Why did Louis fight so cautiously vs Braddock ?

Braddock showed a ton of heart and a terrific chin in his bout with Louis but very time I watch this fight I wonder why Louis held back and fought so cautiously and methodically .. I"m sure it was the historic significance of the bout and under instruction but when you see how he attacked Max Baer , Jack Sharkey and others it is just a very underwhelming performance in my opinion when you consider it was a title changing hands to one of the best from one of the lesser champs ..

This content is protected

 

He learnt his lesson from his shock defeat against Max Schmeling and didn’t want to take any unnecessary risk especially since he was fighting for the title for the first time.

 

That thought occurred to me when I watched the fight again the other day.
Maybe some of his confidence had been lost after Schmeling beat him?

 

As mentioned in the above post, Joe Louis remembered the knockout loss to Schmeling, first fight. Also it was during the depression, and Louis must have felt that Braddock was not going to just hand him the title, he would have to fight hard to take it from him. James had a family to feed and take care of. Really hard to take away a man's livelihood, without a battle.

 

I mean he did get dropped, a bit of caution isn't that surprising.

 

So true, but Braddock must have not wanted to give up his newly acquired wealth that easy after suffering the ravages of the Depression.

 

Say what you will about Braddock, he wasn't there to lay down.

And had he not finagled that great deal to take percentages of Louis' future earnings, I imagine he would have continued his career after Farr.

 

Look at Braddocks timing throughout the fight.
Despite being across a vicious puncher, he doesn't waste opportunities returning fists when punches came his way.
His usage of timing and range were really top notch here.
He knew when Louis was slightly out of position when attacking. Which is why you see him beating Louis to the punch at times.

He was also willing to fight in the mud. He was willing to get hit to put some kind of attack on. And he didn't let Louis' power deter his style and will to fight. It worked well when he was in top condition during the fight. He slowed down just a bit, his reaction time slipped, Louis caught him, and it was night night.

But hey Braddock was just a bum right?
And this proves that Louis struggled against bums, right?
Amirite? Rite.

 

I agree with those above, maybe Joe felt the pressure of winning the title, he was only the third man of colour to challenge for it so a fair amount of pressure to. The kd would have been a surprise but after that Joe knew he had nothing to fear against Braddock. Second round on we saw the true brown Bomber.

 

Braddock was very game in there, but also very open to shots and his own punches are not fluid, but delivered pretty clumsily imo.I'm sorry I just don't see what you do.
For the record I've never described professional fighters as bums,Ive much too much respect for their courage.

 

Braddock earned some respect when he caught Louis with that uppercut. Joe threw a combination then admired his work as Gil Clancy would say. Jim turned his palm in and ripped up the middle.

 

Jack Blackburn perhaps the best trainer there ever was told Joe after the 1st round.."Chappie if you get knockdown take a count clear your head. You can't get up so fast that people can't see that you was down."
Louis had jumped up immediately after going down.

 

His punches don't have to be fluid, and his defense doesn't have to be tight, to exude the qualities I mentioned he employed.
I'm glad you're not with the bum business. It's degrading!

 

Braddock actually said."he feinted me and I didn't go for it,and I came right back,and he went for it,,and he come to me ,but he wasway down low and I had to uppercut him and I hit himand he went down.But if he was standing up and I hit him straight,it might have been a different story.And the next punch I missed his chin by that much and hit him on the chest,you couldhear the thunder of that punch off his chest all over the joint.If I hit him with that one that might have been it.". Jim Braddock home interview 1972.

Braddock had injections for arthritis in his left arm the morning of the fight.

 

We agree to differ.