Could Joe Louis make it from 1968-1980 undefeated?

I'd say no. He doesn't get past Foreman, Ali, or Holmes....

 

I completely agree.

 

See, big George is a good entry here, for sure. The problem is prime Joe's speed and ring generalship, not to mention that crushing, at times seemingly completely perfect right hand. Joe had that controlled lunge of a right hand that he was quite happy to throw at wlll.

I mean, if size is as much of a factor as some folks here think then I think George could last for awhile. I can see Joe going down...but Joe definitely cracked as hard as Ron Lyle, so George is in danger of tasting canvas himself.

The problem is, Joe was about 100 times the fighter Lyle was...he was a terrific finisher.

 

Post exile Ali has little chance with Louis, based on the pure fact his main defence was his chin in the 70s, it was a bloody good chin mind you, but that’s suicide against Louis. He hits too hard for Norton, so I don’t see them having more than 1 fight with the guy. For me Frazier and Foreman are tough ones to call, I can see why people would favour either side. Holmes is also tricky. Norton was 35 and had been in plenty of battles, but in fairness to Holmes it wasn’t as close as the scorecards suggest and he sustained an injury just prior to the fight. Personally I think Holmes had the ability to get himself up on the scorecards and the heart and grit to survive some late scary moments to take a decision.

I don’t think there’s any way Louis loses more than 3 fights in this run

 

I think your thoughts on Holmes are quite valid. Holmes would have stopped Kenny if his left biceps wasn't torn. You can see from the Shavers I fight in comparison that, though the hand speed for the jab was oh so there, there wasn't as much sticking power as there was in Shavers I (and certainly not as much as against Evangelista).

The pole-axe nature of Larry's jab would probably aggravate the hell out of Joe and lump him up some. But Joe's tenacity and bombing right hands would catch up to even 1980-1981 Larry. I see a stoppage, but Joe would still be all swoll up and not looking good even in victory.

 

I wouldn't argue too much with what you are saying. I think the size and weight could be a factor though. Especially since Big George could punch and he was big.... Louis at his best was closer to a cruiserweight by today's standards. When he KO'ed Schmeling he was 198... Keep in mind he was badly rocked by Conn (a light puncher who was heavily outweighed by Louis). I've always questioned his chin. I'm not sure how he would have fared against Ali, Holmes, Tyson, and some of the others....

 

Man, good question. All I'm coming up with is, when Joe got knocked down he could be a really nasty, vindictive force of nature.

 

There's a great fighter, albeit overwhelmingly in the lighter division

 

Wishful thinking. It's pretty far fetched to imagine Louis making it out unblemished against even all the A- and B level fighters, let alone also beating the all the A level fighters as well. He losses a various points imo.

 

I don't get all the people picking Louis over Foreman. I don't see it. I see Foreman winning that fight by a clip of 8 out of 10 times. If Frazier makes out of the first 3 rounds okay, he'll start smoking and he beats Louis imo more times than not.

 

I don't think anyone would make it through that period undefeated.

But if he remains focused and sharp as he did during his own 12 year reign. I'd be worried about Ali, Holmes and possibly Frazier. I think he beats everyone else.

 

It's a tough, tough ask. No one managed to get through that whole period unscathed.

If it was prime Louis (1937-1941) against the Ali of 70-71, the Frazier of 68-71, the Foreman of 73 and the Holmes of 78-80, he'd have a good shot of beating all of them. But the 12 year thing means that he wouldn't be prime all the time. The Louis from 1946-49 was a very different proposition and might lose to them all.

Balancing it out, I figure he might go 2-2 overall depending on when he met them over that 12 year period.

So just on that basis, I'd say no.