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

[Mr140]

I would rather see a guy fight greats then batenders but i know Louis may not had the competion but i not going to use that in putting down Holyfeild because he had a strong divsion to me your only as good as the man that beat and Holyfeild beat men that were great all i can say.

[El Kabong]

I don't doubt Holyfield's greatness, I just think it pales in comparison to Joe Louis'. Just my take, Holyfield is one of the toughest guys to beat hands down....his fight vs Valuev further proves that.

Joe Louis just had an aura about him, I guess kind of like Tyson had an aura around him during his prime but Joe Louis was great (unlike Tyson) and he was great for a long time (unlike Tyson)....if you merged Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield you'd have Joe Louis, he was a power puncher but he could apply pressure and he could also set someone up by using a plethera of punches with power to back them up.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Comparisons to other eras no matter what sport are absurd, first of all the training, diet and professionalism simply wasn't there back in the 30's.
Athletes, be it Footballers, Basketball players, Baseball players, Hockey players, Cricketers, Cyclists and Boxers etc are all full time professionals these days and if they are not cheating then they put themselves through rigorous training regimes and are all on special diets to maximise performance and longevity in their chosen sport.
Holyfield is way off the mark here with his comments, Louis and Owens were greats of their time and had they of had the advantages he has had then they would have been greater!
Almost all of our past sporting heroes were part-timers and their achievements were exceptional given their circumstances. Does Holyfield think that both Phelps and Bolt's achievements in Beijing will not be surpassed given time? Holyfield has taken to many punches.

[Rotten Apple]

It really wasn't even that much of a diss. He pretty much just said he could beat him. Yeah I agree it's time for him to go. It's been time. But he fights on for the same reason Louis fought on. He needs the money.

I ignore all negative Holyfield news. That guy that fought recently is named Evander Holyfield. But that's just in name. It's not the same guy I followed and made money off by betting on him. That guy disappeared when James Toney (a former Middleweight) knocked him out. He was already shot by than. But I bought his excuses (bad shoulder against Byrd, Ruiz to much holding was the problem) even though I knew they were just that. Excuses. Cuz he was Holyfield. He earned his excuses (they long ran out by now).

Now I seen a lot of Louis fights. Read and study up on him enough to know he was a great fighter. But he was before my time. I didn't follow him. So I can't back him as much as I back Holyfield. And I don't want to back him up. Louis never made me no money like Evander did. So Evander says he can beat Louis ass. Than Evander can beat Louis ass

It is rather difficult to get behind a fighter you never saw fight live

Well, that's why I'm behind The Brown Bomber. Believe it or not, I did actually see him fight. He would have beaten Holyfield IMO, but a compareison of the level of opposition would clearly favor Holyfield who has fought just about everyone and anyone.

Really? Wow. How old are you? If you don't mind me asking.

[holmcall]

I replied along with a positive rep-heh heh

[holmcall]

I was either 12 or 13 when I saw Louis fight some guy in the Chicago Stadium. My dad and brother were with me. We attended pro fights on an almost weekly basis back then and I was beginning my amature career in the Chicago Park Leagues. It was his first fight on his comeback after losing to Ezzard Charles and the other guy was pretty good. Louis won a decision as I recall. I also saw him fight live on tv a few times. He was everyone's hero-white, brown or black. He transcended race.

[WEILAND]

Louis would K.O. him.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

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.

It happens. Galento and Braddock weren't better. They were C level. They dropped and hurt Louis. Conn a non-puncher at Light Heavyweight shook him pretty good.

I agree with Holyfield. I think he smashes Louis.

Ditto.

Although i say that based purely taking each fighter as i see them. No considertion to training regime, diet regime and of course, Youtube lol.

[Trainer Monkey]

Stupid thing to say on many different levels.
As pointed out by others,athletes didnt have the training knowledge,let alone standards they do today,the Yankees once had to put out a story that Babe Ruth had "eaten too many hotdogs" for why he wasnt playing one day,yeah 12 ounce hotdogs in a chilled glass with a frothy foamy head on them. Micky Mantle played half of his career hung over as hell. Also there werent any,"athletes little helpers",so at the very least we know Louis wasnt on any form of juice,nobody can say that about Evander.
Longer rounds and less rules,not that Evander doesnt lean on the rules of boxing as they stand so hard you can hear them creak. But Louis had to fight in an era with more time in there,and less rules while you were in there.

And the main reason why it was stupid,what purpose does it serve? He wasnt specifically asked about Louis. Whats the point of dissing a dead legend? Is it going to get him fans? Is it going to make boxing historians rethink their position on Holyfield? Or will it just piss a bunch of people off?

[ross]

The more I see of Louis the more aI wish he was around today, he may have been a little methodical but fuck me did he just have raw power and very accurate to boot.

