Louis's best opponents

Louis always gets criticised for his bum of the omth campaign but he ran out of top contenders so beat everyone at the weight or at least tryed to, Louis IMO is the most dominant champ ever.

 

I pretty much agree :good

 

were far too alike

just joking

his five best wins in terms of competition performance dominance

1. Schmeling
2. Walcott
3. Max Baer
4. Braddock
5. Carnera

 

The best fighter louis ever beat was defintley Walcott, Although I think the series should be 1-1.

After that Schmeling and M Baer were his next best opponents.

Followed by B Conn and John H Lewis

After that it gets Hazy. Anyone from Carnera, B Baer, Simon, Pator, Bivins, Nova, be said as his next best win.


* Jack Sharkey was practically shot when he fought Louis, I dont even think Sharkey was rated top 10 anymore



What I like about louis is he beat all different styles of fighters

He beats the highly rated Giants


6'7 250lb Buddy Baer
6'4 255lb Abe Simon
6'5 260lb Primo Carnera

He beat the Big Punchers

235lb Tony Galento
6'3 210lb Max Baer

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He beat the pressure Swarmers

Paolino Uzcuden
Arturo Godoy




He beat a slew full of Spoilers and young prospects

Mann

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He beat the Slick Boxer technicians

Conn
Bivins
Pastor
Lewis
Brion
Savold
Braddock
Agramonte

He beat Great fighters

Walcott
Schmeling
Conn
Lewis



Overall very strong group of contenders. I would have liked to seen him take on more of the black murders row like murray ray fox bobo or thompson, but WW II deprived us of a couple of those matches, and ultimatley louis did take on the 3 best black heavyweights of that era.

 

sugar ray robinson always said joe carried some of his opponents like babies

 

I thought the question was who were his best opponents, not what were his best wins.

From watching the film, Tommy Farr looked to be a terrific opponent. He had Louis confused throughout their fight. But, citing Farr's record, I have had people argue to me that it was more on account of the fact that Louis had an off night.

Max Schmeling looked great in defeating Louis, but Schmeling lost a lot of fights he shouldn't have if his performance against Louis was representative of his ability. People tell me what happened there was the result of Louis being improperly trained.

John Henry Lewis had quite a record. And Bill Conn looked great and was beating a lot of heavyweights at the time. So it could be argued that two of Louis' best opponents were light heavyweights. Make that three, really. Ezzard Charles was an all-time great, and despite being a natural light heavyweight, did well at heavyweight in his prime. Charles is a definite one of Louis' best opponents. Or maybe four!? Jimmy Bivins was a terrific fighter, but, again a light heavyweight.

I'm sure some will suggest Abe Simon and Buddy Baer, but they should watch them fight first.

That first fight with Arturo Godoy was something.

Tami Mauriello looks real good on paper, but he was blown away, so I don't know....

Walcott looked quite good in the first fight, but the record didn't suggest a top contender. And the rematch, people have argued to me, showed that Louis had an off night the first time.

Obviously Marciano is among the best Louis opponents.

Cesar Brion was a tough contender. What do people think about him?

My feeling is that Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano are Louis' best opponents. Admittedly it wasn't a division overflowing with talent. I think Charles and Marciano have some success outside the era, especially Charles. Of everybody Louis fought, Charles was the best - probably even better than Louis. If Tommy Farr and Bill Conn gave Louis fits, one can only imagine what Charles could have done to a prime Louis.

I don't think some of those noted here hold up well. Max Baer, Primo Carnera, and James Braddock do not impress me at all. Just because they were at one time heavyweight champion doesn't mean anything. A lot of inferior boxers have been heavyweight champion.

 

Huh?? Walcott was the # 1 rated contender. Walcott had just cleaned out the entire division in a 3 year span going into the louis fight. Walcott from 1945-47 beat 8 top 10 rated contenders including # 2 rated Elmer Ray twice, # 1 rated Jimmy Bivins, and # 3 rated Lee Q Murray. Gomez Sheppard Baksi and Maxim were all top 10 rated when walcott beat them too. Walcott deserved top contender spot as much as anyone in history with a run like that.

How? Walcott once again knocked louis down and was easily outboxing him and was ahead on the cards after round 10. Louis threw a brilliant fight winning combination, but walcott was destined to win yet another decision in the 2nd fight. I think walcotts talent level had something to do with louis being made to look bad in there first fight.

 

I thought that was one of his best combinations he ever threw? looked good on film

defintley although I think walcott clearly won 9-10 rounds in the first fight, he knocked louis down twice outboxed him outsmarted him. Amazing 34 year old louis was able to catch him in the rematch once again down on points. points to louis greatness. louis basically showed him "your great jersey joe, very very good...but as long as im around, youll always be 2nd best!"


Incidently, Louis continued rating walcott highly years to come, and even picked walcott to beat Ali.

 

We prety much agee here.

Where the bum of the month club get sold short is in the fact that there was a twelve year period between Jimmy Braddock and Ezzard Charles whgich could not have been filled by the chaqmpions either side of this.

Logicaly I have to conclude that if Louis had fallen under the weels of a model T Ford there would have been at least two or three aditional lineal champions and probably at least one two time champion (say Schmeling or Baer) in that twelve year period.

Of the new champions created by the absence of Louis there would have to be at least a Jimmy Braddock or two among them. Of course we can never be sure who exactly that would have been.

 

Solid point and observation about the combination Mcgrain. I am going to take a 2nd look at it and see what your talking about.


I do however disagree with you that walcott-louis I was close. this was just as bad as holyfield-lewis I. It wasn't. Louis did not do anything to win rounds outside of round 9, walcott won most of the rounds by knocking down the champ, outboxing him, outmanuevering and outsmarting him. Walcott even outjabbed the champ. Going into the 15th round, walcotts corner told him to stay away because he had already won 10 clear rounds. John Garfield was live Ringside at the fight, so his opinion holds alot of weight here....he claimed walcott defintley won that it was one of the worst decisions ever.

 

I dont think it is fair to compare this fight to Holyfield Lewis I

The NYT called the fight for Louis citing that he outlanded Walcott and the fact that Louis made the fight. This argument is at least theoreticaly sound given the value placed upon agresion at the time.

I am not saying that the decision was necisarily right but perhaps it was not as much of a stretch as is somtimes implied.

Louis was wasting his time at the end of the day. Walcott just helped himself to the title after Louis had retired anyway.