Joe Louis vs Rex Layne Exhibition Youtube

He was obviously old and out of shape (looked like he would slot straight into todays scene), but when the film went up close, it reminded you that he sure could still hit. I wonder if such a version of Louis might be a lot more competive than say Toney and Holyfield are today. I dare say, he might even be the third best going around today. And if he hits Wlad (or even Vitali), who knows.

 

The exhibitions back then could be more exciting than the title fights today.

Nothing was held back there.

 

Great upload. :good

Thing is, if Louis had come to every fight looking like that (a bit of a spare tyre, but looking bulked-up in the arms and shoulders too) and weighing 230, many people here were actually think he was better-equipped to fight "modern heavies".

 

Sad but true.

He would be called "the first modern superheavyweight".

 

today guys with louis's frame weigh 230 then have a few protien shakes to make 240..

Louis was so much beter at 199 or even 209 in his comeback.

 

A 230lbs Joe Louis still looks much more fit than most of the Heavyweights in the 80's 90's and 2000's and that is without weights. A point to show muscle and fitness are 2 different things

 

awesome!

thank you for this!

 

and this was a year before fighting marciano.....wow..

 

this got me to looking up how many of these 'exhibitions' louis had....and here is his tally for the 6 month period around the above rex layne one....

1949
Oct 3 Abel Evaristo Cestac Washington, DC EX 4
Oct 10 Curtis Sheppard Baltimore, Md EX 4
Oct 24 Bill Weinberg Providence, RI EX 4
Oct 25 Joe Domonic Hartford, Ct EX 4
Oct 31 Bill Gilliam Atlantic City, NJ EX 4
Nov 14 Johnny Shkor Boston, Ma EX 10
-Some sources report "ND 10"
Nov 22 Joe Chesul Newark, NJ EX 10
-Some sources report "ND 10"
Nov 28 Johnny Flynn Kansas City, Mo EX 10
-Some sources report "ND 10"
Dec 7 Pat Valentino Chicago, Il EX 8
-Louis knocked Valentino out
Dec 14 Roscoe Toles Detroit, Mi EX 5
Dec 14 Johnny Flynn Detroit, Mi EX 5
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Dec 19 Al Hoosman Oakland, Ca EX 5
-Louis knocked Hoosman out
Dec 21 Jay Lambert Salt Lake City, Ut EX 5
Dec 21 Rex Layne Salt Lake City, Ut EX 5
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date

1950
Jan 6 Willie Bean Hollywood, Ca EX 6
Jan 10 Jack Flood Seattle, Wa EX 6
Jan 12 Clarence Henry Wilmington, Ca EX 4
Jan 13 Al Spaulding San Diego, Ca EX 4
Jan 20 Andy Walker Stockton, Ca EX 4
Jan 24 Rex Layne Salt Lake City, Ut EX 4
Feb 1 Gene Jones Miami, Fl EX 8
Feb 7 Nino Valdes St. Petersburg, Fl EX 4
Feb 8 Candy McDaniels Orlando, Fl EX 5
Feb 14 Johnny Haynes Tampa, Fl EX 4
Feb 21 Sid Peaks Jacksonville, Fl EX 6
Feb 23 Dan Bolston Macon, Ga EX 1
Feb 23 Leo Jackson Macon, Ga EX 3
-Some sources report "Leo Johnson";
The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Feb 27 Willie Johnson Albany Ga EX 4
Feb 28 Dan Bolston Columbus, Ga EX 4
Mar 3 Leo Jackson Waycross, Ga EX 4
-Some sources report "Leo Johnson"
Mar 14 Nino Valdes Houston, Tx EX 1
-Louis knocked Valdes out
Mar 18 Kid Carr Lubbock, Tx EX 4
Mar 20 Sterling Ingram Odessa, Tx EX 4
Mar 22 Joe Santell El Paso, Tx EX 4
Mar 22 John McFalls El Paso, Tx EX 4
-The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
Mar 24 Henry Hall Austin, Tx EX 4
Mar 25 J.K. Homer Waco, Tx EX 4
Apr 22 Walter Hafer Rio de Janeiro, Bra EX 2
-Louis knocked Hafer out

 

far as i can see they used those exhibitions as public sparring sessions...and made an event of it...funny how that could never happen today

 

I thought for someone so green, Layne looked extremely good. The least one can say is that he was utterly fearless. He carried the fight to Louis relentlessly. Layne had a very good jab even at this point. Layne is one of the very few fighters I have seen jab with Louis on film.

I have googled some articles on Layne from the 1950 and 1951 era, as well as an obit, and one theme which runs through it is that Layne was a lazy trainer who came into some of his fights in none the best of shape and so looked bad. Insiders paid close attention to how he was training and if Rex got down to business, the odds dropped significantly, as was the case in the Walcott fight. Layne was quoted from 1980 in his obit reproaching himself for "not working as hard as I should have" and therefore not always performing at his best.

I found that interesting, as Layne was a fighter who beat some of the best and then looked bad against second-tier men.

 

did layne box many exhibitions ?