Imagine if Walcott had been dealt a better hand earlier on,and had been properly trained for his earlier fights. He'd have reached the top of the tree a lot earlier. Imagine he and Louis fighting in '38. I would take Louis to win,but Joe would still have caused him major problems. Louis,maybe coming from behind.knocking Walcott out by round 10. Jersey Joe would always have had the style to give the Bomber problems.
Jersey Joe Walcott was a late bloomer. I don't think their is any evidence he would have been better in 38 than 48 even with better early training. Walcott was one of those guys who used a lot of old tricks, tricks that you develop after spending 18 years in the ring. Walcott was great enough from ages 32-38...hard to ever imagine him being better
Well said. Years back I read articles about him and Braddock training and fighting on empty stomachs and little else to build themselves up with which probably contributed to some of their loses. The skills though were building up as you said and they may not have reached their full until in his thirties.
although they were approximately the same age when they fought, louis was older in his reflexes and foot work and walcott was much "younger" in these and the other categories. even had walcott been at his peak in 1938 (though i agree with those who say his peak came later) louis was in his prime then too, so louis would probably kayoed walcott. the fascinating thing about the actual louis/walcott fights was walcott actually created a style to beat or at least give louis a real fight. her moved, he feinted, he knew just when to throw his right hand when louis brought his left back low and slowly. walcott didn't use the same moves as he did with louis in his other fights (marciano, charles)..the walk away, the feints, etc.
It could be an extremely close fight, just like the first one actually was. Louis would find himself surprised by Walcott, even tho they'd sparred with each other. Just like the actual fight, we'd probably see Louis dropped on his behind. It would go to the judges (again), and possibly a split decision (again). Jersey Joe would always give the Bomber fits imo.
As things were, Walcott would not have been seen as a credible opponent for Louis in 38. Could he have been much better with the right career breaks early on? Plausibly. In the end there are just too many unknowns to make a prediction.