Without Marciano who beats Walcott for the title?

With the public support and demand, I believe Louis would have faced Walcott for the title in a highly publicized rubber match billed as Louis' last chance at history, to be the first man to regain the title.

Walcott would finally get a clear points win over Louis, who would retire.

Layne would have upset Charles by this point and instead of a LaStarza eliminator, I think Layne would get pushed into a Walcott rematch. It just makes the most sense. Layne having a win over the active Champion and in position near the top of ratings. It would be another decent money fight.

Prior to Marciano, Walcott always did better in rematches. This time he's healthy and edges the top rated Layne in a tough fight.

I think at 40, Walcott retires, having beat every man he fought since his comeback.

So my prediction.

15W Louis
15W Layne

retirement. I think this would also improve Walcott's standing quite a bit on all time lists. He certainly wouldn't have been an active fighting Champion after years of paying his dues. He takes and wins the two most meaningful challenges.

 

Maricano/Louis was billed as an official eliminator to Charles/Walcott IV when it was made.

Walcott was the Champion but Charles got the immediate rematch. So Louis/Marciano was set up as they were the two leading contenders behind Charles.

 

Walcott didn't do better in his rematch with Louis.:think
Walcott seldom re-matched those that beat him unless they had a title, Charles,] so this statement is pretty worthless,and I'm not being picky because you made it.

 

Louis was the outliner.

Comeback Walcott's records in rematches to opponents who initially beat him prior to Marciano:

7-2

Johnny Allen 2-0
Joey Maxim 2-0
Elmer Ray 1-0
Louis 0-1
Ezzard Charles 2-1

So that's 9 rematches against men who defeated him. Only two of these men held a title. What are you talking about? My statement stands, your claim certainly does not.

In his comeback, the only loss Walcott failed to rematch was Layne.

 

He does that and even I would have to stop trolling him

 

Louis 3 and Layne 2 at the times these fights would have went down are very winnable for Walcott.

 

Sorry bud, the point stands. Even the members of the press who scored it for Louis (Minority) did so because they gave the last 3 rounds to Louis because they felt JJW was coasting feeling he was comfortably ahead. EVEN THEN, they still only gave Louis the fight by one round. What does this tell us? Walcott was clearly out-boxing Joe for the majority of the fight and then coasted at the end. Yet, Yet, even then the majority still felt Walcott won giving away the last 3 rounds... meaning he was comfortably ahead prior to still get the nod. You can twist these facts as you like, but the fact remains, JJW very likely beat Joe Louis for the title on his first try. :happy

 

You can hate me all you want,but this is your statement.

"Walcott always did better in rematches."

Notice your use of the word always?
He didn't and I just proved it.
Been to a wake so not fully compus mentus ,but enough to pick that error up. Peace Brother.

 

Ok, he only did better 7 out of 9 times if we are going to be exact. So my point still stands, Walcott did better in rematches...MOST (78%) of the time.

So I guess if you take "always" literally as an absolute, I guess a poor choice of words. I wasn't trying to deny the famous Louis/Walcott rematch ever happened, but was thinking of and making a point of all the unusual amount of rematches he fought and reversed the results of.

But this statement you made:

"Walcott seldom re-matched those that beat him unless they had a title"

is complete ****. He fought 10 rematches against men who beat him in his comeback post 44. That's actually a lot. The only man he failed to rematch of his comeback victors was Layne.

 

That's not a fact. The fact is he successfully defended his belt. The fact is all but one submitted a card with no more than a one round swing.

An opinion is some felt Jersey coasted the last 3. An opinion is some felt Louis forced the action in the last 3. An opinion is who you feel won a fight you didn't watch.

Thankfully due to how debatable this close fight was, they had a rematch. Unfortunately for you Jersey got sparked.

 

Patterson

 

True. Also, Louis was supposed to have a rematch with Charles in September, 1951. When Walcott KO'd Charles, Louis knew that meant Walcott would rematch Charles, and consequently the Charles-Louis fight was out the window. Walcott's reluctance to face Louis again effectively derailed his championship quest.

 

Joe Louis's comeback is under rated. Just including his post Charles record this comeback is a lot better than the resume Marciano had until then. There is even marked improvement from the first Cesar Brion win and the second Brion win. It is not Joe Louis of old but comeback Louis is a solid, genuine contender in this guise.

The rating Louis had was legitimately earned. Totally genuine because he was beating good opponents. Without Marciano to beat him, and by the way Joe was favorite to beat Rocky anyway, Louis was in position for an automatic title shot.

The fans would have demanded it. Walcott v Louis III would have been huge.

 

I think that Walcott had one last great fight in him, and then he would have gone into the tank!

 

What reluctance?

After the upset knockout, Walcott had to rematch Charles.

Louis vs Marciano was than put together as an eliminator for the winner of Charles/Walcott IV.

Walcott never refused to defend against Louis.