People don't appreciate how prodigious Joe Louis's opponents were

It's one thing for Louis to have 21 defenses by age 27. But people don't understand how many of his opponents were on historic trajectorys if not for Louis, WWII or something being in their way.


Al McCoy 118-28 28YO
John Henry Lewis 101-10 24YO
Primo Carnera 82-7 28YO
Tony Galento 74-23 29YO
Tommy Farr 73-24 24YO
Red Burman 73-16 25YO
Mauriello 68-7 22YO
Ezzard Charles 66-5 29YO
King Levinsky 65-25 24YO
Conn 61-10 24YO
Buddy Baer 60-5 25YO
Al Ettore 56-7 22YO
Tony Galento 54-10 27YO
Gus Dorazio 50-9 24 YO
Perroni 50-13 22YO
Agramonte 46-11 27 YO
Paycheck 44-4 25 YO
Max Baer 40-8 26 YO
Lee Ramage 40-8 24 YO
Nathan Mann 39-4 22YO
Pastor 38-4 25 YO
Abe Simon 34-7 27 YO
Stanley Poreda 34-8 25 YO
Al Delaney 23-1 18 YO

And then you had guys who Louis fought in their 30s.
Bivins 78-20 31 YO
Retzlaff 64-8 32 YO
Jack Roper 64-40 35 YO
Schmeling 52-7 32 YO
Braddock 50-25 32 YO
Uzcudchin 49-16 36 YO