10-15 nonstop. But he stayed inside, where Joe eventually started landing that uppercut and after taking so many, Conn wilted.


Take that Joe and he beats Lennox Lewis? Vitali? Maybe he catches Wladimir, but in his prime he was a master clincher with a huge advantage with his jab/reach.

@ 6,2 he has good height, but was very economical with his punch out put albeit very accurate when he did throw. He wasn't very fluid, rather methodical. And his skills was against what he himself called was the bum of the month club.


Kethcel, Braddock, Schmelling, Walcott, Charles, Conn, 2-ton Galento, Baer. Are these the top fighters Joe beat? How would they do against Lennox, Vitali, AJ, Deontay, Fury?


Depending on when they fought Walcott or Charles determines how they'd fare as those guys fought WAY past their primes. Didn't Walcott fight Louis after 18 years at pro vs 14? One started in 1930, the other 1934. Today when that happens we take it into account.

Louis has the benefit of being a golden age fighter where we respect our previous era, then meticulously brake the future generation apart with critiques we over look for fighters of yesteryear. Joe does well in this era, but not sure he would be a hall of famer, at least not on the first ballot.

[Master]

If he had the healthcare, diet, etc of today's athlete then he'd probably be around Lennox/Evander size.

He wasn't a small man and his stamina and punching power would still see him effective.

Greatest heavyweight champion of all time!

Second only to Muhammad Ali.

[Manos de Piedra]

If grandad Povetkin rattled AJ then I think Joe Louis' diverse and superior punches put him away.

If Cunningham put Fury on his arse then so can Joe Louis, not too sure he would stay down after seeing the wilder fight.

If Fury made Wilder look like an amateur then so will Joe Louis.

But he would struggle against the true skilled big man in Lennox Lewis but not these big men we have now.

[Ron Swanson]

Size is overrated. That's what she said . The field over the last 30 + years is littered with guys 165 to 190ish who packed on a few pounds and competed at heavy. I don't doubt for a minute Louis would pick up a belt or 3 and maybe that's in large part to the wba having 101 available. But seriously his talent, skill and commitment compared to many of todays heavies puts them to shame. And I guarantee he wasn't shoving a suitcase of illegal banned substances in his arse and veins to help him along. Let Louis land a right hand on Wilder..going backwards like the slow motion glacial mass that is Breazeale did and see how that goes. We seem to always speak of yesterdays fighters like they're on some literal evolutionary chart and came to the ring in loin cloths and carrying clubs. This sport is more mental than physical too. It's a two way street. I'd say if many of todays comforts, politics in the sport and everything being at a fingers touch were stripped away from todays fighters and they were dropped into yesteryear v top guys they'd be in for some real trouble.

She only says that to make you feel better.