How do you think Joe Louis would fare against the best opponents Muhammad Ali faced? 1964 Sonny Liston 1965 Floyd Patterson 1971 Joe Frazier 1973 Ken Norton 1974 George Foreman 1977 Earnie Shavers 1980 Larry Holmes Would he come out unbeaten? Who would cause The Brown Bomber most problems? Who would be a walk in the park? I'm curious how do you see these fights unfolding.
Loses to Liston Beats Patterson Beats Frazier Beats Norton Beats Foreman Beats Shavers Loses to Holmes I think Liston proves too strong and long for him. Patterson scores a KD but is ultimately stopped. Frazier gives him hell but Louis manages a stoppage around the 8th - 12th. Norton gets stopped in 5. Foreman is a 50/50 but I think Foreman would be too open defensively unlike Liston, and would get stopped at around the 7th in a good fight. Shavers scores a knockdown but is stopped in 3. Holmes survives two knockdowns to win a close 15 round SD
As I always say with threads like this you have to take into account Louis won't be in his prime for all these fights. You can't realistically pit a prime Loius against all these opponents he would have to start his career in the 60s like Ali and be in his 30s in the 70s. Overall I don't think Louis would do aswell as Ali did he simply isn't as durable as Ali is nor does he have the athletism or footwork of Ali.
Louis by late round KO Louis mid to late KO Patterson Louis mid to late KO Frazier Louis may have to get up to win vs the above 3 Louis early to mid KO Norton Foreman KO Louis early or Louis KO Foreman mid to late Louis KO Shavers but may get knocked over Louis has the greatest chance of losing to Holmes but beats Holmes in a rematch as Louis was infallible in rematches.
Is he facing them in sequential order in line with Ali’s own career? Although I would baulk at him beating Foreman when past his own prime, we would have baulked at Ali doing it too, had he not achieved the win. & Louis has a knockout punch which can turn things quickly against Foreman, which Ali lacked. One thing I will say for Louis is he was, both in & out of the ring, better prepared & battle-ready than at least 70’s Ali often was.
If it’s the Louis equivalent of Ali (1951), then naturally, Holmes will batter him. If it’s peak Louis I actually think Holmes is one of the easier ATG opponents for the Bomber.
Louis loses to Liston, Frazier, and Foreman, whom stylistically possess attributes that would make it extremely difficult for him. ( I don't believe Louis survive their power, aggression and toughness) The rest he beats , though Shavers and his power would be extremely dangerous. Norton would be difficult, but Louis's greater technical skills and overall firepower would eventually see him through. Patterson wouldn't survive, though may clip Louis and put him on his butt.... Holmes , I believe Louis could time his jab, and land over it like Snipes and Shavers did. And if Louis landed like they did, I don't believe Holmes survive .
I easily favor Louis against the Liston and Patterson of 64 and 65, think that the match between FOTC Frazier and him could go either way, and then he beats Norton, Foreman, and Shavers, but loses to Holmes.
I favor Louis in all of these however Foreman has a good chance Liston also has a shot. Louis beats Holmes by UD , while he stops Frazier in the mid rounds and totally crushes Patterson, Norton and Shavers.
He loses to Liston and Foreman,, and if Louis can't get rid of Frazier early he gets ground down and stopped
