"Joe Louis of '40 vs. Muhammad Ali of '67" in a time machine/fantasy bout. Who wins?

this is a real style makes fights kind of fights...because i do think Louis is a good bit better then Dempsey..but again i think Dempsey stands a better chance against Ali....boxing is a interesting sport like that. the math of fighter a beats fighter b...and fighter b beats fighter c...so fighter a beats fighter c...does not always hold.

 

The two fights that most make me like Louis' chances are Folley and Doug Jones. Folley had some success standing in the centre of the ring, jabbing to the body and countering with the right. Jones had even more so pressuring Ali and countering with the right.

I think that the role of the jab gets overblown here. Or rather, relying on the jab could prove to be Louis undoing. Ali was excellent at countering the jab, and often when he met an opponent with a consistent jab he looked to counter with the right (or the left hook as he did against Foster) instead of jabbing with them.

Louis should watch Clay-Jones before this one. That could provide him with some important clues.

 

I actually think Ali would stop Louis at his best, and that's not because I don't rate Louis (quite the opposite).

 

yea good points..i still gotta go ali for the reasons i said..but yea....you make me a bit less confident.

 

I'd probably also go for Ali, but it's never clear cut when two such great fighters meet. I agree with those who say that Marciano probably is a more difficult match-up stylewise, though.

 

One-punch in a flash could change the flow of this fight.

If a 34+ year-old Zora Folley, could last 7 Rounds with a fast Muhammad Ali,
than I would imagine a Joe Louis would have no problem going 15.

 

The only two who went 15 with Ali at this point took horrendous beatings doing so. "Going 15" and "no problem" are phrases I wouldn't use together lightly in this context.

 

Not really,,,,,,George Chuvalo was fighting in Nova Scotia 6-weeks later.

Does that sound like someone who took a horrendous beating.
A virtual shut-out loss yes, but left like a useless carcass, I think not.

 

I think Joe Louis would win. I just think he was a better, more complete fighter.
I think he'd slip and parry more of Ali's jabs than Ali could avoid of his.
And I think he'd get Ali when Ali goes to the ropes (which he did, even in his prime, in spite of all the dancing), batter the body, and break him down.

 

He was incredibly tough, but watching that fight there's little doubt that he took a battering.

 

Had to go back and look at Muhammad Ali versus Cleveland Williams.

Yes, the man was fast, quick and had power.

Then I viewed Cleveland Williams, in his '4' previous bouts.

In his bouts versus Mel Turnbow and Sonny Moore,
he was not only bad,,,,,,,,,he was near pathetic, leading you to feel sorry for him.

In his bout with Sonny Moore, 7-months earlier. Williams was getting swatted all over the
ring, by a guy with a 19-19-2 record.

That Ali vs Williams fight should be thrown out, when trying to gage Muhammad Ali.

 

Good point Il Duce...Williams had nothing left and stood straight up and followed Ali without any head movement at all. Can you say target practice? Ali may have been at his physical peak but he wasn't tested by a quality opponent in Williams. Prime Louis would be another story altogether.

 

Mr. Jim,

I'm sure there were 25 other Heavyweights and a few Light Heavyweights
that would have put up a better fight.
Maybe, Ali was just trying to help out a guy who needed money for his
medical expenses.

I just saw the film tape of the Sonny Moore vs. Cleveland Williams fight.
Oh My God,,,,,,,,,
Sonny Moore clearly won, but he didn't complain.
After the fight, you can hear Sonny Moore say;
'The guy needs the win more than me, let him have it'

 

Muhammad Ali by UD, Ali`s movement, speed & reach would frustrate Joe IMO.... but 1 mistake too many & Louis might put him out with his brilliant timing, not to mention his power/speed combination, arguably the best blend of both attributes ever seen (tho SRR, Jones jr & Tyson might argue different)