Ok, Lewis, Foreman, Tyson and Ali would definitely give him fits. Holy and Holmes are 50/50 fights. He'd crush the rest.
I think Louis' strength and weaknesses make for "could go either way" sort of fights with most of the typical heavyweight all-time top ten. Except for Ali and Tyson who would beat him most of the time. The overrated, stiff, basic and smaller Tunney would be crushed.
This is a pertinent observation. If a fighter pretty much has everything as an offensive puncher, then it is hard to make them a long underdog, because there is some sort of formula for them winning.
Sonny was also very technical as well , he had absolutely no problems going the distance ( 15 rnds , 12 rnds) and outboxing his opponents with his 84 inch arms . I'm shocked not 1 person even mentioned him . I see Foreman giving him a hellacious fight as well .
And Butterbean, and Sylverne, and my two old Aunt's from Sullivan County, Aunt Cestor, and Aunt Teaque, both would crush the overated little man Brown Bomber of yesterday... Oh Ye posters of little faith...
Read a little more closely Burt...I'm not taking Louis lightly at all...The only outright pick I would make against him is Muhammad Ali. Louis is an ATG...But there are certain greats who would give him life and death.
If anyone who followed Joe Louis, would give Joe "life and death", it most likely be a young Mike Tyson early in the fight, not a Clay/Ali who had troubles with a Doug Jones, or jabbing style of Ken Norton, both far inferior to the magnificent combination punching Joe Louis...Louis's jab was as accurate as Ali's and far more punishing, and described by Jimmy Braddock as akin to "having a light bulb explode in your face". I've always wondered if Ali had the reserved personality of a Floyd Patterson or Evander Holyfield, would he have been as deified a fighter as he is today ?
So, pray tell me why many posters claim Ali was in his prime when he was Cassius Clay, and the other half of his defenders claim the heavier though slower Ali was the better fighter. ? Whatever version of Clay/Ali, on his best day I would wager my sixpence that the 21 year old version of Joe Louis of the Max Baer massacre would have caught up to and hurt badly any version of Ali, because Clay/Ali never ever faced a puncher who punched with such speed, accuracy, and devastating combinations as vintage Joe Louis threw. His like we will never see again, I assure you...