Joe Louis -vs- Lennox Lewis:

Yeah, but Joe Louis GOT UP and WON those fights. The record shows that when Lennox Lewis was sent to the canvas, that was it - the fight was OVER.

And Joe Louis would send Lewis to the canvas in a lot more devastating fashion than Oliver McCall did. And, given his track record, and shaky chin, he wouldn't be gettin' up, either.

 

I know this seems to be your favorite reference point in history, but let's try and put it in to perspective.

Lewis lost to McCall via stoppage following a knockdown that most people felt was rather premature. Even Larry Merchant, who isn't a sadist when fighters are getting battered couldn't believe the nature of the stoppage. If a ref had jumped in and stopped a fight every time Joe Louis was floored, we likely would never have heard of him. The Rahman loss came when Lewis was 35+ years old. In both cases, Lewis avenged the losses, and along the way defeated many ranked fighters.

You also have to consider that McCall was a full sized heavyweight with a good punch and one of the greatest rated chins of all time. Additionally, he was well seasoned after facing many good fighters, and sparring for several champions including mike Tyson. McCall was hardly a bum, and nor is it out of the realm of possibilty that he may have upset other greats on the right night as well.

 

To be fair, Damiani was very talented and skilled, just lacked in other departments.

The loss to Fergusson was much more embarresing.

 

But you said Louis needed no room at all to punch (hence Lewis would get knocked out in case of a clinch). Why couldn't he take Conn out when he stepped inside, if he needed no room anyway?

And why have none of all the fighters that Lewis faced not found an effective way to hit him (other than behind the head) when he clinches?
They ALL know he does it yet they all ignore it?
In fact, why has not any fighter been able to stop fighters like him (including Klitschko) from clinching? I think it is a little harder than you suggest and i can support this from my own experience. When a huge man suddenly steps in, puts his hands on your elbows and leans on you it's nearly impossible to throw an accurate, powerful punch in time. Just watch the fights, barely any fighter has done it. It's like trying to choose and angle in case of a soccer penalty: you just don't have enough time for that and to plant your feet in time, etc.

 

Because Lewis was on ***** street, wobbling all over the place. He FELL into the refs arms as he was waving it off!!atsch

 

Then how come he wasn't able to rip apart Arturo Godoy during clinches?

 

Louis could only be knocked out when he recieved a sustianed beating eg Schmeling, unlike Lewis

 

Or how about Golota being allowed to continue after the first knockdown by Lewis. He was wobbling around the ring MUCH worse than Lewis was yet no one complained about Cortez giving Golota another chance.


Of course you won't hear Zakman complain about Holyfield getting a full 16 seconds to recover in Bowe-Holyfield III after laying still like a corpse for 4 seconds or so...

 

No he didn't.

The ref embraced him. Lewis did not "FALL" into the ref's arms, and look at the immediate reaction of Lewis as soon as the ref waved it off. Lewis had his guard up signaling to continue. He was also up at about the count of 6.

See below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wADfFOtj7jU

 

Or what about the multiple knockdowns that Foreman sustained from Lyle. I'd say he was given more than ample chances as well.