Conn-Louis or Robinson-Maxim

I voted on the last alternative cause I don't know when I'll have the chance to see that on a poll again. As for the thread, I'd say Robinson-Maxim. Conn-Louis always seemed like a matter of time to me.

 

Oh well, too late now. It was a vote worth spending.

 

I voted Conn because he was facing Joe Louis. He was giving away even more weight than Robinson was to Maxim. Both Conn and Robinson boxed impressively I just think Billy was up against a tougher opponent.

 

Of the extended highlights Louis was always in that fight. In truth Conn was fighting for his life when he hurt Louis. I am of the opinion Conn was forced to fight it out rather than chose to.

Joe would not let Billy run away with the fight. Louis was losing but getting closer and closer to forcing conn to fight and managed to corner conn most rounds. The most impressive thing was Conn always came out fighting each time winning the exchange, but eventually he shot his bolt and Louis Caught up with him.

 

How can you think that a Ray Robinson loss to a fair light hitting Joey Maxim was nearly as impressive as Billy Conn's loss to the greatest combination puncher the heavyweight's ever produced ???
Ray Robinson spotting Joey Maxim about 15 pounds, had nothing to fear from the light punching defensive Joey Maxim...
While Billy Conn was alleged to have weighed but 169 pounds, spotted Joe Louis about
29 pounds, facing a monstrous punching Brown Bomber...What Billy Conn did for 13 rounds against a 29 pound heavier Joe Louis can never be duplicated...

 

Ohhh, I got it backwards. It was not "the most impressive loss" as "the most shocking loss". It was "the most impressive loss" as "the best losing performance".

I stand for my vote though. How many times you get to say "tiny crimson *******"?

Well at least twice so far.

 

Gotta disagree with you here, amigo :smoke. Conn NEVER (and let me emphasize that again- NEVER) Shot his bolt in a fight. In fact, Billy was famous for being a slow starter who, like Harry Greb and Battling Nelson, got stronger as a bout progressed. I've studied his career for years and I can tell you that this was the case in many of his fights. Conn could fight all night.

The films clearly show that this fight was not going like a typical Joe Louis fight (though the end result was), but rather, it was going like a typical Billy Conn fight: Conn starting slow (for him) and careful, picking up steam as the bout progressed. In the later rounds he rocked, hurt and smacked around the Brown Bomber. The myth that Billy "ran away" the entire fight is just that, pure bunk. The film clearly shows Conn fighting in the danger zone on many occasions, engaging Louis and winning the exchanges. Louis hit Billy several times, Conn took it and roared back.

The turning point was not Louis "catching up" to Conn. Again, the film clearly shows a fully energized Conn deliberately coming down off his toes and trying for a KO. Louis didn't so much win the fight as much as Conn lost it. If Billy had stuck to his game plan I see no reason that he wouldn't have continued to outbox and outpunch Louis and win a decision.

Again, the film supports everything I'm saying here.

Conn's achievement outstrips SRR's by a mile here.

 

I agree that it is a myth that Conn was having an easy time of it and "made the mistake of trying to knock Joe Louis out" because he was so far in front. In truth The rounds were hard fought. Billy was winning the exchanges but the key thing for me was each big exchange was provoked by Louis hurting conn first. It was through fighting back that billy was smacking Louis around. Fighting to keep Louis off him if you like. The final round Louis hurts conn first and it is in retaliation that Conn gets caught and is slowly taken down from that point. When he is caught it takes all the wind out of him and he dosnt throw a punch back and it takes Louis some time to lower the boom if you like. It appeared to me that Conn was running on empty just before he got caught because he couldn't fire back after that point. He took a good shot but couldn't keep going. That's how I always remember it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FQFuLoVpQw

 

Even better. Round 13 begins at the 2:20 mark. Billy is hunting Joe the whole time. He never switches tactics or opens up because Louis hurts him. He opens up on Joe because that's what he's been doing the entire round. He even backs Louis up into the ropes at one point. Conn is going for the kill. Louis doesn't "catch up" to him. Conn is flat-footed and pretty much in his face the whole time.

Conn schooled Louis for the most part. He had incredible stamina and could have fought like that all night. Unfortunately, his hurting Louis earlier made him overzealous for the KO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txDPVMmdNos

 

Oh, how underrated a fighter Billy Conn was !!!
What a Pittsburgh trio, Harry Greb, Billy Conn, and Sir Fritzie Zivic.

 

deal:deal couldn´t agree more, great post.