Joe Louis vs. Vitali Klitschko

I apreciate that but whatever criticisms you would make of Louis's oponents most of them took conditioning verry seriously indeed.

That makes it a little unfair to call them "bouncers and bartenders".

 

Look. I like boxing. I like watching Vitali. He's one of the best heavyweights around right now. I'll watch him fight every chance I get. BUT...If they fought 10 times, and Vitali Klitschko was in his prime, I sincerely doubt if he could come out ahead against the Joe Louis who fought Marciano.

With Joe in his prime? The Joe who fought in the second Schmeling fight? My God!!! Louis would win 10 out of 10 times! That's as close to a sure thing as ever comes along in boxing...in my opinion. What astonishes me is that so many people here seem to really believe Vitali is in Joe's class at all. Wow!!!

 

I think it's mostly due to Tony Galento and maybe Johnny Paycheck... Other than that none of Louis's opponents truly looked the part of a "bum".

Even Galento despite all the jokes about his physique looks no worse than someone like Ruslan Chagaev.

 

Janitor,

People rag on my man Holmes' title defense opponents, but, while some of Holmes' opponents were duds, Holmes did fight some real tuff cookies too...... Even near the end he fought guys who were a tad green, yet still tuff and capable of boxing / fighting....

In all honesty, rankings or not, I feel Holmes beat a tougher crop of opponents as champion than that of what Louis fought and took apart....... Louis beating the **** outta " Nathan Mann, Harry Thomas, Jack Roper, Bob Pastor, Johnny Paycheck, Al McCoy, Red Burman, Gus Dorazio, Tony Musto, Lou Nova & Tami Maurielllo" were NOT the greatest crop of contenders to boast or brag about............... Again, Louis' best challengers were guys like "Farr, Godoy, Conn, Bud Baer, Abe Simon and Joe Walcott."

I have NO DOUBT that Holmes would've beaten the **** outta all these guys as well, in a time machine..........

MR.BILL

 

I also believe that Vitali Klit would beat those guys I listed on Louis' resume as champion, too........

As much as I love Ol' Walcott, he was a mere 6' and 195 solid pounds with great legs and damn good power....... But could Walcott stay away from Klit for 12 to 15 rds without being tagged in return or hurt from Klit's size and strength???? Hmmmm

MR.BILL

 

Plus, up until the early 60s, we still had a lotta' tight-ass "White" contenders contending for the heavyweight title..... Joe Louis beat up a lot of tuff but crude white boys who lacked skill, talent and ability..... Judging from the films that I have reviewd, white guys like "Schmeling, Braddock & Conn" were the slickest and or most graceful white guys of Louis' entire lot of contenders / pretenders.......... I've never seen action from the "Tommy Farr" fight...........

MR.BILL

EXTRA:

Point being, I wished Ol' Louis would've fought and defended against guys more so like "Walcott & Charles" early on, instead of at the tail end....

 

With all due respect,

It seems to me that you're flashing a legacy badge, then drawing clad-Iron conclusions from it. Obviously, head to head matchups are not always determined based on such things.

Now to clarify things,

1. Do I think that Louis had a far better legacy? - Yes

2. Would I favor him heavily to beat Klitschko? - Yes

3. Do I think that its a forgone conclusion? - Not necessarily.

4. Would it be an easy match for Joe? - No, absolutely not...

 

Some of the opponents Louis fought were crude, but he also fought slick boxers such as Jersey Joe Walcott, Billy Conn, Bob Pastor.

Even someone like Lou Nova was a pretty good boxer from what I've seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCXpLOfzb1Y

 

I agree with Magoo that V.K. would NOT fold like a lawn chair against Joe Louis like "Carnera, Max & Bud Baer or Abe Simon" did in his return bout with Louis..... Louis may well beat Klit, but it would not be a smoke job..... Louis would go through hell to win, if he actually did win....... Cheers........


MR.BILL

 

I am just not convinced that VK is this superheavyweight monster that people are making him out to be.

I see some verry far reaching conclusions being drawn based on a verry small number of fights.

 

I got "Louis-Simon 2" on tape............ Simon was as wide as he was tall........ 255 pounds........ BUT! He lead with his face and bored straight in on Louis............ Louis, a precision puncher, carved Simon up like bird on Thanksgiving.........

I also have Louis' fights with the Baer brothers as well............... Louis carved both guys up like turkey's, as well.................. Max was tougher than Bud.........

MR.BILL

 

Christ, Bud Baer got hit with the sink by Louis in part # 2............. ICED!

MR.BILL

 

I don't think anyone here would make Abe Simon out to be great. He was simply a strong, durable guy, an ideal punching bag for Louis.

One shouldn't base the skill level of Louis's opponents on his fights against Simon and the Baer brothers who were thought to be crude even at the time. They brought in other abilities than boxing skill.

The second Buddy Baer fight was a slaughter indeed. Louis really did a number on most of the opponents he fought in rematches.