The entire Conn vs Louis fight

Actually there is a version on Youtube that has every round. As with most film from back then, the speed is faster that it was in real life. And unfortunately the quality is not good on this copy, but it does have all 13 rounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zOuvmZXiHg

 

The one thing about that bout that has stayed with me is Conn's ability to stun Louis. By comparison I can't see him doing that with any of my other top tens and perhaps not even Patterson.

 

You're right, he stunned Louis a lot compared to others that fought Louis, perhaps it was the speed of Billy? I'm not sure what else it could be, because Billy didn't have big power, Louis just must have been getting caught off guard with a lot of those.

 

I think it was the speed that stunned Louis.

The gloves in that fight look absolutely tiny. Conn's especially. When I was boxing I knew a coach who packed a smaller pair of gloves in the hope he could make the switch for his fighter if it was the Same brand on the night. This was around the time 8oz gloves took over from 6oz. It is almost fool proof. He was never caught.

Knowing Conn was giving away so much weight, who is to say the same trick might not have been pulled back then?

I have always thought these gloves looked extra small. There is no proof other than what the film shows. Billy hurt Louis and Pastor even though be was not a big hitter in lower weight classes.

 

Conn was so good shame the war robbed so many fighters of their best years. Absolutely great fight and one of if not Louis best win.

 

you know, I look at fighters like Conn and of course the Era (they did this near every month), in general and all I can think of IS put him against the likes of BHop, RJJ, Calzaghe, Nunn, Benn, Eubank, and ALL the TOP S-MW's and who's going to make a proper fight of it.

Conn a L-HW, BUT today's S-MWs are the SAME Size, it's just they've got a hell of a lot longer to get down to fight weight, 2 months or more!

anyway some of them would give Conn a fight, I don't say they wouldn't, BUT I do ask "How many of them would have been knocked out of Contention through losses IF they too had to do what Conn and company had to do, and that is Fight EVERY Month or so and also step up to HW fights aswell.

the boys I have mentioned ARE the best of recent years, some suffered some good & bad losses, but COULD they have remained on top IF having to meet these demands?

 

I think it was the speed for sure in addition to Louis silly not being right for the fight .. Louis had a very decent chin .. Schmeling was a big right handed puncher and he hit him with dozens of his best shots over many rounds and Joe stayed in there and fought back .. he took a few blasts from Galento, Buddy Baer, Joe Walcott in addition to the knockdowns .. this talk of Louis having a weak chin are ridiculous ..

Conn fought the fight of his life against a poorly prepared Louis who under trained then weight drained to compensate and that is that in addition to the fact that Louis had the power late in the fight to still flatten the man .

 

Louis had a good chin, he went over a few times because he traded on his timing in the pocket of punching range. When you are in position to pull the trigger or in the process of unloading you are at your most vulnerable. Louis was always ready to unload so it's natural he could go over. But only SChmeling knocked him out after many rounds of taking punishment.

Louis was in great condition for the Conn fight. There was nothing poor about Louis. Nobody needs to make excuses for him winning a great fight. Conn was super tough in that fight it is not a slight on Louis that he did not have an easier time with a smaller man. The smaller man was tough to beat that night. Tougher than Billy was to beat the second time anyway.

 

Don't forget that Conn's KO percentage spiked dramatically when he made the jump to heavyweight. My guess is because he was able to hit them so much easier and more often than the smaller guys.

 

My theory is when the height and reach are close enough to even, the faster fighter can over come his lack of power and weight to win on points.

But when a man is giving up 4+'" in height and reach, the more skilled guy is in trouble unless he has some power. Billy had this one in the bag, and took a stupid gamble late.

 

Weight drained Louis? Heard that Conn weighed 168 for that fight.