How Joe Louis rated his opponents

Can't say i agree with those picks, but then i haven't been in the ring with those guys. Apparently he thinks very high of Baer and Conn.

 

The guy I beat is better than the guy who knocked me out mentality

 

From what I heard about his thoughts on Ramage, I'd think he would've cracked onto one of those lists.

 

How do your top 10 opponents rate?:lloll

 

I think he rates Conn a bit too high personally.. Schmeling defeated once and was a lineal world champion.. I would have to keep it between him and probably Walcott for the top seat.

 

I'm surprised Marciano isn't on the second list, because he always spoke very highly of Rocky.

 

Well, you know as well as I do, that its not uncommon for a champion to rate his victims higher than his conquerors, ( see Holmes' rating of Shavers' power over Tyson. )

 

Interesting for sure.

Louis always tended to rate punchers, and he placed a high premium on toughness and willingnes to force the fight so I am not surprized by the high ranking of Baer, Braddock or Farr.

Conn by his own admision gave him his toughest fight so no shock there either.

I am a little surprized that he gave kudos to Godoy who he was somewaht critical of after their first fight.

He seems to be prety consistant on Conn being #1 and Baer being #2.

 

It's absolutely not. Ali knocked out Foreman and had a much closer one with Shavers and he says Shavers is the harder puncher of the two. Holmes also said Tyson was a "sharper" puncher, just not the bigger puncher. Which seems to me like a reasonable thing. Although, it is true Holmes about Holmes and the seventies.

 

Yeah, that surprised me too. I mean, didn't he say about his problems with him, something like "I'm not a track star" or something similar? Didn't think he was impressed, just frustrated.