As far as I can tell, his answers would be as follows. The opinions are taken from Louis's own words unless there is an asterisk next to them: Best fighter: Mike McCallum -- Billy Conn Best Boxer: McCallum -- Lee Ramage Best puncher: Merqui Sosa --Al Delaney Quickest hands: Roy Jones -- Not sure* Quickest feet: Nunn -- Bob Pastor* Best defense -- Lee Ramage Best chin -- Arturo Godoy* Best jab: McCallum -- Primo Carnera* Strongest -- Don't know* Smartest -- Lee Ramage Can you help me to fill in the gaps?
My opinion of whom Joe Louis would choose as his "Best I've ever Faced:" Fighter- Schmeling Boxer- Conn Puncher- Galento Hands- Charles Feet- Conn Defense- Farr Chin- Godoy Jab- Schmeling Strongest- Marciano Smartest- Walcott
Joe Louis goes over his opponents' attributes in 1944: http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AJ&pg=5499,1917929&dq=joe+louis+fastest&hl=en Smartest and fastest: Conn Best defense: Conn Most effective left hand: Conn Best right hand: Braddock Best chin: Max Baer Most courageous: Lee Ramage Most troublesome: Arturo Godoy Fastest retreater: Bob Pastor Worst opponent: Johnny Paycheck (no surprise) Hardest punch he took: Delaney's right hand Hardest punch he landed: Right hand on Uzcudun
Here is a funny article analyzing Joe Louis's career in 1951: http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...=1888,5729184&dq=joe+louis+fastest+conn&hl=en Sounds awfully similar to what has been done to many champions in recent times. Especially the quote at the end: "Louis was just beginning to come along when Schemling first exposed his inability to guard against a right-hand counter. It was a weakness he was never able to correct, a weakness that kept him from truly being great. Imagine, for example, Dempsey working on it." As if Dempsey was known for a great right hand counter.
Before that the writer makes some good points, though. Especially about how dubiously low his ranking of Charles is. Fighters are almost always most generous to the ones they beat, and Louis was obviously no exception.
Louis generaly seems to have given Walcott a good write up, but he wa prety consistent in ranking him beneath Conn and Baer.
Best fighter: Conn Best Boxer: Conn, Walcott Best puncher: Schmeling, Max Baer, Buddy Baer, Marciano, Mauriello Quickest hands: Conn, Walcott Quickest feet: Pastor, Conn, Walcott, Godoy Best defense -- Farr, Godoy Best chin -- Farr, Godoy Best jab: Carnera Strongest -- Simon, Nova, Max and Buddy Baer, Godoy, Marciano Smartest -- Pastor, Schmeling, Conn, Braddock, Walcott, Charles
How can anyone dispute the biggest puncher he fought was Marciano ? He was way ahead of Schmeling or Galento ... Max Baer was up there but he did not land anything ..
While Louis might have made these picks at anytime, I think it worth noting that it was made in 1944 for a publication meant for American servicemen. It is perhaps no surprise that the German Schmeling was snubbed.