Louis and Frazier fight 10 times. How often does Joe bomb him out like Foreman?

Partly,but the shot that was giving Frazier the most trouble was the lead right uppercut straight through the middle.There was nothing wild and winging about those punches at all.

 

Louis did not always get off to a fast start in some of his fights either. He was often decked early, or fell behind on the cards before coming back to conquer his opponent. A man with Frazier's handspeed, upperbody movement, and punching power could have possed some real problems. Especially, when we consider how much difficulty Louis sometimes had with some of the stationary targets that he fought.

 

I personally think you are right.

 

IF Louis did not get off to a fast start and hurt Frazier early, then I think he ultimately would have been in real trouble and the end would not be pretty.

Frazier would have Louis down two or three times by the 9th round, and the referee would stop it, imo.

 

Agreed. Louis had a tendancy to improve dramatically in rematches. He knew what he had in front of him and as a result stepped it up big time.

While I'm not entirely convinced that Louis wins more than 6 times against Frazier, given Frazier's propensity to start slow its not out of the question that Joe can get him out early.

 

There is no way anybody should be picking joe frazier in this thread. Were talking about Joe Frazier walking right into the greatest puncher of all time with only one powerful hand. Its suicide.

 

Louis' chances of emerging with the win increases after every encounter; partly because of Louis, and partly because of Frazier. Frazier will not be posting a surprise win in the rematch after being knocked out by Louis. I find that highly unlikely. His chance at victory will evaporate very quickly once Louis knows what he's up against.

Louis wins by stoppage by the 9th round or so, on average.

 

Louis was a far more effective puncher and finisher than Foreman.

If Frazier is going to smash him to bits by coming forward he is going to have to wade through several circles of hell to do it.

 

You make it sound as though Louis beating Frazier is an automatic forgone Conclusion. Louis was floored and even beaten by lesser men. Frazier's handspeed, workrate, and solid lefthook were unheard of during the 1930's an 40's. Now, its reasonable to pick Louis. But, to say that Frazier going into the ring with Louis is " suicide ", doesn't seem like a balanced view.

 

Foreman is used very much as an example here, and of course there's reason why. But let's not forget that Louis had trouble with swarmers as well. Godoy is light years from a prime Frazier and he gave a prime Louis trouble in the first fight (not in the second, though). So there are examples one can use to show how much trouble Louis would have with Frazier, as well.

And while Louis was a lot sharper a puncher than Foreman (but less powerful) there are other things to consider as well. He would not have been able (or probably even tried to) push Frazier around like a rag doll, and he also wouldn't shake off the punches Frazier did land like they were nothing.

Louis was a better fighter than Foreman, but not nearly as difficult from a stylistical standpoint IMO.

 

I agree.