Quote Originally Posted by Master View Post
Why you rolling your eyes I thought this was a bit of fun?

I name 3 great heavyweights not because Joe never fought them which is impossible but he never fought anyone as good as them.

Ali may have been knocked down but he always got back up and had a fantastic chin.

Wlad was 2nd highest title defences but no one would have him as the 2nd best heavyweight of all time.

The point about Johnson is a separate point and unrelated to Ali but pointing out Johnson was ahead of his time.
I am having a bit of fun dismantling your arguments.

Joe fought the best of the best in his era and won 25 in a row. How could you or anyone else expect anything more from the guy? Expecting more from him (especially considering, he like your much beloved Ali had years of his prime taken from him, Danke Adolf ) Is more ever expected of Ali? Why not? Joe Louis did everything a guy could do and in his era he dominated from 1938 to 1950 he was THE MAN and nobody in any era has been able to replicate his feat...and therefore it's impressive and therefore it deserves praise and attention and Joe Louis deserves his name listed at the tippy top of the All-Time greats of the division not because he had a weak era, but everything he COULD control he did and did so brilliantly. What is wrong with that?


I say great things about Joe Louis because he earned them. I don't or attempt to not diminish what Ali accomplished, I always mention that he's a great boxer...he's not MY Greatest of All-Time. Why is that a bother for some people? Rocky Marciano never lost a single fight .... how's it logical to say "Oh yeah Ali was better than Rocky because of his opponents"...Rocky couldn't pick and choose who he had in his era anymore than Ali did.


Ali had his glove cut to give him time to survive vs Cooper. I'm sorry, it's clever, it's smart thinking from Dundee, but come on dude.


Wlad's title defenses weren't all in a row. He cumulatively held the title longer than anyone else, but that involves LOSING in between title reigns so that dents his standing. I think he's top 10, based on resiliency and longevity at the top, but that's me and my personal opinion...others are free to vary.

Must people ALWAYS read my celebration of the Great Joe Louis as a disrespect to Muhammad Ali? Joe Louis is MY All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Champion he stands alone on top of the peak of the sport in that division and my view isn't going to budge an inch. Ali is up there, Marciano is up there...great champions, but the GREATEST, statistically the GREATEST is Joe Louis and had it not been for WW2 he could have easily had 35 successful title defenses in a row.


How exactly was Johnson ahead of his time? I'm not being an ass, I just am curious. The stick and move style for heavyweights had been around, perhaps the brash audaciousness and flashiness of the man himself was new, or perhaps due to the era it was broadcast farther and wider and therefore had a larger impact? I think Johnson's style had certainly been seen elsewhere, I think the sport was changing at the time, I think he was a big personality and an exceptional boxer, but new and unique altogether? Maybe. But I'm genuinely curious as to your thoughts on him being ahead of his time.