Billy Conn quotes on Joe Louis I

I really can not decide who is better LHW Conn,Ezz,Tunney,Spinks,Moore...they were awesome.

 

Great collection of quotes. I take note that Billy fought Louis just like he said he would. No BSing, no hyping, no deception, just a straight-shooting, accurate description of exactly what he intended to do. Except for the outcome (and that is admittedly a BIG exception), it is the most honest, articulate, and transparent pre-fight analysis by a participating fighter in the history of the sport, IMO.

 

So true. And the part that Billy left out from his analysis might’ve been read between the lines: he came across perhaps a bit too cocky. LOL.

I remember an old photo that captured Conn drawing a picture of Louis and himself that predicted or showed how he was going to fight/beat Louis. It was a pretty good drawing tbh, - I think it was in Nat Fleischer’s Pictorial History of Boxing.

 

Well, it's up there. As far as boldly saying what you intend to do before the fight and then actually doing it, sticking to a smart game plan, Conn's got one of the best pre fight quotes. I vaguely remember a few other interesting/accurate ones but I can't remember off the top of my head.

 

Hi Buddy.
Your remark of " no-one would put a beating on him " this from Conn " I was a little out of shape when I first fought him, Apostoli was a bad man to be out of shape with, he beat me pretty bad, spent 3 days in bed, and 2 weeks before I felt right, I got even with Fred a while later, but that fight taught me to always be in shape " he might have been a better MW than LHW when you see how many very good fighters he beat at that weight, Dundee, Apostoli, Krieger, Yarosz, Durando, Rankins, and plenty more .
chat soon Jel.

 

Years after they would needle each other as friends often do. Conn would say (jeez Joe I had ya for 12 rounds, I coulda been the heavyweight champion of the world and gave you a rematch in 6 months. Joe would say you had it for 12 rounds and you couldn't keep it how the hell were you gonna keep it for 6 months?)

 

Yes I've seen that photo in Fleishcers book.The book wasn't mine, it was a mate's, I remember it being a good book.
As I've mentioned before I like reading about ex fighters being friendly with old foes and Louis is the stand out, especially so with Conn and Schmeling.
Another favourite Conn photo of mine is one of Conn and Freddie Mills in uniform and I think Conn is testing Mills chin.Another one of the two have them trying boxing gloves.

 

Billy Conn : "You're in a fight tonight Joe"

Joe Louis : "I knows it"

Legends

 

I think it is.
My missus has moved all my boxing books up into the attic.
I think I got it during lockdown along with books on Jerry Quarry, Bummy Davis, Ezzard Charles, Marvin Hagler, George Chuvalo and 2 on Sonny Liston.

 

Yeah, it’s great when old foes become good buddies thereafter.

Perhaps not like Louis and Conn/Schmeling but Liston seemed to be on very friendly terms with Cleveland Williams after their battles also.

This forum used to have a great thread dedicated to less often seen classic boxing photos.

You’d be like me - as far as photos go, virtually seen ‘em all, so when a never before seen one pops up - it’s like wow!

I didn’t own Fleischer’s book either - I used to borrow it from our local library.

 

I read that Liston, who was another of Louis buddies, visited Williams after he'd been shot.
Louis was also friendly with Tommy Farr, Rocky Marciano, Ezzard Charles, John Henry Lewis and Lou Nova but wasn't keen on Max Baer.

 

Haha I'm definitely gonna start building mine during the late stretch of this yr. Jack Johnson, Dempsey,etc tons of em.

 

I asked my missus to get me a surprise unforgiven blackness book for xmas and it's already arrived

Boxing Confidential: Power, Corruption and the Richest Prize in Sport https://amzn.eu/d/h1Ot0Rc

This is one of the best books on boxing that I've read.

 

Interesting, thanks!

Also wanted to get Pollacks book on Johnson too(Black Man v the World)

 

How old is the book by Pollack ?
I ordered that book by Jim Brady again because although I know the book is in the attic, i don't know exactly where