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

[SlimTrae]

I'm under the impression that if Joe were born in this era, he'd weigh the same, because of where he got his genes from. Example: Primo wasn't born big because of the era he came up in, it was his genes that determined it. So In my boldest opinion Joe Louis weighs the same no matter when he was born. Eddie Chambers to Chris Byrd would be the same size had they been born in the 1920s. Jack Johnson was ripped back then, Cleveland Williams had a body builder physique but today they would both be accused of juicing.

It is interesting how Ali's opponents are meticulously scrutinized, but not Joe Louis opponents. They all fought tough back then, they were the best then. Same for Ali's opponents. They, too grew up tough & were the best at that time.

Who were the great fighters that Joe fought? What made them great? I'm asking to learn, as I have no reason to counter nor disagree.

When I'm asked that of Ali..my reply is not so much based on just who he fought & beat but HOW he did it.
Ali was the 1st HW that used movement constantly. How could a methodical Joe do against such a style? As a result of Ali, not Joe, many fighters have adjusted and or adopted his style. Regardless of weight division.

Did Joe bring something to the game that wasn't done before? Just asking.

Ali beat up the old guards like Patterson & Moore on his way to the title, not after he got it like Marciano or many of today's HWs.
Ali's fight with Cleveleand Williams shows him throwing lightening combination upstairs...and believe or not..downstairs! His defense consisted of bobbing, weaving, this 6'3 master of footwork got under Cleveland's punches. At times he threw coming forward which had Big Cat bleeding all day.

Clay Ali went on to prove he could do this for 15rds post 1970s. Fluid footwork, combination punching, not pot-shotting. Getting under punches, using reflexes to just back straight out & evade. Time and counter.
See Liston vs Williams-- 2 guys who were accurate punchers, stayed in the pocket & didn't throw haymakers. Ali took these 2 apart. Easily at that!

He banged against Doug Jones, he outboxed Liston at 19 fights in the game. He beat the F outta Williams.

I see his career in the same light of a Pernell Whitaker or Ray Leonard as neither fighters had long careers, but looking at what they did and how they did it is taken into consideration.
Neither Pernell, Ray or Ali had long careers without a loss. So ti doesn't negate their greatness, rather shortens the period in which they claim greatness.

Respect to those who say Joe Louis was one if not the best. But I agree with the old Jew in the movie Coming to America...Marciano beat Joe Louis' azz, retirement or not!
Claiming if he hit you he got you, not true. Again Conn outboxed him & at timse put combinations on him, please put up the video here & we can go round by round and see a prime Joe compromised by the skills of a Billy Conn that went on to do what? This guy didn't fall to one shot. It was many shots because he stayed on the inside. Joe's son talked about how after that fight The Brown Bomber was swollen from ear to ear. & LHW did that!

David Tua on the inside wouldn't get shots in on Joe? Joe would force his way inside against the master clinching Klitschkos? How does he time & catch Fury who uses reach, lateral movement & countering?

Last- Wilder & Joe weighing similar IMO isn't something I'd call the one in the same. As Skinny dudes have shown from the Explosive Thin man aka Arguello to Hearns to Wilder the speed in which they throw & extend their long azz reach is how they generate power. Joe did it standard, natural power swinging from the hip. So his size today would matter along with. ..as Jack Johnson put it "mechanical" footwork and susceptibility to certain punches would make him a great in our era? yes, I'd say so. But he wouldn't have gone 25 wins as in 1936-1950. Like Ali, Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson he would've lost and more than once in his prime.
1976-1990 he beats all? 1986-2000 he beats all? 2006-current?