How bad was Joe Louis's opposition ?

Louis gave 3 exhibitions against Ray in 1949 Louis was 35 Ray 37 the 1st went the 6rds route,the 2nd the 4rds distance, in the 3rd, Ray was kod in 4rds.

 

One judge made the Farr fight 8-5-2 ,the other gave Farr 6rds ,Louis injured his hand in this fight.


"He knew he could not box with Schmeling," what a load of crap!
Louis outjabbed Max in their first fight but did not bring his left glove back to guard his chin,he closed Schmeling's eye with his jab.

Max landed rights all night before he stopped Louis, it was not one punch that stopped Joe.

Carnera was 30 years old and ,rated no 2 he had won his last 4 fights since losing his title to Baer.

Lewis had successfully defended his Light Heavy title just 3 months previously against standout contender Al Gainer.
Old? Lewis was 12 days older than Louis .
You are a joke.atsch JUST LIKE YOUR SPELLING. Lee Rampage.

 

No but you do, and frequently.

 

Your argument would have to be, that Louis fought the most dangerous black challenger, but drew the colour line against the less dangerous black challengers, while at the same time fighting the white contenders who had beaten them.

Not a particularly plausible argument.

Whatever team Louis's reason for not fighting these contenders, it obviously did not stem from any perception that they posed a threat to him.

 

The reason Jacob's and by extension Roxborough and Black did not want Louis to face black challengers was $$$$$$$$$$ , ie financial not fear.

 

Prove it by showing me the purses in the Wlacott fights vs the bum of the month guys.:deal

 

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"there is not one-not one-champion who got every #1 contender of his reign."

If one goes by yearly rankings by Ring Magazine, Louis came close. The only man who was #1 contender during his reign who he didn't fight at some time was Melio Bettina, and Louis was inactive at the time Bettina was #1.

 

referring to black fighters as a "murderer's row" and the white fighters as "bums of the month" distorts that their mixed fights were pretty much split or went to the whites.

Melio Bettina--Only loss to a black fighter was to Bivins in one of three fights-one other was a draw and Bettina also defeated Bivins. He also swept his other black opponents--Tiger Jack Fox, Harry Bobo (2), Curtis Sheppard, Buddy Walker, Eddie Blunt, etc

Tony Musto--one of the weaker "bums" but posted wins over Jimmy Bivins, Lem Franklin, and Curtis Sheppard.

Turkey Thompson--Lost twice to Bob Pastor and two of three to Pat Valentino.

Lem Franklin--besides losing to Musto, was ko'd by the very mediocre Eddie Simms, and by Pastor, and then by Joe Muscato and Lee Savold (2). Franklin as a "terror" is dubious. After an in an out career, with losses to ordinary fighters, he made a run in 1940 and 1941, ko'ing former Louis victims Simon and Musto, and Bivins, who was a lightheavy at the time. He was utterly destoyed by Pastor and faded out.

Personally, I don't see why Franklin is viewed as someone who obviously should have been in the ring with Louis in March of 1942 when he was destroyed by Pastor in February. Perhaps he would have gotten that shot if he had beaten Pastor. As it was, Pastor would seem to have the better case for being ducked.

 

As for Elmer Ray, Louis perhaps should have fought him in 1947 as his only defense was against Walcott. Still Walcott appears to me to have been the more dangerous.

*I did some research on Ray for a thread comparing him to Rex Layne, and I was struck by the immense number of setup fights he had. Of his big 70 odd fight run, 27 were against fighters with losing records. He was fighting guys with no pro victories when he was a top contender. He certainly was good, but his record is padded. I will try to find that thread and bump it.

 

Three excellent posts:good

 

The majority of top contenders were white, so of course the majority of contenders he fought would be white. Only few of the best black fighters could secure a high ranking for a longer time. And aside from the fact they were beaten by fighters Louis beat, only one was number one contender, even interim champ, when Louis was champ. Exactly when Louis was in the army and when they fought Louis won easily. Sorry but saying Louis drew the colour line is relativist bs and exposes your agenda. Again.

The rest was already said by McGrain and morbius.

 

Louis's 5 largest purses.
Conn 2 $ 625.916
Schmeling 2 $349.228
Walcott2 $ 252.522
M Baer $240.833
Nova $199.500
Only one black challenger made the cut,and he barely made more than Baer did some 13 years before,factor in inflation and it is no wonder Louis defended against predominantly white challengers.
Now, don't you look a prat?

 

I think that they had one eye on the rankings, and one eye on the intricate financial politics of the era.

If a fighter was a big draw in a key state, he might get a title shot as soon as he was ranked #3 say. If he was not, he generaly had to put a bit of a winning streak together.