Anthony Joshua in the Joe Louis Era.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by CroBox29, Apr 16, 2026.

  1. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Who?
     
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  2. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Braddock would outhustle him, Primo and Abe would outman him, Louis and Conn Ko him, Maxie kills him.
    Men in those days were men, they weren’t prancing around in panty adverts and complaining they were too heavy
    :stirrpot
     
  3. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Joshua's sheer size and explosive punching power would destroy most of the fighter's of Louis's era. However he is heavily muscle bound and the added distance of the fights was more cardio dependent of the Louis era. If Joshua doesn't blow out a guy quickly can he keep pace. Conn would be interesting based off the Usyk bouts. those were 12 rounders AJ would have to fight more conservatily just to last 15 if he chases to much he passes out.
     
  4. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Galento hit as hard as David Tua. I don't want to hear otherwise. Galento would decapitate anyone Tua would.
     
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  5. OddR

    OddR Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I would think the average heavyweight was around 190 pounds then yes.
     
  6. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Not according to the men from the 19th century, lol. They were sissies spending more time in nighclubs than in the gym.
     
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  7. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The average weight of his opponent in Louis's 25 x title defences was 203.12lbs.

    I haven't checked, but that will be very similar to Louis's average weights in those fights, too.
     
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  8. OddR

    OddR Well-Known Member Full Member

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    It could have been higher than I expected then. I was thinking 190-195ish originally.
     
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  9. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Tbf, Galento, Baer and Simon were outliers that skewed the mean slightly.

    Though conversely, arguably career LHWs like JHL and Conn did so in opposite direction, as they are not reflective of your average HW at the time.

    Based on the Median, which is 197lbs, your guess wasn't far off.
     
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  10. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Galento would be the Andy Ruiz to Joshua in those days
     
  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Please, he would wipe the floor with that whole lot in an afternoon.
     
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  12. OddR

    OddR Well-Known Member Full Member

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    So Louis title reign opponents is more or less what modern CW's weigh really.
     
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  13. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    On average, yes. Some smaller, some, i.e. Baer and Simon, much, much larger.
     
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  14. slash

    slash Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Nearly everybody mentioned. It seems like people don't take mentality into the equation enough for these fantasy fights. Joshua is a mental midget. That's why I don't rate him so highly as it seems other people do. Just by size? I don't know if Conn would KO him but it wouldn't surprise me. Galento > Ruiz.. no? I can't rate a mental midget, giant as he is, like Joshua.
     
  15. USFBulls727

    USFBulls727 Active Member Full Member

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    The average color of Louis' opponents was white. What's the deal with that? Where were the black guys around that time?

    I don't believe it takes an ATG to run the table vs. Louis' title opponents. I believe a somewhat motivated Tony Tubbs very possibly accomplishes that. I doubt any of those guys could trouble Golota enough to make him completely unravel, and none of them are outboxing him. Byrd certainly can do it. Larry Donald has a decent shot at it. AJ probably gets it done. Probably many, many others who go undefeated against that crowd.

    Rating Louis (for me anyway) is like trying to rate a college football team who's undefeated, has blown all of their opponents out, but plays in a crappy conference and isn't ranked highly due to a garbage Strength of Schedule. Add that Strength of Schedule metric to boxing, that has to hurt Joe in ATG (H2H) rankings I'd think. There are no Foremans, Fraziers, Holyfields, or anything like it on his resume. What's the highest bar he was able to clear? Kind of hard to tell how he'd do against guys like that, what effect his power would have on them, how he responds to getting blasted on the chin from truly elite punchers, etc.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2026