Joe Louis vs. Jersey Joe Walcott II

Both Louis and Walcott look great to me. Walcott is very elusive, but Louis holds his own in this one, and my guess is the fight was close on the cards at the end.

The knockout is one of the great ones on film, considering the quality of the opponent.

It is interesting how big Louis looks. He was 213 and carries this weight very well. He looks in top shape. I have often wondered, looking at the post-war Louis. Is it possible to grow in your late 20's? Louis looks taller. Or is it just that he was fighting more upright?

 

This must've been seen as a fun fight. Both down, both big punchers with high level skills. I think this is clearly Joe's best win. It's a great right hand to knock Walcott out, as well.

 

Given the context (Louis being way past his prime) it might be the most impressive Joe win. I still prefer Baer or 2nd Schmeling due to sheer dominance though and he wasn't at his absolute peak then either.

 

It’s a top five Louis win for me.

 

I personally believe Walcott gets a very raw deal when arguing about the greats. Think he would surprise a lot of guys in h2h matchups with his awkward style. He’d beat a lot of guys that night

 

Worth noting that Walcott was urged to come forward more by the referee (crowd was getting itchy.)

Otherwise he might have pulled it off.

 

Well, he ran away from Louis for the most of their first fight, so I kind of understand the referee.

 

I'll second that.

 

Joe Louis, an underrated crowd pleaser. He's been always in exciting fights but not many notice it

 

One of the best most clutch knockouts ever captured on film. Blazing fast 6 punch combination. Louis had one last incredible finish left in him. Walcott was going to win that fight, Louis hurt him had a small window of opportunity and took it at age 34.

 

I prefer to refer to his bouts as “prolonged executions”

 

Tony Galento
Max Baer
Buddy Baer
Jim Braddock
Arturo Godoy
Jersey Joe
Tami Mauriello
Nathan Mann
Bob Pastor ll
Tommy Farr
Billy Conn

Are all the fights you can watch. I find most of them genuinely entertaining.

I rate exciting fighters through 3 aspects. Their style, consistency and quality of their fights.

I give Louis 7/10 for his style. He was simple and straightforwardly dangerous but was also vulnerable. He would repeatedly get dropped and staggered a lot of time and came back to knock his opponents out. Look at his fight against Walcott, Braddock, Conn, Galento and (Buddy) Baer where he was literally fell through the ropes.

Consistency: 10/10 he was very consistent in putting up shows and competing in exciting fights.

Quality: 6.5/10 tho he was consistent, but going back to what you said.. It does look like a prolonged execution (Mann, Baer & Galento fights go figure). When he fights, he could overwhelm his opponents quickly with his superior skills and knock them out brutally . Most of them are genuinely entertaining, but aren't upper echelon action.