1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Joe Louis, age 37..


vs

1923 Luis Firpo

1919 Jess Willard


12 rounds


I like Joe Louis by wide unanimous decision, 11 rounds to 1 in both fights. I think he puts firpo on the floor a few times too.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Louis was way past prime in 1951 but not that past prime that he couldnt beat the crude Firpo or Willard, Firpo is too wild with his punches and Louis jab(his best tool at 1951) and left hook should be enough to take out Firpo IMO. I dont see how someone can be so wild against Louis and not end up being knocked out, even if it is 1951 Louis.

Could 51 Louis knock out 19 Willard? probably, he would take longer than Dempsey, but I still think Louis gets him, if he doesnt he wins a wild decision.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Louis knocks then both out, big slow guys with no defence are made for Louis

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Interesting match ups ...

Likely decision the highly inactive Willard but would not be shocked if the wild Firpo caught him and took him out ..

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

SO, why did it take an absolutely prime Joe Louis THIRTEEN rounds to ko a big lumbering punching bag Abe Simon in 1941...Louis hit Simon with everthing he had for 13 rounds til the referee stopped the bout with Abe Simon protesting ???
No big punching bag who ever lived survives 13 rounds with a prime hellacious puncher like Dempsey....
Give Dempsey his due...Our ANCESTORS who saw the man and raved about
his onslaughts were just as smart as you or me PP...Learn from the past...

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

I would bet my money on Louis, of course.......but I don´t think he would finish Willard earlier than Dempsey did.....first, because I really believe Dempsey was comparable in power and finishing ability with Louis, and second, because Louis wasn´t a fast starter....
Louis would beat Willard by mid-rounds TKO.....same with Firpo IMO...

edit - oh, 1951 Louis ?? Probably late TKO or UD against both

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

I think that even a prime Louis would have taken longer to put them away than Dempsey did, though he would probabvly have been in complete control throughout a fight with Firpo.

In terms of the 37 year old Louis, I lean towards the idea that he could still outpoint them both, but I wouldn't wan't to bet my house on it.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Does every thread have to be made to discredit Dempsey....

Louis beats them both rather easily (even in 51) can we move on to something else

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Louis stops Wliiard late but Firpo mid-rounds. Willard was very durable and had great stamina. Firpo was wild with no defense.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

The prime Louis annihilates both much earlier.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

There are plenty of examples of great fighters struggling to stop or decisioning guys they "should have" stopped...

Louis was the best finisher ever in the division. If it took him 13 rounds to stop Simon, then I would venture to say most greats would have had trouble doing so.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

There is enough footage of Dempsey for people to make their own comparisons of him to others without relying so heavily on the word of those who were around during both his and Louis's time.

In instances regarding people such as Harry Greb or Maxie Rosenbloom, we have no choice but to go by what others have said due to a severe lack of film. This is obviously not the case with Dempsey and we can make our own decisions regarding Dempsey and others without relying on the word of old timers who idolized him.

I like Dempsey as much as the next guy, but there is absolutely no denying that people have a tendency to rate their personal favorite great fighter who's fighting at the time above anyone who comes after them. It happens all of the time. People who were around during Louis's era claimed (and those who are still living still claim) that Louis was the best ever by far. The same is said for Marciano and Ali's eras aswell. When you have fighters who are larger than life figures, the people at the time will refuse to admit or believe that someone who came after the said fighter is better.

Watching the films of Dempsey and Louis tells me that Louis was the better fighter. Looking at the oponents and what happened with them tells me Louis is the better fighter and beat better oponents. I see noone on Dempsey's record that I don't think Louis would not have beaten, and likely beaten in more impressive fashion. The same can't be said about Dempsey with Louis's record in my opinion.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Abe Simon have gigantism, very big thick dense bones making him very durable and immensely strong

Louis did take Carnera out much quicker ofcourse, who most consider significantly better than Willard

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Most people today perhaps.

Previously it was assumed that Willard was better, by somwhere between an inch and a mile.

Re: 1951 Joe Louis vs 1919 Jess Willard and 1923 Luis Firpo 12 rounds
 

Firpo and Willard were shite.

Even a shot Joe Louis beats them both.