Could Joe Louis make it from 1968-1980 undefeated?

I'd say that Louis is bad matchup for Foreman. Louis is quicker, better defensively, faster and outstanding counter puncher. His jab was also phenomenal.

I know, Foreman hit like a monster, but even if he got dropped, I'm not sure Foreman would be able to finish him. Louis fought extremely well when hurt and Foreman was wild in situations like that.

 

Great post...and a tough one. He beats post banishment Ali (loses to earlier version)not easily. Frazier and Holmes are all wrong for him. And if he can figure out George he wins. Def gets knocked down a lot in that one. Frazier v Louis would be one hell of a fight. Just my opinion...for all I know he wins them all. Just can’t see him chasing Holmes and pre banishment Ali effectively. Beats all the Quarry’s Bonavena Shavers etc

 

This. Foreman might drop Louis, but I definitely see Louis coming back and lighting him up with combos and stopping big George. It was the clever fighters that were hard to land on that gave Louis problems. Louis specialized in cutting big durable guys down.

 

No

 

Beats Frazier and Foreman IMO. Doesn't need to chase them and he'll be beating them to the punch.
Him vs 70s Ali is interesting. I'd play it safe & say they split a series. An aging Louis who has been through a few wars vs Frazier, Foreman, Ali & Norton loses to Holmes

 

Louis starts off his rein in 1968 after Ali is banish from the sport. He knocks out Jimmy Ellis in 1 round, beats Patterson, leading up to a match with Fraizer. Louis than forces a stoppage in 2 rounds, knocking Fraizer down 3 times in the first, and 3 times in the 2nd. After a few more title defenses, he runs into Ali around 1972 or so. Ali is not the Ali of the 60's, more flat footed, slower vs the in prime Louis. I think Louis out points this Ali over 15 rounds in a thrilling fight. I think Louis gets knock down a few times vs Foreman, but comes back to knock out Big George in the 8th round in 76 or so. Its 1978 and Louis fights this new contender name Larry who? Holme? Holmes? What ever, but Holmes makes a name for himself and loses a unfair decision in front of many people's eyes. To redeem himself, Louis gives Holmes a rematch and after Louis gets drop 2 times, storms back in round 11 to knock Holmes down, a daze Larry Holmes fails to beat the count. Louis retires and says he is going to play a lot of golf, he is force into a comeback because of money problems, and a upcoming Mike Tyson in 1983 knocks Louis out of the ring in the 8th round. This time Louis stays retire. Louis would go down in history as the greatest heavyweight that ever lived with Ali, Holmes, Fraizer and Foreman as victims in his long rein as Heavyweight Champ.

 

Definitely loses to Ali and Holmes by stoppage

Beats the **** out of bonavena, Patterson, chuvalo, quarry, shavers

Less sure but still betting on him to beat Norton.

Wouldn't beat FOTC version of Frazier but I think Frazier was never as good before or since and Louis would have a 50 50 chance of beating any of the other incarnation of him.

Louis foreman would be the on I would be nost interested in, big slow powerful sluggers were who Louis was best against, but foreman is such a overpowering force of nature and much better than both the bear bros combined

 

Louis would have the most trouble with Ali and Frazier.
The Brown Bomber would tee off on Big George like Hank Aaron at batting practice!! Foreman is gonna be straight up in front of him with no head movement. Joe threw lightening quick combinations. He had power, he could punch.
Even if Louis got knocked down he would get up and rock back. He beats Foreman to tbe punch and to the counterpunch.

 

I think he could be the best of that era.
It would be between him and Ali.
Would he go undefeated? Probably not.
It's a wonder that he went for the better part of 12 years undefeated with an insane number of defenses.
The chances of him replicating that feat in any other era let alone his, and especially the 70's, should logically be miniscule.

Can he do it? Yes. But it probably wouldn't happen.
He has to not only has to fight Ali, Foreman, and Frazier, but he would probably have to fight them multiple times. And a slew of other dangerous contenders from that period.
The fact that I leave the possibility open for Louis is a testament to how highly I think of him as a fighter.

 

Joe was only superseded by Ali in greatness, but he would have had BIG trouble with Holmes as well.

The 60s Ali and 1978-1981 Holmes would have done all they could to keep out of punching range. In the former case, Ali would have just kept moving, and Joe would have eaten literal barrages of punches. I just don't see Joe losing by ko at all, but I do see a tough, Norton II-esque result, with Ali winning a split but conclusive decision.

Holmes would have kept using his size advantage to spin Joe away so he could keep getting the jab in. But I think Joe would have scored a knockdown and unanimously decisioned him.

FOTC Frazier beats Joe imo. So does Holyfield-1 era Bowe. But on any other night Louis knocks the crap out of both of them. Foreman too.

 

Joe Louis spent the vast majority of his career fighting 180 pound guys. When he did fight bigger guys they were just big slow lumbering, unskilled oafs like Buddy Baer and Abe Simon. Joe Louis had a legit class chin. He was knocked down and hurt by guys who weren't big punchers. He was bullied around the ring and hurt badly by light punching 160 pound Billy Conn for crying out loud.

Ken Norton would destroy Louis. Ken Norton was knocked out by George Foreman, Earnie Shavers, and Gerry Cooney. 3 guys who were known for their devastating power. There is no shame in being stopped by them. You can also argue that Norton was past his prime when Shavers and Cooneny two heavyweights stopped him.

Joe Frazier would have no problem with the slow footed glass chin Louis, Foreman would absolute murder Louis. I know what some people will say. But Ron Lyle knocked Foreman down so Louis would knock him out. Right if you want to use that logic Max Schmeling a guy who started his career weighing in the 160's knocked out Louis. Ron Lyle was 6'3 220 so a modern sized heavyweight by modern standards Max was between a middleweight and cruiser weight. Ali would beat Louis. If Billy Conn could out box Louis then Ali would make him look like a fool and stop him. Larry Holmes would do the same. Guy like Al Jones and Leroy Jones would be too big and too skilled for Louis. Guys like Roy "Tiger" Williams and Gerry Cooney would beat Louis. Hell even guys like Jerry Quarry and Earnie Shavers would be too much for Louis.


Louis fought so many bums doing his own era the media called his title opponents the bum of the month. Lewis was good at beating by modern standards unskilled hacks from the 30's and 40's. As I stated boxing evolved until it became modern. What happened in the 30's has no bearing to what would happen in the modern heavyweight division. Joe Louis himself would be considered a cruiser weight by modern heavyweight standards. Louis looked skilled compared to his poor opposition. Nothing Louis did from the 70's to this day would be considered special.

 

I don't want to be QUITE that brutal about it lol (and I don't mean any offense, myhairline) but that anti-Joe post was pretty entertaining.

Joe Louis in my book is second only to Ali. Only Holmes comes close to his incredible legacy. He couldn't be beaten for...geez HOW long? Sure he had a bum of the month club for awhile (uuuhh, what long term champ hasn't? Relatively few).

I'm wondering if Hair really watched Joe in action (more than a few fights). He was so great...….

It says something to me that, though I love Larry Holmes way more as a fighter, I still have the good sense to put Joe above him.

Again, I hope you don't take this disrespectfully, @MyHairlineIsGone.