Prime Joe Louis vs 1991 Mike Tyson

Snipes had a good right hand but hit plenty of people flush with no effect at other times. He certainly wasn't a renowned one punch guy that's for sure. I wouldn't be underrating Galento's power. Galento and Baer were both over 230 pounds if that actually matters. Larry was also badly hurt against other guys as was Louis and co no doubt. Ali was hurt quite a few times by Frazier.

Louis made a mistake in not taking a count yet still regained his composure quite quickly as did Holmes vs Snipes.

Against Baer he was clear enough to grab the ropes and was up in no time.

Pre-peak vs Schmeling he took dozens and dozens of right hands and punishment before succumbing.

Where i am heading is that imo too much is made of Louis getting hurt or knocked down here and there. Many question his chin and durability yet many others went thru similar. I think his ability to take punches and recover is extremely good.

 

I'll take Louis by stoppage after 6 or 7

 

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Louis kayo in five at the latest. Louis in his prime betrayed at times an astonishing maturity that belied his years, even in the early part of his prime. Mike would have been made to look foolish and smashed with the right hand again and again.

Mike was a great heavyweight who by 1991 wasn't as great. But I make pretty much the same prediction even for the Holmes smashing Tyson, Louis would outclass him.

And I seriously doubt Mike would knock him down, he might even have a very hard time landing flush. Louis was just too good in his prime to have trouble with such a basically one-dimensional fighter. Against an aging, terrified, generally slim competitive field (mid to late 80s) Mike was astonishingly impressive. Against the primes of the 5 ATGs fuggedabout it, and the 90s alone...does anyone really think he would have stood a chance against Bowe or even pre-McCall Lewis?

Please understand that I'm a fan of Mike these days (converted by this forum, in fact).

 

Louis destroys Tyson at that point. Tyson of 88 is a toss up with Louis

 

Schemling beats Douglas

 

88...that I just don't see. Mike had one direction, and Joe was too good at wasting guys like that in his prime. As I mentioned, I can see Mike having a very hard time even connecting flush on Joe; the latter was just plain out of Mike's league imo. It would have been certainly more interesting than the bum of the month club of course. The more I watch Joe the more obvious it becomes to me just how and how and why only Ali was greater... and even then not by all that much imo.

 

Louis didn't have a good enough defence to keep a prime Tyson of him imo. I think if they traded Louis would go down due to Tyson having the better chin, but it could be argued either way. Hence why I think it's a toss up.

 

Definitely not a toss up. There's a video from ESPN or another type of talk show where the interviewer had a deck of cards with different heavyweights pictured. When Ali 's card was shown, Tyson picked Ali to beat him. When George Foreman's card was shown, Mike said it would've been a close fight. When Joe Louis was shown, Mike immediately says he'd beat Louis hands down.

Tyson is always respectful to the greats before him and very humble. But the confidence and surly attitude with his answer towards Louis was very telling.

Here's the video:

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He got that look on his face when he saw Foreman. That "uhh, how do I put this" look. To me that was far more telling. The only time I saw serious indecision from Mike... and maybe a little fear (I take that back...Mike looked a little afraid against Lewis imo). Can't blame him when it comes to George, the man was a freaky force of nature.

Mike seemed to get both smarter and cooler as he aged. I actually like him now.

 

Tyson would've beaten Foreman. Speed kills. And Foreman doesn't have the ability to tie Tyson up and outmaneuver him. He'd be swinging for the fences and get countered in return.

But I didn't post the video for a Tyson-Foreman contest. I posted it for the sake of this thread, and that's Tyson vs Joe Louis.

 

I disagree in regard to Foreman, but you're right I shouldn't be taking this thread elsewhere.

Mike was perhaps the most ferocious heavyweight in his prime...ever. But just having that one direction (always coming forward) puts him directly in the way of anyone with a great punch and fast hands...Louis had both, and Louis was more than capable of barrages of punches.

Mike had super trouble backin his prime even with Quick Tillis, and Louis was many times over the better fighter than Tillis ever dreamed of being (with a harder punch and far better ring experience in his prime than Mike had until the mid 90s).

Despite the criticisms regarding Louis' defensive skills, he certainly knew how to tie boxers up...again, this would have frustrated Mike and let's face it, Mike sucked when he got frustrated (he'd begin looking for an easier way out).

 

Tyson fought Tillis in his first year as a pro. It was, as that old cliche goes, a "trial by fire" that Tyson passed and continued to learn from. Using the Tillis fight as a barometer for a Tyson-Louis showdown is incorrect and inconsequential. Look what 185 lbs Max Schmeling was able to do to Joe Louis - battering and pulverizing him for 11 rounds. Tyson might demolish an ever prime Schmeling within 3 minutes.

I rank Joe Louis first, that's A #1 in the history of All Time Greats at heavyweight. But I rank Mike Tyson A #1 in Head-2-Head confrontations. Louis and Tyson are the best heavyweights to put combinations together destructively. However, Louis gets stopped inside the distance against a ferocious opponent with a style he's never been dominant against.

Mike Tyson would be Joe Louis's worst nightmare.

 

I must completely concede to the fact that Mike was pretty darn nooby at the time he fought Tillis. It probably was a trial by fire.

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H2H, prime for prime, Louis just had too great a track record. Mike would get caught with the right again and again. And that right was no joke at all, especially his dogged determination is throwing it. Louis could be a perpetual motion machine in terms of punching. Mike would first have to deal with the determined barrage...I can't see him getting set for his big punches, he'd get caught way too much.​