Is Joe Louis technically unevolved, or is he up to modern standards?

I'd say his jab was open to criticism, personally. I also think he could have used a bit more upper body movement in punching. He was a little bit rock 'em sock 'em robot in throwing combos sometimes.

That's nitpicking though.

 

Right, but unless there's a cutoff point for this ecumenism, Corbett's trainers will also get a pass.

Which I'm not necessarily unhappy about, but many others would be.

 

I tend to believe that evolution happens regardless of the era. In terms of boxing, and sports in general, successful tactics and training methods specific for the time will naturally gain credence over unsuccessful ones because they'll gain everyone involved greater wealth, fame and respect.

Corbett might not necessarily have a hope in hell of succeeding today, but evolution can't exist without specific stimuli to react against. Corbett's era never had to deal with a Louis, and Ali or a Klitschko so fighters and trainers never had to respond to those threats.

 

Evolutionary biologists always get very angry when people conflate the process of evolution, with improvement.

One does not imply the other, except in the narrowest possible sense.

Social Darwinism has always been frowned upon within the scientific community.

 

I agree with all of this. I think better head movement and more sustained use of his jab would have paid dividends against some of the craftier and more mobile boxers who gave him trouble.

 

Have you actually counted how many jabs Louis threw in some rounds?

I would also question his lack of upper body movement.

He normally went into a crouch before he threw a right, or when he was about to unload.

 

Exactly.

Fighters of that era used a side on stance, that made you harder to hit, and made minimalist head movement very effective.

The disadvantages were that it restricted your punch output, and gave your right hand further to travel to the target.

Louis often goes into a crouch before he throws the right for this reason.

Obviously both stances have been use with considerable success, in both Louis's era and ours.

 

No, I have not counted the number of jabs he threw in the various rounds where he was following Billy Conn and Joe Walcott around the ring in circles while being pot-shotted. Why do you ask?

IMO, Louis could have used better head movement in a number of situations--most importantly, while he was stalking opponents.

 

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Not a bad comparison I`d say apart from the reach.

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Because if you had, you would have seen that he had a ridiculous punch output in some rounds.

You don't seem to burden yourself with the detail though!

 

I suppose you’ve counted his punches in the rounds I’m referencing? Hilarious.

 

Louis had the type of economic movement, moulded for twenty rounds, that would seem out of place in today's guise of the noble art. But in terms of punching short, timing counters and clever combinations, he is still exemplar. If Joe were brought back to today he would have to adjust but one area in which I think he would excel was in his ability to take steps back and rip away with both hands - many hugging giants would get minced.