Louis / Ali...who had the bigger puzzle to solve?

I agree Louis has a shot but Ken Norton had a unique stance, a tight defense. Joe isn't going to be able to change that much.

 

Ali went rope-a-dope on Foreman.

It's unlikely he would fight that kind of fight with Louis.

That said, I would favour prime Louis over Zaire Ali, but not by KO.

 

I think that Norton counter jabbed him with some power to back it up .. Louis had a faster and harder jab with far more to back it up .. it would ave been a very interesting match up not the blazing machine against the plodding follower Ali liked to claim .. at least in my opinion ..

 

If a 170 lbs Billy Conn completely out boxes Louis , and damn near stopped him, and he was completely taken apart IN HIS PRIME by an over the hill Max Schmeling I don't understand why someone could pick prime Louis over a prime Ali, or any version of Ali prior to 1975. Nostalgic wishing? Ali would've destroyed Louis prime vs prime. Their is absolutely no question in my mind about it. Look at the strength and weaknesses. It was shown clearly in a few fights Louis could be outmaneuvered. It was shown clearly he could be reached by lead right hands. It was shown clearly his chin wasn't the greatest. Ali could be nailed by left hooks, Ali had problems with brawlers, and awkward fighters. None of that matched what Louis did best. Yet all of Louis's major weaknesses was a Ali strength. Ali made a fighter considered to have the fastest hands in heavy history and made him look slow twice. Louis was put on his ass by a slow fisted brawler like Galento. Louis's legend ( Like Dempsey and Johnson) doesn't stand in the light of close scrutiny. Historically speaking, and what he accomplished for society in general he was just as great as Ali, but looking at the fighters strengths and weaknesses their is no comparison. Ali's worst match- ups would've been Holmes, Lewis, and Tyson. In that order. But Joe Louis was made to order for him.

 

Ali for sure... Better fighter overall more complete... Much better chin,great stamina,very smart, toughest mind in boxing history, could stop tough guys with combinations, fast like hell with hands,fast like hell with footwork... Very versatile.... Ali without a doubt

 

Joe would have to parry and jab with Ali consistently to win the fight. His fast combinations would be brutal.

I think Joe has a good chance to win this one. 50/50 fight for me.

 

Ali couldn't throw a proper uppercut nor could he effectively parry the jab. Didn't have much of a left hook either. What he did have was footwork, intelligence, speed, reflexes, chin, and a ton of heart.

 

He wasn't out maneuvered by Conn at around 170 lbs for 13, of a 15 rd fight?

 

That's what you may have read ,I've read the score was 7-4 / 7-4 / 6-6 All Conn, Most who witnessed the fight said Conn was winning going away . But the bottom line was-is Conn at 170lbs never known as a great boxer or big puncher baffled over 200 lbs J.Louis for 13 of a 15 rd fight nailing him and damn near stopped him . You can shade it anyway you like but those are the facts.... With those facts I see absolutely no way he defeats the 6'3'' 210-215 Ali who was much faster, bigger, and hit harder than Conn.

 

If Louis can cut the ring off effectively against Ali, he's atleast a step of the way there. Louis has a great ring IQ and if you think he'd simply follow Ali around the ring throwing reaching shots and wasting energy then I think you're sadly mistakened, for the most part it could be quite a boring affair early on with little engaging. It's hard to deny Ali's claim to being the best H2H heavyweight of all time though.

 

It's one thing to know what Ali's gonna do but it's quite another to have to deal with it. Ali is gonna be dancing in and out, side to side while flashing that uncommon handspeed. That is the puzzle. Ali was able to deal with Sonny Liston who you can compare to Louis stylewise, (Joe does things better) than Sonny.
Louis would feel like he was in the ring with an Alien.