Where was Joe Walcott during the Joe Louis Era ??

Wondered this myself many a time.

 

On a construction site.

 

Jersey Joe was fighting low ranked boxers for chump change back in the thirties, and he was on the breadline so had to take many bouts that he was unprepared for - winning some,losing some. He never really got into title contention till after WWII. Shame,as if he were ready,he'd have made his mark a decade earlier than he did.

 

He was not seen as a world class fighter at the time.

 

Factually he was Louis' sparring partner sometimes

 

And Max Baer…think Baers camp kicked him out for not being able to take a punch when he was a young man. Obviously not. a prime JJW

 

Abe Simon knocked him out.

 

Yes, in 1933, supposedly, when Baer was training for Schmeling. Walcott would have been no more than a light heavyweight at that point, it's a mystery how he ever found himself in the ring with Baer in the first place.

 

So many different factors on the timeline of a fighter whom he may seem neck and neck with. There is amateur notoriety, good/bad management, poorer/slower learning curve, unexciting styles and sometimes just a lot of bad luck. In Walcott's case a bit of everything. He simply didn't have the resources that Louis did, nor was he the KO banger that Louis was. He was scrambling around working full time trying to put food on the table for a very large family so he took a lot of fights at short notice and ill-prepared. There were a lot of fighters that broke the barrier when the stars began aligning right for them such as Teddy Davis, Steve Robinson, Mike Weaver, Freddie Pendleton. Walcott's luck seemed to change when he signed with Felix Bocacchio. I was trying to think of more fighters of the same era that ripened at certain times such as:

Carmen Basilio and Tony DeMarco - both turned pro at the same time but I think Basilio was about 4 years older than Tony. Basilio actually got his title shot first but had the bad luck of fighting Gavilan. DeMarco beat Gavilan's successor, winning the title first before losing to the older Basilio. Basilio got a later start because he was in the Marines. So, I would call this a slower learning curve. Especially if you saw some of Carmen's earlier fights.

George Foreman and Larry Holmes - I believe they are both the same age, yet, Foreman won the title 5 years before Holmes did. However, Holmes didn't actually turn pro until after George won his title. So, learning curve.

Mando Ramos and Rodolfo Gonzalez - Mando was about 4 years younger than Gonzalez, turned pro in '65 compared to Gonzalez in '59 and was signed with Jackie McCoy at the onset of his career, fighting for the title in '68 (winning it in '69). Gonzalez went through years of poor management, illness and big fights falling through before signing with McCoy in '71 - winning the title in '72. I would call this bad management and bad luck. But Mando's box office appeal had a lot to do with it as well.

Emile Griffith and Jose Napoles - both turned pro in '58 with Griffith fighting for and winning the title in '61. Whereas Napoles languished for years as a top 140 pounder with no title shot. It wasn't until promoter George Parnassus, who was creating an incredible Mexican base on the west coast saw his potential and garnered him a title shot in '69. In this case, Griffith was managed by the shrewd and well connected (with MSG) Howie Albert and Gil Clancy. This was strictly the power behind the fighters and Griffith fighting out of NY and on TV, which Napoles wasn't seeing fighting out of Juarez and such.

 

The bar for elite in the heavyweight division was higher in the 1930's and Joe could not clear it.

Once the talent level lowered, he was still around and was able to make his mark.

 

Maybe read a Walcott biography?

 

Tyson and Lewis is a good example. Lennox is a year older but his prime was a decade later than Tysons.

 

Then the 30s must have been one of the strongest eras, if not the strongest.

 

Excellent post.