Lennox Lewis vs Joe Louis

The response was that not only was Lewis a much better athlete but that he was more skilled than Schmeling.

 

But he wasn't.

No super heavyweight ever has been!

 

I tend to over rate Lennox on the skill front...watch Lewis v Vitali again tell me how skilled those guys looked.

 

You do realize that superheavies are not supposed to mimic lighter weight fighters, correct? They are supposed to "fight big" and exploit their size and strength, not drain its resources trying to fight another man's fight.

Even that said, and admitting that Max had skill (nice counterpuncher, mostly good balance), he seemed befuddled at time on how to close the distance. Even against Louis, after countering the jab he would run in, chin up following Joe. Maybe he thought there was no return fire on its way. That's a hard bet against Louis, tho. Against Baer, he again seemed clueless as to how to get in range consistently, preferring to stay in Max's range and not providing movement.

I just don't see it.

 

I agree. Lewis could possibly blitz him ala Golota but in all honesty I can’t see it happening with out him eating some fast precise lightning bolts coming back his way from Joe. Lennox will get caught with a strong counter like Jersey Joe among others did. When Louis connects like most did on Lennox he’ll be in a world of trouble. I think he’s as deadly a heavyweight finisher as we ever saw. And I also think Lewis for all his amazing attributes his chin when faced with a puncher like Louis isn’t going to be enough.

 

I was making the same argument, albeit for different reasons.

I can't see much to fault in his performance against Louis!

The book is an approximation of best practice, in any combat sport.

 

Louis counters Lewis with a right cross he doesn't see coming.

 

Louis counters Lewis with a right cross he doesn't see coming, and a wide variety of punches after that!

 

I was about to type something like that but I got lazy.

 

Buddy Baer was quite athletic.

 

You could well be right but it would have been interesting. It was early in the fight and if Lewis did get thru the round or some of it he'd be back in it.

Having said that it was the best thing that ever happened to him as he went from strength to strength.

 

That's Lewis in his last ever fight against a good big live opponent. Have a look at how skilled Ali looked against Shavers, Young, Spinks etc. How skilled did Larry look getting outboxed by Michael Spinks in his last title owning fight. How good did Louis look against Walcott? The list goes on of course.

 

There is truth in what you say but damn it was a sloppy fight from BOTH men (fun fight though). Vitali was prime he didn’t look much better.

 

He didn't have near the speed, balance or fluidity of Lewis. And then there is the "skilled" part of the equation.

 

It looked sloppy for sure.