Why was Joe Louis so good at beating super heavies and by knockout?

Anyone that Joe Louis could hit he would hurt. Size did not matter. The bigger guys moved less than the smaller guys; hence easier to find. The bigger guys could hit Louis harder, but they’d also get hit very hard themselves and more often, usually with better speed, timing, and precision. Stand there at your peril. The guys who lasted longest with Louis had speed and timing and/or footwork. Although Godoy lasted the first time by ducking low and crowding and smothering.

 

I wonder if the six ounce gloves functioned as an equalizer as far as power is concerned. Baer is a big strong guy that can KO Joe with one punch. But due to the gloves, Joe can also KO Baer with one shot.

If neither has much power advantage, then it comes down to speed, skill, etc. Things Joe did fairly well and things bigger guys struggled with.

 

And didn’t Louis sort Godoy out the second time around in no uncertain terms. Wow!

Beautiful short power shots landed in very close proximity, including lethal uppercuts coming up from underneath on the crouching Godoy.

Louis’ punches literally had Arturo dancing up on his toe tips at certain stages, as if Joe was controlling him as a puppeteer would his puppet. A real masterpiece imo.

And Godoy’s damaged face post fight….barely recognisable.

 

Just for the record, I do not rank Primo Carnera as low as most seem to on here, and I do not rank Riddick Bowe as high as most seem to on here. And I rank Lennox Lewis far above both of them. Carry on.

 

Joe Louis put his punches together better than most in history, and the big opponents, considering none of them were particularly fleet of foot whom he fought, essentially just made them bigger targets for that excellent punch selection.

 

Louis at 199 pounds would tear these guys up

 

This is true. Regardless of how you feel about the quality of the big men he stopped, Louis' power remained effective and devastating no matter the size or style of the opponent. This should tell any objective observer that he must've been doing something right and wouldn't be utterly helpless against any modern big man.

I think the main x factors Louis would struggle with are: ring size, shorter rounds, bigger gloves, and lenient refs allowing much clinching/leaning etc. I think if you made someone like Wladmir fight with Louis' era's conditions, people might be surprised by the result.

 

Because Louis was absolutely lethal in his prime to anyone standing in front of him. Little guys could move -- and Louis really wasn't that great of a mover. But the big guys of his era had no legs, requiring them to stand in front of him, and that is NOT the place to be.

 

There are very few human beings throughout history who were on the bigger side who could last 15 or 20 rounds and move around while doing it in an efficient and effective manner. Plus, even with the movers, Louis usually found a way to eventually catch up with them or time them.

 

I'd actually argue that isn't true at all -- check out the NBA. Chock full of 6'5"+, 200lb+ men with a ton of stamina. Why these men don't show up in boxing, I don't know. Best we've got for a real big dude with stamina is Tyson Fury, who absolutely could go 15 rounds.

 

I assume he was talking about Buddy Baer.

 

Where can we see Tyson saying some of his fights were fixed? We have several Carnera opponents having their licences withdrawn, and their not being paid.We have his former manager stating he fixed over 30 of his fights.We have Billy Duffy his part manager saying to Paul Gallico that they fixed his fights.We have opposing corner men being fined mand banned for deliberately putting burning substances in their charges eyes ,and for throwing the towel in prematurely,
What more do you require? Death bed confessions?

 

"Peterson showed no inclination to fight. He dropped under a grazing left hook for a count of three to give the crowd its first thrill soon after the opening gong". He was down four times. New York Times
Attendance: 17, 692

Rioux down six times. After an investigation, the Illinois Boxing Commission cleared Carnera but fined Rioux, who was outweighed by 63 pounds, $1000 and revoked his license.(Deepak Nahar) Bob Soderman provided the report of the Chicago Tribune, which said "Rioux didn't do much fighting..being too intent on doing what he had been hired to do; that is, making sure he fell to the canvas at the slightest provocation." Only two of the six knockdowns appeared to be genuine. Rioux said that he had an "off night" and that his muscles wouldn't respond. Attendance 17, 500.
Two fixed fights.

• One of Chevalier's seconds, Bob Perry, threw in the towel, although it appeared to all that the boxer was in no worse condition than Carnera. "A bitter demonstration followed. Half a dozen fans attacked Perry, striking and kicking him. In the melee he suffered a cut under the eye. Fellow countrymen of Carnera's stood on chairs and shouted 'fake' and urged the huge Italian be made to fight over again." (AP) The boxing commission started an immediate investigation. Mrs. Chevalier told them her husband had been approached earlier to agree to a "fake fight," but that he had directed all business to his manager, Tim McGrath. McGrath declared he had no knowledge that Perry was going to throw in the towel, and that the towel should not have been thrown in. Carnera's purse was withheld.

Wire Service Report April 15, 1930:[1]

 

Hi Buddy.
Granted, there were very few indeed, but one such was Ali from 64 to 67, and if a LHW such as Conn can last into the 13th, and stagger Louis on occasions, I see no reason why a bigger, stronger, harder hitting Ali couldn't do it,and for the entire 15, so that's one of the reasons why I have Ali 1 and Louis 2 , not by much, but by enough.
stay safe apollack, chat soon.
Mike.