Could Lennox Lewis survive the distance with prime Joe Louis

Pick em fight that could easily go the distance.

 

How on Earth did Joe manage to get through that air-tight defense of Buddy's?

 

Yes because he had those long arms.

 

I like Lennox Lewis to win possibly by knockout. Unless he fights a sloppy fight like with Rachman.

History tells us Lewis would respect Louis enough to be focused and in top form. Joe has got to negotiate the outside and the midrange area without getting clipped by Lennox.

Joe Louis had a good chin and heart. He may be most dangerous getting up off the canvas here if Lennox tried to end it. Things can change real fast.

Lennox Lewis in 1997 form has the best chance of having his hand raised. Not many fighters could beat Joe Louis, LL is one of those few.

 

The fight likely goes the distance.

The winner?

... ... ... ... ...

 

Realistically something is going to give here.

 

Either man could hurt the other one.
In a lot of ways we should be asking can Louis survive against Lennox.

 

Huuuh??? Last?? Lennox Lewis was the greatest heavy ever. Louis was from an earlier era. He would have had a hard time dealing with the size of Lewis. Lewis was just as good a boxer but then there is that little problem of dealing with 40 or more lbs of solid muscle 3 inches in height and 8 in reach. Lewis pounds him from long range and eventually it’s just too much and Louis gets stopped in 5 to 9 rounds.
Please don’t compare Lewis to Buddy Baer. You’re embarrassing yourself.

 

And lightning speed.

 

Those citing Buddy Baer and Abe Simon? Really. Big Lennie wasn't just big, he was very, very good. I have Louis higher on my 'list' but think Lewis stops him, and likely before halfway...

 

The fact that Simon was a legit top 10 guy at the time tells you everything you need to know about that era. I can't remember witnessing a slower, more clumsy Heavyweight. He's fighting like he's blindfolded in one of those Battle Royale things. Keep in mind that this dude holds a KO win over one of Louis' better scalps in Jersey Joe Walcott. There's a stretch between the 30s and the 40s where the Heavyweight scene would have been absolutely pitiful if Louis wasn't around.

 

I don't think there's a fighter on here who goes in and out of fashion as much as Lewis. One week he's in the all-time top 3, the next he's barely in the top 15. He'd certainly last the distance against Louis as the only times he was stopped were due to complacency. As to winning, if they had ten fights I'd say between three and five.

 

It's such a fascinating fight, because in a lot of ways each of them, Lewis and Louis, are horrifically wrong for the other.