Ive boxed 18 amature matches and know what it feels like in your own fist and arm when you connect at the perfect distance, you feel a jarring right up your arm and in to your shoulders, you just know it landed perfect and you can see alot of his punches doing just that, whereas some like Holyfiled needs workrate, Louis could and probably would pick Holyfield apart when he comes in, making Holyfield alot more wary of that power and slow down to suit Louis.

Dont forget people that would probably be the same size if not smaller if they lost fat have hurt Holyfield, like Ruiz and Toney.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lnTDtqiYzww



A nice match up would be Jack Dempsey v Joe Louis, Louis was bigger but their styles would have made for a good scrap.

[Master]

If we were talking about the super heavyweights such as Lennox and Vitali I could nearly agree that Joe would not beat modern heavyweights. Holyfield is a smaller heavyweight and would weigh at his best 218lb (if you perceive his best to be when he fought Tyson). If you believe his peak was when he was first champion then it would be around 207lb. Either way that is not much heavier that Joe Louis who superstitiously always tried to weigh below 200lb at his peak. For a fight with Holyfield, Joe would probably come over 200lb.

Holyfield would have to use his boxing skills unless he tried to go for an early KO as Joe could start slowly. Joe however punched harder than Holyfield, his jab, left hook and right cross were very devastating as Ross said, and if he managed to put Holyfield down like Bert Cooper then Joe Loius was one of the best finishers ever.

It is not clear-cut that Holyfield would beat Joe Louis. Holyfield was not that much bigger, did not punch as hard, and was inconsistent.

[Mr140]

Well Louis was rocked by even lesser fighters then what Holyfeild got rocked by i mean one of the guys that rocked Louis was a fat out of shape bartender his chin was far from unbreakable so it could go either was if you ask me i feel Holyfeild could use movement like Conn did and out box Louis also ross Holyfeild was almost 40 with the fighters you are talking about so what is the point of bringing them up were talking prime here and has anyone even seen the interview were he said this.

[Gandalf]

Holyfield is a plank, and he always has been. Anybody listening to him rave after a fight knows this. Anything he says should be taken with a pinch of salt. He doesnt have too many brain cells. Just a wee bit dumb.

[ross]

Id be intereted to hear what scrap reckons on Louis, if he were a young pro coming up with all the skills he has and all the benefits of todays fighters, dyou reckon hed take Holyfield?

I for one think he would, he was extraordionary back then, head and shoulders above everyone else, with that punch and his balance and poise I reckon hed batter all of em and if clumsy fighters like Brewster and Peter can get to Klitschkos chin im sure Louis would have.

[ICB]

Well Louis was rocked by even lesser fighters then what Holyfeild got rocked by i mean one of the guys that rocked Louis was a fat out of shape bartender his chin was far from unbreakable so it could go either was if you ask me i feel Holyfeild could use movement like Conn did and out box Louis also ross Holyfeild was almost 40 with the fighters you are talking about so what is the point of bringing them up were talking prime here and has anyone even seen the interview were he said this.

Joe Louis pummeled Billy Conn in a rematch, Evander Holyfield does move well but he is still very easy to hit he isn't a stick and move fighter like Billy Conn. And he is nowhere near as elusive as Billy Conn was.

From my knowledge Joe Louis was only hurt a few times in his prime out of 25 title defenses, where as Evander Holyfield was hurt a hell of alot more in his prime, Joe Louis did get hurt by Tony Galento.

But Evander Holyfield was hurt far worse against Bert Cooper, and had the ref not given Evander Holyfield a standing 8 count. He may of been KO'ed right there and then.

Lets also not forget his life and death struggle with Michael Dokes, who had been on drugs and was years removed from his best. Evander Holyfield also almost lost against an ancient Larry Holmes.

Evander Holyfield lost the last 3 rounds and looked very disheartened at the end, i had Evander Holyfield just winning 115-113, but you could easily make a case that maybe Larry Holmes may of earned a draw.

Evander Holyfield was a quality fighter with a warrior's heart and excellent countering abilities, but he got shook up too much for my liking. And Joe Louis was explosive on the inside, his little short hooks would of been hell for Evander Holyfield.

Evander Holyfield was getting caught by Bert Cooper's little short hooks on the inside, imagine if that was Joe Louis ? what would he have done to him ?

Evander Holyfield lost a few times in his prime to Michael Moorer/Riddick Bowe, Joe Louis never lost in his prime. I don't believe he was in his prime against Max Schmeling. I feel he was a little bit green and improved quite a bit after that fight.

The problem was Max Schmeling had watched tapes on Joe Louis, and noticed when Joe Louis threw his jab and then brought it back. Joe Louis would leave it slightly too low, and Max Schmeling got a gameplan together to counter over the top of that slightly low left hand with right hands.

Joe Louis learnt his lesson improved on that and beat the living crap out of Max Schmeling. He almost broke him in half, Joe Louis's other losses were to Ezzard Charles/Rocky Marciano. And he was way-way past his prime by that point.