Interesting quote on Joe Louis from Billy Conn trainer Johnny Ray

burt bienstock · Apr 25, 2012

McGrain said: ↑

Whilst this is true, I don't think i agree with the general flavour of the post. Ray and Conn weren't shy about expressing their belief before the fight - this notion that you needed to fight him hard, stay in the pocket for stretches - and the press was utterly dumfounded - they thought it was a bluff.

This might have been down to Conn's percieved fragility due to his size I suppose, but Louis was a total destroyer. By the time of the Conn fight, he was regarded as being unbeatable in any kind of fire-fight by most.

In the cold light of day, seventy years on, you're probably quite right, but at the time I think most of Louis's peers believed you had to "stay away" to survive him and outbox him to beat him, not out-fight him.
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Quite right !

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Interesting quote on Joe Louis from Billy Conn trainer Johnny Ray

burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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Interesting quote on Joe Louis from Billy Conn trainer Johnny Ray

burt bienstock Obsessed with Boxing Full Member