'Smokin' Joe Frazier (March 8, 1971) vs. 'The Brown Bomber' Joe Louis (Sept 24, 1935)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Sardu, Jan 29, 2008.


  1. Sardu

    Sardu RIP Mr. Bun: 2007-2012 Full Member

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    So savage was Frazier's attack against Ali that night in the garden that a famous sportswrite described him as fighting like - A wild beast caught in a thicket. Frazier was never the same again. The mental and physical toll of that New York evening stays with Frazier till this very day. It was one of the absolute greatest battles in history and Frazier fought brilliantly as did Ali. But Frazier clearly won although suffering the more residual damage as evidenced by later fights. Ali was slightly diminished too afterwards but not nearly as much. Louis on this date fought a man who was feared in boxing - Max Baer. And with good reason. For Max Baer once hit an opponent so hard he literally tore his brain away from the brainstem. Baer was still close to his prime having lost his title just months before to the 'Cinderella Man' James J. Braddock. So this was Baer's chance to redeem himself and get back ontrack. On this evening he was in for a rude awakening. The deadly punching, stoic youngster turned Max's face into a fountain of blood and bruises in just 4 rounds. Baer landed some good punches but to no avail. This was the physical destruction of one great fighter by an even greater fighter. Baer would never be the same. Louis went on to become arguably the greatest HW of alltime and, according to many, the greatest fighter ever.


    Could Louis hold off the determined and relentless Smokin' Joe?

    Could Frazier stand in there against Louis' precision power punching?

    If there was any one time Frazier could possibly beat Louis this would be the time. On or before March 8, 1971 Joe Frazier was the truth. However, in this fight I have to pick Louis. Too much handspeed and power.

    Louis KO 6 Frazier
     
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  2. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    Louis tko 8
     
  3. Topdawg

    Topdawg New Member Full Member

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    One has to take into consideration that Louis did not do well with swarmers. But you bet that there's gona be a lot of firework... I do not count out an early TKO coming at the hands of the Brown Bomber!
     
  4. fists of fury

    fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Very good point.
    Still, I can't see Louis losing this one.
    I think he'd win on points, maybe late round TKO.
     
  5. Amsterdam

    Amsterdam Boris Christoff Full Member

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  6. markedwardscott

    markedwardscott Active Member Full Member

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    They were both slow starters who got knocked down in the early rounds a few times. Louis, deadly accurate, would probably win. He was more vulerable to rights than left hooks.
     
  7. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Louis is not going to beat many great punchers at heavyweight. Especially not someone as agressive as Frazier. Louis would be pushed on the backfoot and torn to shreds by ripping left hooks to the jaw. His weak chin would fail him in around 6 rounds.

    Louis does well aganist fighters who he can back up. Against Frazier, Tyson, Foreman etc., he hasn't got the defensive abilities or the chin to withstand such pressure.

    Frazier's defence, power and aggression is a nightmare for Louis.
     
  8. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Maybe it's the Philly bias...but outside of Foreman and liston, i feel comfortable w/ joe's (smokin' Joe that is!) chances against anyone. I will take a frazier UD..the only certainty is that a Joe will win.
     
  9. Sonny's jab

    Sonny's jab Guest

    Frazier's a favourite of mine but prime for prime, I think Joe Louis would slaughter him inside 4 rounds.

    Joe Louis is surprisingly underrated in these head-to-head scenarios. Most guys on this forum were picking Tyson over Louis on the other thread. And now Frazier.
     
  10. round15

    round15 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I'd pick Joe Frazier by KO between rounds 9 and 11 or by a close decision win. Tony Galento had Louis wobbly and in trouble until he started loading up on shots. The only Frazier I could see Joe Louis beating is the 1973 overweight, out of shape version that Foreman destroyed in two rounds. Joe Louis could probably KO this version of Frazier just as swift as Foreman did, especially if Louis comes into this fight with the same mentality as the Max Schmeling rematch. Nobody knocks out the Joe Frazier circa 1967 - 1971. This Frazier gives every heavyweight in history a very tough fight, including Foreman and Tyson, who many on this forum are quick to conclude would destroy Frazier every time.
     
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  11. PhillyPhan69

    PhillyPhan69 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Question...if you are a newbie???? why do you presume to know what many would conclude here on this forum????
     
  12. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    I think Louis would win.
     
  13. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    This would be a pick em' fight, but if forced to choose, I would be inclined to go with Frazier. Sure Louis, had the technical punching ability and power to score a KO here, but he also struggled with left hookers who were big hitters. Frazier likely had more handspeed, better power, and superior accuracy with the left hook than any of Louis's opponents. Also, as one poster already pointed out, Louis did not like swarmers, and Frazier had a knack for being all over his opponents. The only man who ever truly TKO'd Frazier was Foreman, who although was not the techinician that Louis was, had arguably superior power and the ability to lift Frazier off the canvas-something Louis would not be able to do. This was also a declining Frazier that Foreman fought as well.

    Frazier by stoppage late.
     
  14. Sardu

    Sardu RIP Mr. Bun: 2007-2012 Full Member

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    This was a very enlightening post. He makes great points about Louis never facng anyone who would put such suffocating and consistent pressure on him like Frazier would. And about Louis not being a defensive genius (ala Ali or Machen) who could successfully deal with an animal like this prime Frazier. Marciano could be a template possibly for this matchup. The only thing is that Louis was washed up when he fought Marciano. Also, Frazier may have been quicker but Marciano hit harder and had a better chin than Frazier did. Wow, this is a hard one to pick a winner for. Guess I'll stick with my pick of Louis but it's hard.
     
  15. round15

    round15 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Not presuming anything. I've read quite a few posts from different threads, mostly discrediting Frazier based on the one fight in 1973 against George Foreman. The majority of the posts I've read comparing Tyson and Foreman with Frazier have Joe getting beaten by those two fighters regardless of which Frazier is used for comparison. No disrespect to anyone on this forum but my point is that Joe Frazier gets very little respect on this forum. He was one of the greatest of the shorter fighters in the history of the sport.