Prime for Prime: Mike Tyson .Vs. Joe Louis

a lot of people make there judgements on tyson based on his exploits after his very short prime. tyson was a different animal from 85-88 to the one of 89 onwards.

we will never know how great he really was

 

Neither Tyson's style nor his character allowed for a prime that was much longer than it was. It was a high-energy burn-out style and his intense training would only accelerate that rapid deterioration. Rooney or no Rooney. Without Rooney, the thin veil covering Tyson's inner adolescent was removed. And adolescents aren't exactly known for their character and resilience and grace -"days of grace" tattoos notwithstanding.

There are two windows here that Tyson would need to win. If both were apparant, I'd favor Tyson- and an early KO would not be out of the question. The first is it would have to be the 1987-1988 version of Tyson. Rooney must be present. Tyson must be at his actual peak. The second window is roughly the first 6 rounds. After that, Joe is going to come on and Tyson will be substantially less dangerous and substantially less confident.

Many believe that Louis relied too much on Blackburn for answers -that Blackburn was the brains behind the Joe Louis operation. This became less true with experience and Louis' performances at an advanced age prove it. He became almost wily. Tyson was no strategist and never showed much strategic or even tactical prowess. As he aged he became far less than his experience should have dictated. Tyson was more of a machine than Louis in the derogatory sense. His style was formed and adapted to deal with larger men who had a jab... but he never became a thinker in the ring. He was always emotional however. Louis was anything but that. Louis saw what there was to do and did it. That deadpan expression was real. Louis was more of a machine in the better sense... he never lost control of himself or his objective, even in the losses. As the "character rounds" come on, Louis should be favored, especially considering that Tyson will be getting hit with several short explosive shots throughout the bout.

Tyson must dispatch Joe early.... or else. The probability here is that he wouldn't.

 

Tyson TKO.

i love joe louis as well, but tyson was just too aggressive and his power/speed was far more superior than louis's.

 

I very much agree. Without their punching power Louis still would be a very good fighter while Tyson wouldn't to the same degree.

 

I think Tyson always was quite predictable and only really hard to hit in the first round or so. As early as the fight against Pinklon Thomas you can see how Thomas gradually gets the measure of Tyson and starts to take the fight to him before tiring and being overpowered. The commentators say after 5 rounds that Thomas makes Tyson fight his fight. Of course, since he was tiring it was only a matter of time anyway...

But he didn't seem impossible to deal with to any extent in that fight. For me, Douglas confirmed this against a less focussed, but basically the same, Tyson.

 

I would pick Louis to get of the canvas and stop Tyson in the 9th.

 

If Louis didnt have his power he becomes even more oridinary than Tyson..Joes conterpunching was really effective cause he had the great power behind those shots. Mike was faster on his feet,and had better handspeed and body movement..Louis had stamina and accuracy on mike..Thats about it

 

That's pretty much if you take away the power. If Tyson had been that agressive against those big guys without the power to back it up he would have been less succesful to say the least. And that was the only way he knew how to fight. Louis could adapt his style to a higher degree, and his skill and accuracy would still make him a successfull counter puncher.

Stamina also becomes more important in the absence of power, since you need it to grind your opponent down over a longer stretch. This becomes even more true if your opponents are bigger than you. Name me one succesful swarmer that didn't have either great stamina (mental and physical) or great power.

 

If you take away Louis's power he would still be able to outpoint most fighters.

Tyson wouldnt.

 

Louis survives a few early hairy moments to stop Tyson late, in a barnstorming matchup between the two best composite punchers in the divisions history.


Louis TKO11 Tyson. :good

 

I do think more stylistic aces are held by Louis here were they tp square off. In essence he would make Tyson come to him, Tyson would initiate the exchanges, but Louis would pick his shots in the usual economically devestating fashion. Short, quick and devestating combinations, that you caould barely see coming much of the time and with with leverage and power will seal the deal for Louis late on. Barely anyone in heavyweight history fought of the backfoot as effectively as Louis did.

 

Louis.

There isn't an ATG that I would favor Tyson against. He is by far the worst of the bunch.

 

What? As an ATG surely if a fighter is seen as being top 10 or so that term applies. If you're top 20 you're still a very good-great heavyweight too. So you can't see Tyson beating Patterson, Marciano, Schmeling, Frazier, Foreman* amongst a few others then?:huh




*I realize that I'm likely in the minority with that one.

 

You explained perfectly why Louis should be favored if the fight goes past the mid rounds, but how do you see Louis surviving early? The way I see it he doesn't have the best mobility, defense, or chin for surviving the first few rounds with Tyson.