Louis - Frazier... Battle of the Joes

25 to 9 for Louis, no surprise, 8 out of 34 picked Frazier by KO though... that can't be ignored.

Joe Frazier was a very special fighter. From 1969-1971 he was one of the best HW Champs I've ever seen. Joe Louis was amazing as well but I could imagine Frazier being able to stop Louis late

 

Frazier was very good from '66-'68 but he was even better '69-'71. He had a tough time with Bonavena in their first fight (he dropped Frazier twice)... and even their 2nd fight to a lesser degree but this was not Frazier at his best. In the end, Frazier is 2-0 vs. Oscar. Louis struggled with several non-great fighters during his prime.

Yeah, Foreman beat the hell out of him (twice) like he did so many others. I'm not so sure Louis could have done any better. He beat Ali in '71 and gave him hell in '75... not sure Louis could have done as well vs. Ali.

Louis was down multiple times and stopped by Schmeling in their first fight. Sure, Louis stopped Schmeling in the rematch... "Schmeling was 2 years older and Louis was 2 years smarter in boxing".

He was down vs. Braddock before stopping him to win the HW Title.

He had a tougher than expected fight with Farr but won by decision.

He struggled with and was dropped by Galento before stopping him in the 4th.

He struggled with Godoy but won by SD. He stopped Godoy in 8 in their rematch.

He was down vs. Buddy Baer, Louis WDQ7. Louis stopped Baer in 1 of their rematch.

He struggled with Conn before stopping him in the 13th. He stopped Conn in 8 of their rematch.

Louis is great, I'm not trying to imply that he is or ever was overrated... I'm just saying that a prime Frazier has a good chance of beating him.

 

Frazier by TKO.

I think he is able to take away Joe Louis leverage and force him back on his heels. Frazier had good headmovement and he built the tempo as the fight went on.

Frazier`s good short in close lefthook is going to find its mark against Louis.

I do believe if they fought a series of fights Joe Louis would come out on top. Louis was good at making adjustments between fights.

 

That's how I see it as well. Even though Galento's efforts against Louis were short, and ended in slaughter, he gave him enough trouble early on to give us an idea of what a man with similar tools, only 10 times better might have done. Frazier was not easy to hit. He slips shots very well. He had upper body movement that was off the charts for a heavyweight. He could box 15 rounds, and had one of the best left hooks of all time - which was one of Louis's weaknesses. Again I will say that Louis could have certainly taken him apart, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen. But smoke had the right blue print in his style and physical attributes to beat him.. It also took a bigger man to beat Frazier, and the size difference wouldn't be much in this case.

 

It's Ridiculous. Louis is in a higher class than Frazier, really. Joe would be completely outgunned.

 

Easy fight for Louis, of course not as easy as Marciano, but still I think he stops Frazier.

 

On paper Louis should win decisively, but there is a significant X factor that is hard to predict here.

The X factor is Fraziers ability to throw Louis off his game stylisticaly.

That for me is what the argument turns on.

 

Smokin Joe is going to taste the right and it's night night.

 

Exactly...:good

 

I wonder if Louis's not too methodical to win this... :think

Trying to set up Frazier with the jab was all hell, he'd slip it with his great movement, get close and pummels you on the inside. I think he'd be all hell for Louis. With Frazier, the best in my opinion was to load up your best right hand and shoot it down the middle... and that's better suited for guys like Foreman who loved to keep it as simple as possible. :smoke

Louis would win the rematch. :bbb

 

Louis by KO.
The way Frazier threw his open left hook,Blackburn would have sorted him out.

 

I pick Joe to win this fight.

:bart

 

Very sensible, well put prediction.

 

I don't think it's close who should be favored. What is Louis going to do? Miss him? Frazier, even with his hellacious determination, cannot bore in against this offensive arsenal. Louis was also a hell of a counter puncher.

Frazier has the advantage when he can completely crowd him, head on chest and all, and I don't think you can do that to Louis and come through unscathed.

Schmeling out-thought him, Conn used his quickness. Frazier can do neither.

Frazier's defense is not up to the task here.