Nah I had that problem too. And that's regardless of what do you think of Dempsey himself. 2014 was more Marciano-Liston-Tyson though. Not a lot of Dempsey.
Nobody is really a favourite over Louis by any appreciable margin, but by the same token he is not a favourite over some people on that list by an appreciable margin. If you match him against the people on that list, he is bound to pick up losses here and there.
Ali is the only solid pick I would make against Joe Louis... I would lean towards Lewis (under Steward) being able to beat Louis. Stylistically, Larry Holmes gives Louis trouble IMO. Wildcards, but (slight) underdogs: Foreman, Frazier '71 (after seven only...but possibly loses early) Vitali K, Tyson. Joe Louis possessed the skill and punching ability to beat any of them though. Very dangerous. Every time I study Louis, I'm always impressed. How about yourself?:good
The usual suspects, I guess. The ones I would favour over Louis would be Ali, Tyson, Foreman, Lewis and Vitali. The ones who would be more or less 50-50. Holmes, Bowe, Liston Holyfield, Wlad. Live underdogs against Louis but great match-ups I would have love to have seen. Frazier, Tua, Dempsey, Marciano, Mercer.
I think style wise Ali could be trouble but the reverse is true as well, Louis had a great left hook as well as a multitude of other power shots and a solid jab as well. Joe didn't like movers but he caught up with them- Walcott, Conn, etc. Marciano had the crowding style and great right hand that could get to Joe but the same power-punching -combo could also get to Marciano, both men were excellent in rematches so fight 2 would also be interesting Dempsey would also be interesting and this fight would be action but I cant see it going past 8 rounds, Louis would be favored but Dempsey highly dangerous and alive. punchers like Tyson and Lewis and Foreman have a punchers chance but they also have to be able to handle Joe power and Joe had it early and he had it late, he had it against short and tall fighters, fast and slow