Do you really want me to cite contemporary observations on a 1950 Louis? Or do you know better than guys who had watched him his whole career?
Now the Rockista's are claiming Louis was not much past it even though all evidence suggest otherwise.
We all know Louis was half the fighter he had been but half the greatest heavyweight of all time is still a strong contender. During a 9 month spell Louis had 8 fights and won all of them! Brion, Bivins and Savold were all rated. I want somebody to tell me how many ex champions did something like that?
I use my own eyes. You kinda just described Moorer as well. Yet he was able to get through that era and even hold title with a weak chin. It's about perspective. Those writers were comparing Joe to is lofty peak. It was sad perhaps to see him look mortal and vulnerable. Wit that said if Louis was 70% of the fighter he once was that is still better than most would ever be.
My mistake. It was actually the following year (after losing to Louis) Bivins got into the ratings again.
Barely. Even Big George himself acknowledged that he had trouble with his right hand post come back in regards to throwing it straight. The one that flattened Moored was the best straight right he unloaded in his comeback clearly. His uppercut and thudding jab were his bread and butter punches after the 10 year break. George did take a better punch than Joe which is largely why he was more effective as an old man than Louis was.
At the beginning of Foreman's comeback but not when he had bowled over a load of guys and Foreman was 7 years older than Louis and had been out of the ring for 10years! No comparison at all!
He did but the left uppercut ruined Cooney (it started the rot and then ended the fight, the rights were window dressing). The Cooper one was a big wide clubbing right to the body. It was hardly a text book punch ( and Foreman stated he had trouble with his straight right in his comeback to clarify further, he tended to wing it or go overhand much more so than in his first career ) and Bert had been on a cocaine binge for 3 days prior to put it into perspective (but not George's fault either). Comeback George's left hand was his most effective weapon in my view along with his sheer bulk, strength, will and chin.
The point is an 1950 Joe Louis was still able to KO Nino Valdes in 1 round in an exhibition so obviously not the same fighter but still may be able to pick up a title in the 80's where the titles switched hands so often or the 90's - where a 44 year old Foreman KO'd a weak chinned Moorer with one short right hand- unfortunately for Joe he came back against Charles (ATG) and Marciano (became ATG) - there are other era's I would match that Joe against such as Bob Fits - Tommy Burns- Johnson (who lost to Willard) and old Willard- Bruce Seldon- .......and many short title holders of the 80's
