See, now this is where I fail to understand the logic. Marciano, great as he was, is just far too small for Klitschko. I love Rocky, but even his renowned abilites cannot overcome the vast, vast size difference. Sorry Rock. :verysad
You can argue it either way but against the version of Lewis that Klitschko fought he would have an easy night.
Even if Vitally could beat Louis's oponents (not a given) the prospect of him fighting to Louis's schedule seems utterly impossible. Also in Louis's era he would not be able to take three years out when he got injured he would have to fight with injuries. That might even see him busted down to journeyman level like Jimmy Braddock was.
Oh, I think it would have been ok...the Soviets and the USA fought on the same side in WW2 after all...if a German could get fights...
Guys , you do not have to be memorializing the glory days of yesteryear to appreciate the talents of Joe Louis. The key to beating a Vitali is the right combination of speed, boxing talent and power and no one had that combo like Joe Louis. IN addition, Vitali is not very fast himself or a terrific single shot hitter. How many arm punches did we see Chris walk through, the same Chris who was put on his ass in his previous fight. I am a fan of Vitali and know he would defeat many past champs based on his size and skill set but I fully believe Joe Louis would tear his head off. Joe was lighting fast, would jab and slip inside and pulverize him. The only comparisons with a Baer, Carnera or Simons relative are that all were huge and all (at least Baer and Simons) took great shots. Louis destroyed them. He had no problem reaching them and his shots busted them to pieces. I agree a Vitali was way to big and too difficult a style match up for say a Marciano but Louis was a different fighter with a different skill set . His speed and power would rip a brave but outgame Vitali a new as-hole. I also think the prime Dempsey has a shot as well.
Totally agree. I can only speak for myself, but I honestly do think Louis could very well beat Vitali. I'm not that sentimental that I'd blindly pick an old-timer just because he is an old-timer... I don't care really who thinks who wins...I'm open for solid debate either way. What bugs me beyond belief is the youtube generation who deride us for being deluded or blatantly favouring the old-timers, yet only know Louis (and others) from watching three minute clips on youtube and looking at his record on boxrec. It's insulting.
Allowing that i'm not making a final case, or anything presumptios like that... Louis's big problem is that it's very difficult to trick Lewis onto something. Lennox's strategy against Joe, probably the correct one, would be to stay behind his enormous advantage in reach and height and jab Louis to death. He'd be sitting down on those jabs too, because he wouldn't be bringing anything behind them - so it's not like he'd be pawing or range-finding, things he was sometimes guilt of, I don't think. He'd be jabbing hard. So Lewis wins rounds, hurts Louis whilst doing so, and probably puts him on the seat of his pants when he brings something else across. The problems he has are fourfold. 1 - Louis has a decent defence against the jab. He's more open for other punches but I don't think we would see a whole load of them early on due to Lewis not wanting to leave himself too open. 2 - Louis is almost always in position to punch, he is balanced for punching almost indeterminate of the opponents action - this is in part due to the fact that he is in control of the movement in the ring be default, and it's debatable if he would have that here, but I see a cautios Lewis ceeding it to him. Given that Lewis, though organised in real terms, isn't that well balanced in executing this organisation gives Louis openings. A little off topic, Lewis does set Louis some intersting balance issues due to his size. Louis was a compact puncher as we all know, but the difference in height does cal for some more expansive punches against an opponent he will not be bulling forwards very much. Certain ultra compat punches may have to go, and the question as to whether or not Blackburn would pin down the fact might be crucial This content is protected His uppercuts might have to go into the cooler until the right moment (and Louis would be on his own as to when and where that would be). 3 - Louis is a hugely concussive puncher and Lewis has that inevitable air of vulnerability for a fighter who has been banged out twice by only good punchers. Louis is the most destructive/cool finisher in the sport's history in combination. 4 - Louis is durable. So Lewis has the same problem as Louis might for the uppercuts in a way - when does he bring the heavy artillary? Because the jab isn't going to be enough to ruin Louis in the long run IMO, which means Lewis has to be so, so careful. He needs to bring the big guns whilst he is still clearly dominant, before disaster swoops but not so early as to find himself drawn on to the Louis plan - being tricked into invading the smaller fighters space for exchanges whilst Louis still has it together. On the face of it, I think Lewis is favoured, but I think once you get into the cut there is to much that can go wrong. That being the case, I will take the balanced puncher over the less well balanced boxer - Lewis can be summed up nicely as a puncher with a stylist's mentality, and I think that plays rather nicely into Joe's hands. If Lewis comes to make war, I see Louis holding things together that tiny bit better in the kitchen and finding a way. Only one of these guys has been off the canvas to win (though it's worth saying that Louis would have been allowed to continue against Oliver), and only one of them needs six inches to retire his opponent - although Lewis is spectacularly good at taking away the opponents opportunity to makes those short punches count, and i'm not trying to take that away from him - but it is why I think he would favour the former plan i've outlined up top rather than the fire and brimstone plan i'm speculating about here. Although by then he'd already be established. An awful lot would depend upon if had taken up residence in the States, what his politics had been and if he had said the right things.