Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Louis prime for prime.

I think Ali is a much better fighter than Louis, this is coming from someone who likes Louis a lot more

 

As much I admire Joe Louis as a champion and man, I would have to go with Muhammad Ali of 1964-1967 on this one. Sure Ali got put on the canvas by Henry Cooper in June 1963, but if you notice legitimate knockdown, but he was trying to toy with Henry, and paid the price. But he cut up Cooper on May 21 1966, TKO 6. Ali in those years of his first title reign was smooth as silk, he had extremely fast reflexes, hand speed, great non stop footwork, and never ending stamina. Joe Louis once said of Billy Conn in 1941, He Can Run, But He Can't Hide. Ali bigger than Conn, much faster would cruise to a unanimous decision in this one. Joe Louis would not be able to catch the fighter who claimed, Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee. Ali would not exchange with Joe, knowing that Louis carried dynamite in his dukes. No knockdowns in this affair. If it was Louis against the Ali of the 1970's, this bout might go either way because Ali was more vulnerable as seen against Joe Frazier and Ken Norton.

 

Given Louis' patience and Ali's not always being willing to trade, this has the potential to be a mediocre fight whereas most view it as a superfight.

 

Style wise, Ali wrecks Joe, joe had an issue with movers and nobody moved better than Ali, plus Joes thing was his ability to Knock out his opponents, he was a great finisher, but imo Ali has a GOAT level chin so I’m not sure what joe can do to win

 

Joe truly did have the most remarkable combinations, and they were most certainly heavier than Ali's.

I mostly see Ali having difficulty with Joe in the early rounds, eating a few nasty jabs and hooks, and finally having to scrape himself off the floor (probably during the his usual take-it-easy in the middle rounds) to really knuckle down and win the rest of the fight. I see him turning on the gas and focus and making Joe look slower than ever and boxing his ears off in the final rounds, probably surprising/flash-flooring Louis late in the fight.

I doubt Joe would be able to land flush with one of his most devastating combinations (at least not ALL the punches), because Ali in the 60s was borderline superhuman on his feet and that good ole leaning back that he perfected. Louis' jab would be very pesky to him, however....I think Ali, like Holmes, was easily annoyed by fighters who could land the jab on him even semi-regularly. And Joe had an excellent jab, heavier than Ali's.

 

I understand why most people pick Ali. But I always believed Joe would have a good shot to win if he did two things - if he didn’t always set to punch.
Everyone points out how Joe struggled with boxers - but what about Ali vs boxer puncher types? He struggled with Doug Jones, got put down Hard vs Cooper, Never figured out Norton, even Zora Folley had moments against Ali. None of those men were Louis. In talent or focus.

 

Ali by U Dec ,there is also a chance he tko's Joe late.
Louis might have Ali down before the end though.

 

Ali ( 1960's ) by a wide margin. Louis is too slow footed and to open defensively to win here. He's giving up reach and height as well and has the type of chin not to have a Billy Conn or Joe Walcott 2 type of ending.

When I look at how Louis did vs the best boxers he faced in Schmeling, Conn, Walcott and Charles....they won far more rounds than he did. Ali's in a different class than they are.

 

Ali wins with ease. And I say this although I'm no Ali fan.
Louis is far too slow and flat footed to stand a chance.

 

Joe can finish Ali with ease if he connects, but the thing is he'll never be able to do that.
Ali will win on points with ease.

 

Joe’s not giving up that much height or that much reach. The Walcott and Charles fight were post WW2 we all know Louis was a much different fighter by then. Louis’s size and style most replicates the classic boxer punchers Ali faced, Cooper, Doug Jones, Folley, Norton and all had some success on Ali.
I just rewatched Ali Doug Jones and if that Ali shows up he goes out before final bell.

 

It depends on daily form. Anyone who believes that it's a missmatch in either way is not serious.

 

I'm sorry, and as much as I like Louis his chances against a prime Ali would be very little if any .
Prime vs prime Ali was ALL wrong for prime Louis. Louis had fast hands and great ( Greatest?) Technique. But Ali was bigger , faster, more skilled, and much tougher than B.Conn. Conn took Prime Louis into deep waters and if he didn't get overconfident wins the fight, pretty easily . Conn may have weighed a 175-180 lbs?. Now compare Conn to prime Ali. Ali was much bigger than Conn at 6'3" and 210- 215 lbs. Ali was much faster, better skilled, hit harder.
The question honestly should be when would prime Ali ko prime Louis.
Louis wouldn't survive prime Ali.
All the hyperbole aside.
Louis would have a much better chance against D.Wilder than elite fighters from the mid 60's to the mid 2000's.

 

Probably louis

 

No it's not.