This content is protected . 1. Rather surprisingly, Braddock knocked Louis down with a right uppercut. Louis got up quickly, and I think he was more taken off guard by the punch than he was hurt by it. Braddock pounced on Louis anyhow, getting him in a corner and teeing off on him. Louis fought back well enough though. Good exchange. If Braddock hadn't floored Louis, I would have given it to Louis. Braddock. 2. Braddock was on the attack, but Louis seemed 100% recovered from the first round KD. It was evenly contested up until the end of the round when Louis landed the signature one-two and that was enough to have Braddock backing off. Louis followed up instantaneously with a left hook, two blistering right hands (particularly the 2nd). Close round, but that late assault Joe mounted swung things his way. Louis. 3. Louis landed many goods one-twos, combing the left jab with a variety of right hand punches. Louis. 4. A little bit more trading going on here. Louis. 5. Louis sticks to the jab. Louis. 6. Louis makes a good effort to finish Braddock off, who is tiring. Louis. 7. Louis. 8. Louis landed the left-right bomb that spelled retirement for the Cinderella Man. WHAM. One of Louis' best combinations. That right hand was one of the most powerful punches he ever threw. Didn't Braddock get some of his teeth knocked out here? I was positive he did, but couldn't find a source to verify it. Verdict: Certainly a classic Louis KO and performance. However, I am wrestling with whether or not I should label it a classic "fight" or not. Should I? on the sole basis that both were floored? Or is that too cliché, too basic? In isolation of the knockdowns, it really was not a fight of singular importance in regards to action.
That combination that finished Braddock might be my favorite KO combo of all time. Left hand knocks the guard out of place, and Louis drops the hammer with the right. Simple, effective, brutal.
I enjoyed this one, first time I've seen more than highlights too. This is like Louis' version of Gomez-Yum. He may have been dropped early, but he looked like what was arguably the best fighter ever three rounds later. I really enjoyed how he stood in the pocket and rolled with Braddock's wide punches. He fired that cross down the middle with painstaking accuracy. Braddock had a sneaky cross-counter as well, to his credit. He isn't the bum he's often painted out to be. I do love a Cinderella Man story, it's why I love Leon and Douglas.
Braddock fought like a champion. Going out on his shield describes it well. He appeared very stiff, but also showed a variety of punches, and a very good chin. He did pretty well until the sixth when he managed to survive a brutal onslaught, but was never the same afterward. Not a great champion by any means, but looking better on film than some of the others. The final Louis punch was another perfect right. Louis is by far the best two hand puncher we have seen so far.
