Which of Joe Louis's title challengers would have done best in the 70s?

I actually think Tommy Farr and Arturo Godoy would at least put up good fights vs. the likes of Quarry, Lyle, Shavers, etc. They were very durable and both just over 6' with 74,75" reaches and 205 lbs. They were stopped a combined 7 times in over 250 pro fights.

 

Depends what you men by a deep era.

While there were verry few great fighters there were quite a lot of prety good fighters. If you go to the Quarry, Bonavena, Chuvalo level of fighter, then there might have been more around in this era than in the 70s.

 

What I mean is that outside the top 5 you had people like Chuck Wepner, Jack Bodell, Jose Roman, Randy Neumann and Howard Smith making the top 10. Boxers who were far from exceptional and very short-lived as contenders.

I would say that there was more depth and competitiveness in the 1930s, with the exception of the very top of the rankings. There is no doubt that Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Norton and even Lyle, Shavers, Young, Quarry and Bugner made up for one of the best heavyweight eras. But as I said, there was a big gap between them and the fringe contenders such as the names I mentioned.

 

Walcott, Schmeling and Conn, in that order.

 

In all reality, I think the same thing can be said about most eras to be honest. The 1990's is credited as being one of the very best heavyweight eras of all time, with Lewis, Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson, etc.. But you also had Frans Botha, Pierre Coetzer, Orlin Norris, Bert Cooper, Mark Wills and numerous others who were cracking the ratings.

 

John Henry Lewis is a wildcard. Obviously not by the time he fought Louis, but I can see him doing reasonably well

 

At LHW but IDK about HW.

 

Without a doubt at LHW, however I think he would go ok at heavy. He fought a large number of bouts over the limit and I believe he was a walk around heavy/cruiser