Jack Johnson (1909) vs Joe Louis (1938)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ETM, Nov 6, 2019.



  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    If anyone can beat Louis post 1935
    IMO it's Johnson. A lot depends on the length of the fight tho, if it's 15 then Joe gets a tight decision win, if it's going on in to the 20 rounds plus then I've a feeling that Jack eventually stops him but it's not an easy fight for either man.
     
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  2. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    I respect the time and effort you put into this post.
    Putting Johnson growing up in the 20's though should be a different post altogether. One I'd be very interested in too.
     
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  3. KuRuPT

    KuRuPT Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Close fight IMO. Johnson could certainly pull it off.
     
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  4. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    not the way they did it. Both threw lots of punches to keep Louis off. Johnson’s punch output in filmed fights is very low.

    Louis would nail him with the jab and have little worry from his right hand on the outside as Johnson seldom threw it
     
  5. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Johnson could not pull a Schmeling. He didn’t hit as hard and seldom threw his right hand unless he was in a clinch.
     
  6. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    I love Louis as an extremely talented boxer puncher but if you watch some of his fights and not just his highlight film KO's there are times when he gets puzzled and appears like a very different fighter .. he was remarkably patient and ended up attaching pretty much everyone but I really don't feel he was the smartest fighter that ever lived .. he dominated rematches on natural skills honed on specific tasks he could not pivot to mid fight the first time out .. I say Johnson, ridiculously under rated by some here, matches up well .. he's a bit smaller but not much. He's at least as physically strong if not more. He's a defensive master who could hit hard enough to sting Joe for sure and I think confuse and possibly chop him up ..
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2019
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  7. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    I think Tom Sayers among various might have something to say on that
     
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  8. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster I check this every now and then Full Member

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    You're forgetting what a certain "super middleweight" did to Louis
     
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  9. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Jack Johnson would catch Louis jab in his glove the way Henry Aaron caught a baseball.
     
  10. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    A well respected boxing scribe,I think it was Charley Rose ,said something similar ,although the catcher he named was Willie Mays.
     
  11. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Good eye. .
    I remember reading that years ago. Couldn't remember who it was but it stayed with me. Couldn't say Willie Mays though cause Willie used the (basket catch) underhanded style.
     
  12. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Baseball is a mystery to me during the presidential elections I sat in the Irish bars around West 44th street NYC and baseball was on every TV in the bars. Being a Brit I never knew WTF was happening.
    Reading a book at the moment "IronWeed" about a drunk/bum who was a great pitcher back in the day,[Ted Williams Ty Cobb etc,] interesting, but still unfathomable to me.
     
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  13. kolchak65

    kolchak65 New Member Full Member

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    Willie Mays is a better call as he was one the best defensive outfielders the sport has known. Aaron was quite good too but not quite in the same class (defensively).

    I think the Johnson - Louis matchup is an intriguing one.
     
  14. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Aaron won multiple Gold Gloves until Roberto Clemente came on the scene. I think Mays had more flair than Hank Aaron but they weren't that far apart.
     
  15. kolchak65

    kolchak65 New Member Full Member

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    Don't want to get too far off topic in a boxing forum, but.....you are correct, Aaron was a great fielder (underrated in fact) but I think beyond the flair, what set Mays apart was the great throwing arm. People forget that about Mays. Regardless, Aaron was indeed a great fielder - I stand partially corrected. How about we say Johnson would catch the Louis jab like Brooks Robinson?
     
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