If you had one heavyweight fighter to bet your life on in a round robin tournament?

All fit and at their peak I'd go with Ali or Tyson. Ok, Tyson!

Vitali, Holmes or Lewis. Tyson wasn't invincible.

Frank Gallagher pissed wrote: »

Big Lennox L

Ha Ha...

In their prime I'd back Tyson, if my life was on it I wouldn't want someone else I backed to be facing him

colly10 wrote: »

In their prime I'd back Tyson, if my life was on it I wouldn't want someone else I backed to be facing him

Yeah definitely agree, Tyson Fury for me as well...

shamrock55 wrote: »

The brown bomber and he is not even on that list

Never mind Tyson, Tyson Fury would take care of Joe Louis.
Amazing fighter for his time, but his small stature and technical flaws (particularly defensively), would mean he wouldn't last 5 rounds.

I know it almost sounds wrong to say it (because for his time Louis wasn't that flawed, and Fury is obviously massively flawed now), but that era of boxing is prehistoric to the current one.

Big Ears wrote: »

Never mind Tyson, Tyson Fury would take care of Joe Louis.
Amazing fighter for his time, but his small stature and technical flaws (particularly defensively), would mean he wouldn't last 5 rounds.

I know it almost sounds wrong to say it (because for his time Louis wasn't that flawed, and Fury is obviously massively flawed now), but that era of boxing is prehistoric to the current one.

Well joe louis was voted no 1 heavyweight boxer of all time by the ibro in their last poll in 2006 and no 1 greatest punchers of all time by ring magazine so i think ill still stick with louis

Whatever about tyson or foreman i wouldnt even put lewis either klit or bowe in the same sentance as joe louis

shamrock55 wrote: »

Whatever about tyson or foreman i wouldnt even put lewis either klit or bowe in the same sentance as joe louis

Louis would not last 1 round with either Klitschko if they wanted him out early, Same as he wouldn't with Tyson, Foreman or probably David Haye in reality who I don't even rate as a Heavyweight assuming he threw a punch, Heavy weight Boxing was very low standard around Louis time and Although Louis was great his opposition was deplorable compared to Boxers the last 30 years.

Big Ears wrote: »

If a prime Joe Louis got into a ring with a prime Arthur Abraham......my money is on Abraham.

That probably sums up my feelings on that.

Come off it. Louis by brutal KO. Louis would not fare well against big talented heavies, but he beats any middles . Any of that super 6 he beats. He was 200 lbs after all. And was talented enough for AA

shamrock55 wrote: »

Shur what do the irbo know about boxing seems all the experts are on here

Old timers tend to back their generations, Louis was from a time when Boxing was really bad.

walshb wrote: »

Come off it. Louis by brutal KO. Louis would not fare well against big talented heavies, but he beats any middles . Any of that super 6 he beats. He was 200 lbs after all. And was talented enough for AA

I'll admit I've purposely picked an example that will have people a bit taken aback. Louis in modern terms is a Cruiserweight, but a big strong man no doubt, none the less. Abraham in current days is an average sized Super-Middle and was a massive Middleweight, however in the days of same day weigh ins and Joe Louis era, he'd be a Light-Heavyweight despite his small stature. There is one (granted big, very big) weight class between them.

Now I didn't just randomly pick a World level Super-Middleweight who isn't doing very well at the moment, Abraham has that compact turtle shell defence that was never seen or utilised to good effect in Joe Louis' era. I think Joe would struggle to land anything significant on Abraham from range, with the jab and left hook merely catching glove time and time again, and in an effort to put a dent in him would probably get close and go to war. Height and reach advantage negated, Abraham picks his shots more carefully and would lad big, hard counters.
Now if the light punching Billy Conn (who btw would weigh less than Abraham would on fight nights) could shake Louis up time and time again, you can bet Arthur Abraham would be capable if he were to land with some regularity.
Yes Louis is the much bigger man, and likely much stronger too. However if the smaller man can punch and is landing with regularity then he has every chance, especially if he's not taking as big in return. Look at Guillermo Jones vs Lebedev. Okay Jones has the height advantage but he's naturally a Middleweight at best. There's at least as big if not a bigger natural weight and size disparity than between Abraham and Louis.


Too end, I would like to point out that with a good few months training with a modern coach, particularly working on his footwork, not dropping his hands as he brings them back after throwing, or not having them low in general and Louis would likely beat Abraham with his natural physical advantages. But I genuinely believe, if you take the Joe Louis who walked into the ring at the Polo Grounds on the 18th of June 1941, and matched him with the best version of Arthur Abraham, Louis would get stopped.
Anyway very much hypothetical stuff here, I don't think anyone expected this debate to come from the thread topic

what about ernie shavers?
but deffo joe frasier