I think people are honestly underrating his resume, joe louis probably has a better resume than someone like roberto duran. People just like to hype de jseus and buchanon, but they really arent all that.
He looked pretty decent in most of his comeback, the difference was superior opposition in that comeback than the horrible 30's class of fighters. Very questionable(compared to other ATG Heavys), if you're going by his resume wins. It's nowhere near Ali's, which some rank him over Ali. But Louis is going to automatically get a free pass for faults and others aren't.
Whew. I tought for a moment someone was going to accuse Louis for not facing Russians, Mexicans or Asians. For what its worth, Louis did fight a four southpaws as an amatuer and knocked them all out. I can not recall any ranked southpaws for him to fight in the 1930's / 1940's
To be honest I don't know the rankings at the time. But, for me, it seems a bit far fetched that only two black fighters should be good enough to get a title fight during Louis long reign, seeing that black boxers started to dominate the division directly afterwards. You have to keep in mind that Louis was carefullly groomed in order not to remind people of Jack Johnson in any way. So obviously his own people didn't think his awesome ability was enough, it was also important that he came off as non-threatening. That doesn't sound like equal opportunity to me. You're argument about rankings doesn't really cut water, because if black fighters in general were discrimated against (which I believe they were) it would hamper their chances to get high in the rankings.
You are half right here. Black fighters did indeed have trouble getting good managers and financial backing. Jersey Joe Walcott is a clasic example of sombody who might have gone places sooner with a good manager. To be honest though there was a depresion on and many white fighters didnt have it much better. Take Jimmy Braddock for example. The top white fighters and the top black fighters all fought each other regularly. Bob Pastor dismantled most of the murder row crew. The only one who really stood out was Walcott who practicaly cleaned out the top 10.
Well done Janitor!,I wasnt knocking Louis at all just making an observation,I beleive the reason Louis didnt fight more Blacks was financial ,I suppose he could have fought Lem Franklin.Louis was fighting ex Champions in his second year as a pro compare his early fights with Marcianos for example there is a marked contrast in quality.
It seemed to be going thru two decades of severe drought of talent - no one could fight. About the best one was Schmeling but was that great about him? I believe many of our recent champs could probably lay him out. Roy Jones would outpoint him due to sheer athletic superiority.
I think, Ali, Dempsey,Marciano,Lewis,Tyson,Frazier,Johnson,Jeffries ,Holmes would not have had the style of Louis to defeat all of Louis opponents in whole as impressivly as Joe did. Joe fought all shapes,sizes and colors and styles and beat them all in his prime, I think some of the champs may have been more impressive vs some but none would have the same success as Joe did with all of them, his style, the way he made ever punch count and conserved his punches, throwing many wasting none...the longest rein and avoided none,yes AVOIDED NONE