Could Joe Louis beat Mike Tyson?

Not in a million years.

 

I sure wouldn't count him out in the ensuing firefight.

 

Didn't Tucker have some type of injury early in his professional career ? That stalled him a bit ? I would've liked to have seen him vs other alphabet champions and contenders of that era to really gauge his level.

 

The likely bet is a Tyson KO. Similar in height but Tyson was as much as 20lbs heavier as fast and probably hit as hard if not harder.
You can't rule Louis out he has a better reach and probably better at range but Tyson is just much heavier and the bob and weave was designed to take away the jab which Louis would often need to use to keep Tyson honest. Inside you'd favor the heavier guy to be stronger as well.

 

Tyson's clear advantage over Louis is his footwork and elusive movement:

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but is it enough to win; IMO it is.

 

You have to admit that a fight between two hard hitting combo throwers would be entertaining.

 

I'm pretty amazed by some of the posts dismissing Joe's chances, I know some are by semi trolls but still. The guy was champ for 12 years with 25 defences against all styles, he punched like a hammer and was tough as nails. He also handled the awesome pressure of the 2nd Schmeling fight to pull out one of the most famous (if not the most famous and significant) boxing match of all time.

The idea Mike KO's him in 1 round is bonkers. Bruce Seldon and Peter McNeeley lasted 1 round with Tyson, The Brown Bomber is a little better than them, oh and a little better than a washed up Spinks with leg braces.

Tyson was a fragile manchild with the discipline of a 3 year old who was peak for around 4 years. OK OK I am being overly harsh on Mike for comedy value but people are talking like Mike never struggled with anyone, let alone one of the greatest champs in history.

Also you think the amount of sh*t Joe had to deal with as first black HW champ since Johnson was going to be intimidated by Tyson's pantomime villain routine?

I should be clear I am not someone who thinks everyone was better in the past but anyone who dismisses Louis out of hand is borderline psychotic.

 

Joe Louis said he didn't like to be crowded..

 

Oh I'm sure he'd think Tyson was a clown with that ****.

 

IIRC, multiple of Tyson's opponents remarked on how strong he was, although others have pointed out that the peekaboo stance didn't always give him the best leverage on the inside.

 

He did, but Louis was much better on teh inside, for whatever that is worth.

Tyson didn't like to be crowded either, though few could do it.

 

Or they just think Louis stands no chance.

 

Do you ever actually watch any boxing matches?

You do know that the outcome surprises you from time to time right?

 

Boxing is a matchup of styles, and this would be a very bad style for Louis. The only way he could possibly have a chance is Joe would have to change his entire style. He'd have to incorporate some movement, tie Mike up on the inside, then hope that he could somehow catch Mike when he's barrelling in. I don't see that happening. I've always thought Louis was too slow, too flat-footed, and would be a sitting duck. Mike in his prime was too fast, and he had an extremely difficult style to cope with. It was very hard to time him coming forward, and his pressure was almost always successful.

It wasn't until later on, once he got the money, the women, the mansions, that he started losing his edge and became beatable. When he was hungry he was almost a perfect fighter with an extremely difficult style to go up against.

 

I suggest some of you watch the enire Luois-Galento fight.............Galento was a crude zero skill operator who never heard of defense, footwork or god forbid to move his head while blowing like a Walrus after the first round.................yet this clubfighter knocked Joe down......Louis looked awful pawing with the jab, throwing single shots while being flat footed and looking for one shot...........he eventually hot the job done.

If that Joe Louis shows up he is toast rather quick and Galento would make it no way out of the first vs Tyson.

IMO, Tyson is a stylistic nightmare for Louis and will finish off Joe fairly early.