Goddamn.. that's a good post. What if Usyk had fought Schmeling about ten/twelve years ago? Usyk is not a smoother puncher than Louis.
He is certainly offensively more skilled. Louis throws better hooks, better straight punches and better combinations. Defensively, Louis is nowhere near as good as Usyk. Louis is the best combination puncher in heavyweight history. Let's see all the great 5-6 punch combinations Usyk has thrown. Even when Usyk does throw combos, he usually throws a maximum of 2 hard shots and a bunch of soft shots. Nothing remotely comparable to the fight ending 6 punch combos that Louis threw where every punch was an extremely hard punch.
Boxing rec says he has 335 rounds so I'm guessing chap gpt confused rounds with fights. Wikipedia says he was 335-15 but it leads to dead link. Chatgpt might just be copying wikipedia.
In other words, he polished his skills in another sport with a bad reputation in terms of corruption and peds usage.
Do you have any idea how much testing they have to go through at the international level? There is way more corruption in the pros game especially back in the 30's.
He is certainly untested as a pro. Buster Mathis beat Joe Frazier when they were both amateurs. How did it work out for him when they met as professionals? Henry Tillman beat Mile Tyson when they were both amateurs. How did it work out for him when they met as professionals? Tyrell Biggs beat Lennox Lewis as an amateur. How did it work out for him when they met as professionals? Randy Shields beat Sugar Ray Leonard when they were both amateurs. How did it work out for him when they were both pros? Are you really arguing amateur boxing is akin to professional boxing? Would you argue that playing basketball for UCLA. Kentucky or Duke or Kansas which are the most storied college basketball teams is akin to playing in the National Basketball Association?
Yes, but all the olympic sports are plagued with it. These eastern europeans make a science out of peds.
I'm simply saying that for some fighters, fighting for their country means more to them than fighting in the pros. It doesn't mean that they are lesser fighter. Most of those losses you mentioned happened when some of this guys were teenagers.
He might and then again he might not. But I don’t make assumptions based on the adage that “ modern is always better. “ For me it’s more about Usyk possessing some key attributes which MAY give Louis problems. That said I don’t have any convictions either way.
I will agree in the 70's and 80's in was rampant. Not so much anymore. The testing is super strict now.