What's the most untarnished victory in heavyweight history?

It’s funny because initially I though the first ports of call would be to look for matches in which both fighters were undefeated and/or in or very close to their prime.

But then I realised that Louis vs Schmeling 1 didn’t tick those boxes for both combatants…but the guy who could’ve potentially had excuses in the event of loss didn’t lose - he actually won the fight and won it clean as a whistle.

Louis was killing guys left right and centre and I believe he was expected to do same to Max..

If Joe wasn’t in his absolute prime, he was very close to - and his only real issue was with his left guard, particularly not returning it quickly to a defensive position after jabbing.

So, but for that flaw, maybe we could say it was a prime Louis - though it seems Joe was also a bit complacent and underprepared for Schmeling - but Max still had to soak some heavy punishment to see his master plan through - not dissimilar to the characteristics of Ali’s own strategy in Zaire.

Some fighters hit their reasonably accepted primes whilst still carrying a flaw or two but Louis corrected his after the loss to Max.

Joe was already a great fighter who became even greater after his first loss.

Louis never offered or needed any excuses. His actual career speaks for itself without any ifs, buts or maybes.

 

Louis-Schmeling 1. Can't really make any excuses for Joe, he was young, undefeated, had just destroyed 2 former Heavyweight champions and wouldn't lose a fight again until 14 years later, when Charles outboxed him at 36 years old. It's not like Schmeling got a lucky punch or fought an under prepared Louis either, Louis was seen as the uncrowned best fighter in the planet on his way to a title shot and Schmeling completely derailed that by outboxing and knocking Louis out.

 

Damn, posted 2 minutes before I did. I agree.

 

He had to quit otherwise Ollie Pecord would’ve allowed him to die in ring. Very brave guy Pecord was….

Neat little bio on Pecord for anyone interested..

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111365942/oliver-thomas-pecord

 

No worries Dan, the same thing has happened to me a million times before.

 

I wouldn't put FOTC on this list because, as it's mentioned in the OP, where there is no possible excuse. And I'm of the belief Ali could have used a couple of more tuneups. However, let's stick with Joe Frazier for a minute. He had more wins than that and as I look at his record, 4 wins really pop out to me over top men that have no wiggle-room. And that is his fights with George Chuvalo, Jimmy Ellis I, Jerry Quarry I and Oscar Bonavena II. He met them head to head and just ground them down. No excuses.

 

Untarnished? Willard was coming off a long layoff, wasnt in good shape, and there has always been the rumors of loaded gloves (which I dont believe). I wouldnt call that win untarnished.

 

I'll be that guy, sorry.

It was well documented Louis dogged it in training, he played loads of golf and chased the girls during camp. Jack Blackburn was actually on record before the fight stating his worries and complaints. Louis also had a serious technical defect with defending certain types of right hands and Blackburn is on record as shoring up that weakness after the loss. Think Lewis, pre Steward. Steward spotted a defensive deficiency and drove McCall right on thru it.

Schmeling was actually a touch past his best in that fight, a great effort. He was definitely past his best by the time of the rematch and Louis was absolutely peaking - a scary prospect.

 

Lewis Rahman 2

 

Isn't there the tiniest of asterisks with Foreman's cut delaying the fight and George essentially being forced to stay in the country? Or is this a myth?

 

Yes, Willard should have fought until Dempsey actually managed to punch a hole through his skull. Then people like you could come along and mock him for being stupid.

 

Though there might’ve been exaggeration of the damage, there’s the chance that Jess was also playing down the actual damage received.

Years later I believe Willard attributed his partial deafness to the beating Dempsey laid on him.

Willard also swore for a long time that Dempsey’s gloves were loaded - such was the force he felt from Jack’s punches.

A little swelling of the lip doesn’t reconcile
with the powerful punches he took - his cheek was certainly cut for one thing.

There are few if any fighters who have persevered in all futility as Willard did.

Many would’ve been saved otherwise by not quite as good chins or a ref that wasn’t going to allow a clearly beaten fighter to be pummelled to near death.

Just imo.