Joe Louis 1936 v Muhammad Ali 1971

I think Ali`s sharp righthand would be a problem for Louis. He could lead with it and counter with it. Much faster than Max was and bigger and stronger as well.

Joe Louis did have a great lefthook but I dont think he had the footwork to get in position to throw that hook with Ali. Muhammad would keep him turing keep him picking up that front foot.

Remember Ali got worn down by Frazier and he stood flatfooted by the midrounds but much of that was because of Joe Frazier style of constant pressure.

Joe Frazier was much faster moving in than Joe Louis and he cut the ring better. Joe Louis was more of a stalker and he would allow Ali time to set up his shots and time to rest with his jab.

Ali by TKO 10.

 

eTM....you are mischaracterizing the skills of Louis. Much greater fighter in all areas than Frazier and young Louis could sidestep, bob and weave with the best. The fact that Ali would need to worry about two fists not one alone makes him much more likely to lose to Louis in 1971 than Frazier. Louis was also well trained in the finer points of the game which Frazier lacked.

 

Watching Ali-Frazier the FOTC, i can not see how Ali would survive a 2-fisted counter-puncher like the Brown Bomber...I seen Ali really shook in the 11th and down in the 15th and although 26 fight Frazier was a strong force, we really can not compare him to a 2-fisted-2-handed Brown BOMBER....I like Louis by a stop sometime after the 11th in a spirited battle but Louis was a finisher indeed, Louis gets the stop IMO

 

50/50 fight, prime vs prime ali wins 100%

 

Louis best weight as per Louis was 202. Ali average weight from his first reign was something like 209....so not that much an advantage. Most on here way overrated size in the hwt division. It was the smaller hwts that gave Ali the best fights. Cooper nearly stopped him, Mildenburger and Frazier. Ali beat up on the biggest and baddest of his time. Louis had a tremendous level of boxing skill...aside from his ko power he was the greatest combination puncher in hwt history. Extremely quick fisted he could slip, block, parry, bob and weave and then counter with ko punches to vital areas of his opponents body. Louis did not need to stalk his opponents. If need be he could box, counterpunch, side step, jab and then attack once he has his opponent hurt. Louis was the complete package or better said the closest to a complete package in hwt history. This all being said Ali could have certainly outboxed Louis. However if he thought Frazier was tough with just his hook to worry about what about Louis who had a hook technically better than Frazier and a right hand the best in hwt history to follow it?

 

sou you are talking about a best weight vs an average weight? the best weights of ali were liston 1 and williams , he weighed 2101/2 and 212. ali was clearly heavier than louis

 

Never said he was not heavier just that the difference is inconsequential. Louis best weight was 202 and let's say Ali was 212. 10 pounds is nothing in the hwt division.

If we are talking the Ali that fought Frazier ...Louis wins it. Frazier hit Ali at will with his hook and so would Louis. Difference is that the hook from Louis would be multiple not single shots and would be followed by one punch ko power right hands. Prime Ali and it's an all time great fight but in 1971 Ali was a step slower and did not have the Classic defense to avoid what Louis would be throwing.

 

i can agree with this