Joe Louis' Vastly Under Rated Chin

I think Joe had an excellent chin and he could box very good as well but his style was to chase and break down and he was an offensive monster so at times he could leave himself open from his aggression. Still he fought some big pin-point punchers and got up to win.

First fight with Schmeling he fought a peak smart Max who was experienced and this was a lesson, the loss to Marciano was post peak and he took some murderous punches that would have felled anyone.

A prime Louis with a game plan was almost impossible to beat and in a series he always got better, I pick him in a 3 fight series over any Champ at heavyweight

 

Chins are best graded when they are hit. On film light hitting heavies such as Tommy Farr and a sub 170 pound Billy Conn visibly stagger Louis. Hardly the mark of a top level chin.

The best punchers that landed on Louis Ko’d him in Scheming and Marciano. I did not list Max Bear because he hardly landed much at all. So it’s clear anyone who hit on Schmeling’s this level could put Louis down for the count. The punch that Schmleing landed had lingering effects for Louis. He could not shake it off.

Others who hardly landed much such as Galento floored Louis.

Louis’ chin was less than just about every top level heavyweight champion I can think of. Not as good as Jeffries, Dempsey, Marciano, Liston, Ali, Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield, and V. Klitschko for sure. I would say it’s more over rated than under rated.

 

I do not think that there was anything particularly amiss with Joe's chin, he was a steady stalker, up against very good opposition, who could on occassion use his high class, but sometimes predictable forward momentum against him with an ambush rally or good sneak punch, Joe's forward momentum mayhap of added to the actual well timed punches effectiveness, when good opponents face great opponents they might try playing subdued possum for awhile before trying to spring a surprise, others may try to spring the surprise early, Guy's like Dempsey, Marciano and Frazier attacked with such fervour that their opposition was in the main, fairly soon on the defensive for large portions of time and suffocated away from Textbook responses, the Tunney's Ali's and Holmes were hard to hit cleanly, and could ride shots to minimise effectiveness, so perhaps the hardest of all to make an impression on, and yet they all found occasions when they had to pick themselves off the canvas, so an occupation hazard even for the greats, Maybe through style he could be accessed and rattled on occassion, but i dont think he had an excessive vulnerability there,

 

I don't want to be picky but Schmeling was not perceived as peak when Louis fought him the first time.True he had won his last three, but had only drawn with Uzcudun and lost the two before that.

Louis was overconfident ,he had beaten Uzcudun and Baer, previously,he must have seen a 30 years old Max as a walk in the park.

 

Sixty nine fights ,stopped twice over 17 years, is pretty good imo.
ps Got any more versions of spelling Smelling?

 

I think Louis could take it and keep going fairly well, in the sense that he could be dangerous again pretty quickly.
Against Schmeling the first time, I've got the impression that Louis had been putting in time on golf, a new bride, and various accesory feminines, and hadn't gotten the rest he needed. Maybe that had something to do with not recuping well against Schmeling -- or maybe Schmeling would have fogged Joe regardless. (It couldn't have helped, though).

 

:good

His oft-criticized footwork both helps and hurts in this regard.

He is predictable and flat-based enough to get found, and toppled, but this should not be taken for a sign of frailty. As with Juan Manuel Marquez - a modern fighter perceived as highly susceptible to knockdowns for an elite and yet (paradoxically to some) regarded as having among the best chins in the sport - very few of Louis' knockdowns were matters of his 'lights getting switched out' for even a moment...just timed or beaten to a punch by an opponent with a speed advantage or just patience and presence of mind. That same type of Antæus-like base of lower extremity solidness both results in getting tipped over and in not suffering too badly for it, making the knockdowns more akin to a stumble than a truly jolting impact where the neck gets stretched without being 'grounded' enough to conduct the current of force as often happens when more twinkle-toed boxers are caught flush in the act of moving.


(that's right, you got both Greek mythology and electricity physics in one big tossed metaphor salad! :tong ...at least I didn't go for the classical antiquity combo bonus and call it a Caesar, eh?)

 

Julian Black, his co manager said Louis had a susceptibilty to blows to the temple.As did Menelaus.










At least I read Menelaus agreed with Black

 

I would never label Joe's chin as excellent or even very good... I think it was merely okay... His recovery abilities though were top notch

 

I'm in no way disparaging Louis he said himself he never entirely got over the first kd and that he "must have got hit with 50 right hands in that last round". If Louis's chin had been weak they would never have put him in with Charlie Retzlaff who could knock out a horse. As to my post what you think of it is up to you,but could you be specific about what else was" way off" in my post?