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.