Joe Louis tells how he would beat Ali

Louis said how he would fight Ali in Feb. 1967 Ring, “The kid has speed and there’s no one around to outbox him, and the opponent who tries is in his grave, especially in the middle if the ring. I’d see to it that Clay didn’t stay in ring center. No. He’d be hit into those ropes as near a corner as I could get him. If he stayed on the ropes he would get hurt. Sooner or later he’d try to bounce off, when he did he would get hurt more. I’d press him, cut down his speed, and bang him around the ribs. I’d punish the body. “Kill the body and the head will die”, Chappie use to tell me. It figures. Sooner or later he’d forget about that face of his and he would start dropping that left hand like he did against Mildenberger and Chuvalo. Those fellows got their openings by accident, and fouled it up. I would work for it and wouldn’t reckon to miss when it arrived. Cassius Clay is a nice boy and a smart fighter. But I am sure Joe Louis would have licked him.”

https://coxscorner.tripod.com/beat_ali.html

 

Louis didn't much like movers and Ali is the worst one of the lot for him. On the other hand Louis wouldn't have to worry about the incoming so much, he had speed of his own and I think his strategy is the right one. I used to think that Ali would clean him up but I'm not so sure anymore. It's closer to even than people might think.

 

So, his strategy is to somehow corner '67 Ali, then hit him in the body? Good luck cornering him. And good luck at the body shots doing much, assuming the earlier incarnation had something approaching the older incarnation's durability against body shots.

Now, though, if Louis did hurt him? He was a better finisher than Cooper by a mile.

 

Would have been one hell of a fight, Louis has the handspeed and power to cause problems but just isn’t fast enough with his feet and would get hit more often than he expects

Id favour Ali 60/40 maybe slightly higher

 

Louis would have a legit shot at knocking Ali cold.

 

Did Louis refer to himself in third person?

 

Not for the most part.

He was perhaps on the cusp of that vice here.

 

Was prime Ali ever stopped by a washed up German who was paid to loose but did not follow the script ?

Was prime Ali ever outboxed by a Middleweight ?

Was prime Ali ever put on his azz by a morbid obese zero skill bar room brawler ?

There is your answer, Ali wins 10 out of 10, the footspeed/footwork and movement combined with the jab will seal the deal, 10.12.15 rounds, it aint matter.

 

When you get older...and do LOTS of research....maybe you'll understand. I'm going with prime Joe Louis!

 

A couple of stories...one of the fighters, and one personal.

1) It is well known that Louis and Ali had some low-level beef. One of the funniest exchanges in history, maybe slight paraphrase, here...

ALI: You think you could of beat me?

LOUIS- Back in my day, we had something called the bum of the month tour.

ALI: You calling me a bum?

LOUIS- You'd of been on the tour.

2) Back when I worked a security job, I got talking to an older, African American gentleman. I don't remember how it started, but we got talking about Ali. I expressed my opinion that he was indeed, the greatest heavyweight to ever do it, and he smiled.

"He was good," he said, pulling out his wallet, ".. but he'd of got his ass whipped by this guy." He opened his wallet and I swear to god he carried around a picture of Joe Louis in it!


Love these two men. Rest in peace, champs, and I hope you've settled your differences.

 

Schmeling would have been one of prime Àli's best opponents. Yes, Ali likely beats him, but I wouldn't be surprised if Schmeling gave Ali some difficult moments along the way

 

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LOL, Schmelling who lost to absolute Palookas in his Prime.....

Schmelling never ever fought a Heavy like Ali or ever seen one in the Ring, he would not "zee somesing" he would be sliced up and stopped, again, the speed difference and movement will seal the deal.

Liston, Ali, Frazier,Foreman,Holmes,Tyson,Bowe etc butcher Schmelling, some even in a round or two.

 

Ken Norton didn’t seem to mind Muhammad Ali’s movement and he had a famous case of bucket foot. 60s Ali may be different but I think he wasn’t smart enough at that point for Joe Louis.

 

Louis would be much too smart, accurate, persistent and powerful for any version of Ali. It's a question of when, not if. He was equal or better (mostly better) in every facet of boxing except footspeed.