Billy Conn

Conn gets a lot of criticism for going toe to toe with Louis but people forgett that he did not have the score card in his corner as the fight unfolded.

In order to take the title from the champion in those days you generaly had to force the fight as agresion was rewarded in the scoring. Conn would have known that the scoring was close and that if he ran for the last two rounds Louis might steal the decision.

Remember that Walcott lost the title against Louis by trying to sit on his lead for the last few rounds.

 

Got this of wiki --
"
Retiring from the ring as a boxer did not mean retiring as a public figure for Conn. Conn, who appeared in a 1941 movie called "The Pittsburgh Kid," maintained his boxing skills into his later years. He stepped into the middle of a robbery at a Pittsburgh convenience store in 1990 after the robber punched the store manager. Conn took a swing at the robber and ended up on the floor of the store, scuffling with him. "You always go with your best punch -- straight left," Conn told television station WTAE afterward. "I think I interrupted his plans." The robber managed to get away, but not before Conn pulled off his coat, which contained his name and address, making the arrest an easy one. His wife said jumping into the fray was typical of her husband. "My instinct was to get help," she said at the time. "Billy's instinct was to fight.""

What a true warrior,he was in his 70s by then to,bet the robber was stunned hehe.

 

If you put micheal spinks in billy conn's era, he would have beat everybody at light heavyweight. The fact of the matter is, some greats started as journeyman and got better, while others had the natural ability from the beginning of thier career. Guys like benitez, spinks, salvador sanchez, hector camacho, they all had natural ability. Its personal problems that affected them from having long careers.

 

Than how can say Foster be blown out, and say a smaller guy that relies on his physical advantages do so well. It Micky Walker, what did Walker have that Foster lack??

Conn was great. I do think Conn would have done well, and fell short in the 70's in regards to Frazier and Ali. I think Conn could have beating Ellis. Close fight though. Ellis was a bit bigger.

 

Tunney often study footage of his foes in action. He was watching Dempsey in action for a while before he step in and challage him for the title.

 

Conn vs Tunney would be a dream fight at either LHW or HW, it is so interesting to compare the two because it all depends on if you rank them on a head to head basis at LHW, a head to head basis at HW, a pfp basis, or a greatness basis at either LHW HW or PfP, there are so many different angles and answers.

 

Billy Conn had Louis out on his feet at one point, which led to Conn throwing the kitchen sink at Louis, and ending up KO'ed, Conn looked absolutely awesome in that fight

 

Durability and a style that did not depend on a reach advantage.

 

Tunney fought on the undercard of Dempsey vs Carpentier.

And in regards to Conn, I had a chance to watch some non-Louis footage of Billy in the ring against other lightheavyweights and he looks outstanding. He's a very impressive fighter.

 

Tunney would also get his hands on thsos MM film for fighter in question for his training champ. Fights he study for Dempsey was Carp, Gibbions and firpo.

 

my take on watching the fight was that conn was fighting for his life. Louis kept pressing him but that big exchange (where everyone thinks conn was going for a KO) was actualy conn fighting his way out of trouble - he had been hurt and was comin back at Louis. Conn was ahead and boxing well but each time he was trapped or hurt he was forced to come out fighting, he didnt chose to go for the KO - Its a myth.

 

tryin to post more billy conn pictures outside the ring. have to talk to my great aunt, its been a task my mother is going to. shes a few states over, i will tryy to have them soon sorry. promise.. im on a laptop but i will find a way to upload photographic images