1938 Joe Louis (Schmeling II) vs 2018 Oleksandr Usyk (Gassiev)

Usyk outboxes him, yes he shells up at times, which may allow success with those combinations of Louis, but I believe it would be Usyk doing the better work on the outside, Louis can’t really do much with Usyk on the outside, he must get in mid-range or up close to have success, and the success Usyk has on the outside simply outweighs what Louis would do.

Usyk’s footwork, feints up and down, touching the guard of Louis simply makes it impossible for Louis to find his timing on the outside or have success boxing, so he must bypass that, but Usyk also has a bit of size on him , and may also be able to neutralise him up close and just hold.

 

As much as I like Louis and think he would do well almost any other heavyweight in history I really think Usyk would be a bad matchup for him. Too tricky giving Louis too much things to worry about with his feints, too mobile so Louis wouldn't be able to catch him, too big, and also a southpaw which I really think Louis would struggle with. Louis is def dangerous but I think Usyk has the chin to take Louis shots if he catches him here and there and overall Usyk outboxes him for a clear decision with some scary moments here and there

 

Usyk doesnt lose to anyone in that era

 

Bad style match up for Louis

 

Oh Lord!

 

Louis KO.

 

Lot of people seem to be picking Usyk against practically every great heavyweight going these days.

 

well if Briedis can fancy Usyk a very proper and tough bout, i don't see how Louis cannot triple that success..

On the other side of the coin though, Louis, after sparring with a southpaw said he "wanted nothing to do with left handed fighters" and declared Bettina, the LHW Champion as recognized by NYC was out from his bum of the month club pugilist list

Tough matchup certainly, i'll do as most do and pick their overall favorite boxer, Joe Louis by KO.

 

The most skilled fighter the division has seen is a good reason for that

 

Do I need to remind people, that within recent memory, Usyk was a barely live underdog against Joshua and Fury?

It is entirely right that Usyk is getting his due right now, but he is still human.

If Dubois beats him, then is he going to beat every ATG?

 

It’s because he’s here and now and in people’s consciousnesses. That’s why I refuse to consider rating any athlete, not just fighters, as far as ATG status until their hay is in the barn and they’re retired.

 

Relax, it is just another acute case of "recentism". The latest top dog is fresh in memory and seems TBE.

Same happened with Tyson, Holy, Wlad, etc. ... even Fury had his 15 minutes as TBE.

There is not known cure other than time. Hopefully in a couple of years the current fad will be gone and there will be more balanced assesments on Usyk's status.

 

Louis admittedly hated southpaws, he could struggle against movers, and he ain't turning things around with one punch, or even one combo, against a guy who was last down as an amateur about 14 years ago.

Louis is 1 or 2 ATG at heavy for what he accomplished, but Usyk wins this one.

 

I’m a big Usyk fan Ferg but there are some guilty of over -adoration imo - and that can apply even in the case of fighters who are great at any rate.

The more comparably sized ATGs of the past, in possession of far greater speed and skills than todays behemoths, are actually the ones most or more likely to tip Usyk over.

Louis had said speed and skills but he also had incredible weight transcendent power, which he applied to head and body - Usyk has a top shelf chin - but so did some of the guys Louis whose chins Louis cracked.

Olek certainly isn’t impossible to hit - and he has come out of a few fights notably marked up.

Tbh, there is a reasonably calculated measure of danger present for Olek in his upcoming fight against the puncher Dubois, the latter carrying a very nice jab also.