Boxers were TERRIFIED of Joe Louis...!

That was actually Bob Olin, Light Heavyweight champion of the world. It would have been really cool if it had been a Louis opponent though, would have furthered his mystique even further.

 

I also mentioned Tyson who I very much love as a fighter… which you seem to ignore? I bring all three up because they’re your “intimidator” culprits at HW that everyone brings up so it’s topical FFS lol. It just was to paint a picture of how helpless it must’ve felt against Louis, Tyson showed you could tie up and throw up the white flag, Liston demonstrated he could be avoided and so did Foreman who was sloppy who would deny that? Louis had no holes in his game at his best he was certain defeat. I don’t twirl my moustache waiting to write another mean comment about peoples hero’s let it go.

 

After Schmeling and certainly after Braddock Louis was momentum proof and Louis beating Schmeling really demonstrated the futility of resistance in a way no other dominant champ did. And whether Foreman beats Ali or Young most other nights I don't think he'd have taken them out in a round. Ali never embarassed Frazier or Norton etc.

 

I believe LH Champ John Henry Lewis was very leery at the prospect of facing Louis.

Though his trepidation would have been warranted more than others given his being blind in his left eye and partially blind in the right eye.

Suffice to say, JHL didn’t pass medical for his next fight and therefore retired.

 

This might have been said already but the beauty of Louis’ intimidation was that he didn’t try to do anything to intimidate his opponent, unlike most other intimidators.

His performances in the ring and just his resting impassive stare were more than enough to be getting on with.

Remember too, Joe had to mind his Ps and Qs to safeguard a chance at the title.

That included him being instructed not to overly celebrate KO victories or show too much emotion altogether.

Well, that backfired on Louis’ opponents - because Joe’s emotionless face made it look like he wanted to kill you! Lol.

 

I thought that was very stupid as well, if it makes you feel better. Sure, big strong fighters like Smith could survive by doing it, but also losing every round in the process. So, just to show how unbiased I am, your post was really bad in that sense as well.

I don't know what you mean, to be honest. Yes, Foreman and Liston went the distance in a few fights and lost even fewer. So did Louis.

So for every Peralta and Machen there's a Farr, Godoy and Pastor and for every Young there's a Schmeling. Then Liston and Foreman had the misfortune to run into what most consider to be the GOAT (a status Louis has a very good claim to as well, though), which Louis didn't have to. And while Ali did thoroughly beat Foreman, he certainly didn't find him easily avoidable. That is the reason he fought almost the whole fight on the ropes, shipping some brutal punches in the process, in case you didn't know.

And sure, Smith did manage to tie up Tyson and survive. No one did quite the same to Louis as far as I know, but did anyone try? To their credit, the Baer brothers, Carnera etc never tried to hug Louis to death, they went out on their shields. You could actually make a case for how intimidating Tyson was that his opponents would surrender all pretence of dignity rather than fight him.

But you don't have to bring Tyson, Foreman and Liston in at all. That's what you sadly just don't get. What Louis did in the ring stands on its own merit. It doesn't need clumsy attempts to bring others down. So just relax.

 

Godoy must have made Joe mad in the first fight, I’ve seen photos from the second fight and Godoy’s face looked like a gargoyle at the end, Joe must have just pounded the crap out of him.

 

Yeah, I think I heard he gave him a going over in the rematch.

 

The Associated Press fight story said Godoy’s face looked like “barbecued beef” at the finish, and the NY Daily News coverage described his face as “crushed.”

 

You have to give it up for someone who swarms Louis not only one time, but two. That is some stones righ there.

 

He kept coming at him and was still trying to after the referee stopped the fight. Tough dude.

 

Yeah there’s a shot of Whitey Bimstein leading Godoy out of the ring after the fight on BoxRec and Arturo would not have needed any additional makeup to portray Quasimodo … Joe messed him up real good.

 

Unless I’m misreading, it seems you guys might not have watched Louis vs Godoy II?

It’s one of my favourites. Joe’s short punching game with little room was brilliant. So much power in punches that didn’t travel far at all.

Any future opponent seeing the effects of Louis’ punches on Godoy’s face would rightfully be shitting himself at the prospect of facing Louis.

As to messed up faces - Braddock’s was very bad also. Jim displayed as much courage as any fighter ever has during the near 8 rounds the fight lasted.

No mistake, Louis was hitting Braddock hard and often with some of his best punches - similar to some of the shots that dropped Max Baer. Jim displayed a hell of a beard.

It took accumulative punishment and an ATG bone crushing right hand to finally see Braddock off.

 

During the fight and especially when it was stopped, Godoy came across as a fearless crazy man.

In contrast to that display in the ring, in IVs, he was well spoken, calm and one of those smiley guys. He also looked very well conditioned for his fights.

IIRC, he had a pretty hot wife also. Not that it matters in so far as boxing goes, it’s just a guy thing that needs to be said and shared.