Joe Louis challengers who could have won the title in the 70s?

Jersey Joe Walcott in February 1978 is the first one who came to my mind..

 

I mean, the period between Manila and the arrival of Holmes was incredibly weak for HW title. I can see quite a lot of Louis challengers having a fair chance on getting the title briefly.

 

Conn vs Foreman

 

Conn was to light imo. Foreman KO4 after Conn runs around for a while.

 

Well- They are all woefully unskilled so maybe. HW does have the distinction of being the weight class with the most guys at the top level who look like they came in off the street and put gloves on. They would be journeyman in any other weight class if they were sized down.

 

Foreman was never going to last in the 70s. I’d pick CW James Toney over him at HW on the right night.

 

During the 33 days that Leon Spinks was the undisputed world champion before the WBC stripped him of the crown a lot of Louis' challengers could have won the title. Billy Conn, Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, John Henty Lewis, Bob Pastor and others could have beaten Leon.

Other than during that time frame, Charles and Walcott could have beaten a post-Thrilla in Manila Ali and an end of his reign Joe Frazier. In the very late 1970s a lot of the guys could have beaten a post-Spinks Ali but only Walcott and Charles might have been able to unify the title by also beating Larry Holmes.

 

That was my thought, a lot of Louis challengers would of had a shot at the overconfident 78 Spinks. Schmeling, Conn, Farr, Simon, Walcott, hell maybe even Nova and Baer. I don't know about John Henry Lewis if its the Lewis who fought Louis as I think he was just about blind?

 

Bruh

 

We gonna have a problem?

 

You're one of my favorite posters, not trying to debate to hell.

I just want to hear why you think James Toney beats George Foreman

 

Don't underestimate fat Toney. A slow slugger with dubious stamina is made for the Burger King.