Joe Louis's live fire exhibitions

I don't have the video at the moment but here's a couple of pictures:

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Not much different from:

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Louis could certainly still do damage, especially with the left jab. Most of the people who fought him around that time left the ring almost unrecognizable.

I think it has a lot to do with Louis being unable to finish off his opposition as well as he could earlier in his career, so he would just beat them into submission over the distance.

 

Holy ****, 8 rounds ?? That's one hell of an exhibition!

 

Pontius did you ever see the clip on youtube? If not, its a must see. You will be highly impressed by the 36 year old Louis. His combinations look sharp and fast, and his power looks devastating as he simply annihilates valentino through the ropes.

 

I've seen it before... he looks good.. a good contender, but obviously not what he once was.

Joe Louis' exhibitions really are something special. His opponents obviously tried to make a name for themselves and things could get really rough, against good opponents. While they don't count as real fights, they certainly provide extra depth to his resume.

 

Sorry for the necromacia! This is a great thread. I think many of these exhibitions were also held with only the regular 6 onces gloves. By today's standard, just stop to imagine the record Louis would have! Just fan-tas-tic!

 

Great thread!
Never knew about the exhibitions.
Surprised he fought Valdez, did he really KO him?

 

If I am not mistaken the Ring record books I have from the early 70's counts the Valentino bout as a real fight.

 

In Louis' autobiography it is down as an exhibition.

 

Certainly when you watch the bout it feels like a real fight. Certainly the KO was savagely completed.

 

How many if any of Louis's exhibitions are available on film

 

Bump. What a great thread!

 

None of the 5 books I have on Louis record him having stopped Valdes, and I can't access the link.The book on Joe That his son wrote has Joe boxing Ray 3 times and stopping him in one of the exhibitions,not twice.

These were
Jan25th1949 6rds
Feb1st 1949 4rds
March 16th 1949 4rds ko

Valdes
Jan28th 1949 4rds
Feb7th 1950 4rds

Its interesting that Louis boxed 4rds with Harry Wills onJune 23rd 1947.i wonder if any photos were taken?
Just found this on CBZ.

Mar 14 Nino Valdes Houston, Tx EX 1 -Louis knocked Valdes out

 

More Great History...

it actually becomes quite infuriating, when further prowess like this is displayed about this Era and it's Top Fighters, to think we should even be arguing about what fighters are better than others...

I mean honestly, would a RJJ or a BHop or a PBF or any others have 'maintained' such excellence 'IF' they HAD to FIGHT SUCH DEMANDING SCHEDULES???

Sorry I just can't see it,

also in that Era, period in Boxing, Jones & Bhop would have been L-HWs cum HWs just like men of the same Stature of Size, think Conn and JHL and such... PBF would have been a MW... Calzaghe a L-HW cum Heavy, Pacman a WW cum MW, think Ceferino Garcia, and on & on for ANY Fighter you want to mention.

First Place them in the Correct Division among their would be then contemporary peers, and then ask the below questions.

anyway you get the Point, the Proof is already Recorded in History, these Old-times don't need to do anything Mo (o) re, they Have Done It!

it's the Lesser Era's that need to be Compared in CONTEXT!!!
and though many would have been Contenders or on the Fringe, how many would actually be Champions or would have Fallen Away having to Face Such Top Men REGULARLY & OFTEN?

these are honest and fare questions!

 

Absolutely!

I don’t think Valentino, a recent title challenger, two months after his biggest fight felt any less knocked out when he was counted out against Joe Louis just because it was called an exhibition.

 

I think the fact he was blind in one eye and retired made him less of a fighter,but maybe I'm being picky?lol