Joe Louis vs. Max Baer - His best fight?

Joe Louis was past prime, and he knocked out the future world champion.
This is different from the situation when Joe Louis was in his prime and knocked out the former world champion.

 

You can argue it was his best win, but this is about which performance is his finest overall. I can’t think of a better performance by a heavyweight than Louis’ performance against Baer.

 

Damn it someone beat me to Godoy II. At the very least, his most under-rated performance.

 

I mean, there's another one. We were talking about Inoue earlier and this is pretty much just an old version of the same thing. With all those bazillion punches a minute Louis is throwing, you can't count a single one that isn't either a right or a left. It makes you wonder if Baer had never heard of the basics-the fundamental basic two shots, the rights and the lefts that make up the least sophisticated standby attacks. But he didn't seem to be able to evade them, and certainly then would not have evaded any more nuanced or varied strikes.

 

I would say the Max Baer fight.

It was also a notably more energised and enthused Louis than we’re more accustomed to seeing - not so much the acutely economical Joe that he settled into later.

Joe fought so frequently some later fights were like a 9-5 day at work.

No need to go all out - just get the job done efficiently. There’ll be more work in a month or so, no need to go crazy and over extend yourself. Lol.

Among my other favourites: Carnera, Godoy 2, Simon 2 and Buddy Baer 1 (notwithstanding the 1st round hiccup) and Buddy Baer 2.

The snap on Louis’ punches made it seem as if they detonated on impact. Amazing force.

 

He beat possibly his best opponent easily. And anyone else in contention for the title of "Louis's best opponent" gave him more trouble. Thus this is his best win. The ease of the victory could be attributed to Baers hand injurys but still.

I will agree with others who've stated this wasn't Louis at his best. If Baer caught him and got something going Louis might have been in trouble as he hadn't faced the adversity of the Schmeling and Braddock fights yet and was used to things going his way. But that didn't happen.

 

Schmeling but Baer is top III.

 

For me it's the Max Baer fight, Joe's 3 straight left hooks to finish Baer was chilling