Anyone Think Tiger Jack Fox Should Have FoughtLouis For Title?

We are talking about different things.

Question for you, do you think Louis should have fought more than two black men in his 26 title defense OR do you think the white heavies of the time were that much better and he should have skipped over the entire group, save Henry Lewis who was ill and Walcott? - Mendoza

Counterpoint, why didn't Louis overrule him more often and fight black fighters for the title??? This business that blacks would not draw is false!

Example : Louis vs. Walcott drew well. A crowd of 18,194 produced a gate of $216,477 for the fight. The re-match drew a crowd of 42,667 at Yankee Stadium produced a gate of $841,739!

Two black won't draw? BS! By the way Walcott was well in the lead in the re-match, but the ref in the fight 5-2 for Louis. The other two had it 4-5 for Walcott ( a bad card ) and 3-6 for Walcott ( Okay card )

Just face facts, Louis didn't want to fight black fighters in general with his title on the line and settled in 23 of 26 title defenses vs white fighters. Its the truth.

 

Mendoza in general you are a good poster but you are wayyyyy off base here. If any of the black hwts got to the point where a title shot was merited they would have gotten a title shot. Pulling any black fighter out of your butt to try to generate an argument is below you. Fox, Gaines, Haines do not merit discussion. Those that came into prominence during the war years are victims of history.

 

I am talking about apples, you are talking about oranges. My point is Louis avoided the best black fighters as champion, outside of Walcott. This is 100% true. In addition the scoring in the Walcott fight according to many was fishy.

Since Fox, Sheppard, Ray, Thompson, and company did not get a chance, who's to say if they were not worthy? What if one of them beat Louis, or gave him a very tough fight? All of a sudden they become worthy, correct?

Long tenured champions don't always fight the #1 contender in back to back, to back fights! Louis had 26 title defenses, and only fought two black men.

Clearly many black fighters were better than the white fighters Louis fought for the title. This is also 100% true.

I'll debate them

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If we are talking

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, I agree there was not a black fighter on Liston's Ali's, Or Holmes level in the 30's or 40's for Louis to fight when he was champion.

The entire lot of heavyweights from 1937-1948 ( Louis championship years ) was a bit of a weak time in terms of elite level talent, and Louis essentially took all the black talent except for Walcott out of the picture

 

You are not understanding three of these men did not in any way merit a title shot. Not on the radar. The others blossomed during the war years where the title was static. You are way off base. Quit while you are behind is my suggestion.

 

I like Perry.

You might want to hold off until you see his opinions on Gans vs McGovern, Tyson and more as they might conflict with yours.

 

Actually the best fighter during the early forties Louis didn't fight was probably Melio Bettina, once rated the #1 contender in 1944.

Bettina defeated Tiger Jack Fox, Jimmy Bivins, Harry Bobo, Booker Beckworth, Lou Brooks, Buddy Walker, Curtis Sheppard, and Eddie Blunt.

His only loss among that group was to Bivins. Bettina had one win, one loss, and one draw in three fights with Bivins.

 

Louis definitely should have given Elmer Ray. A shot at the title in 46-47.

Louis also should have fought franklin for one of the Simon defenses.

Louis also should have given interim champ bivins a shot in early 46 after bivins went on a huge undefeated run from 43-45