ALI (1966) v LOUIS (1939)

BOXINGBARMY1 · Post by **BOXINGBARMY1** » 14 Jan 2013, 14:02

ALI v LOUIS - what would happen if these two greats were to meet in their prime.
Ali as of 1966 and Louis circa 1939.
I have to pick Ali. Can't see Louis catching up with him.
If Billy Conn can outbox him so can the GOAT!
REMEMBER: Ali in '66 was a dancing master with blurring handspeed. NO ROPE A DOPE.
Louis was a terrific puncher but slow shuffles wouldn't get him into range quick enough to unload, OR WOULD THEY ?
ONLY MY OPINION THOUGH.

gilgamesh · Post by **gilgamesh** » 15 Jan 2013, 01:05

I think Ali would win a very comfortable decision. Like you said, if Conn could outbox Louis for 12 rounds...Ali damn sure could as well, the difference is he wouldn't ever just start trading with Louis and give Louis the chance to knock him out. Ali had a damn good chin for one thing, and his movement would have Louis chasing him and coming up short all night long. There was no quit in Joe Louis, and I'm sure he'd have his moments in there when he'd land some shots on Ali, but I can't really see a scenario where Louis wins this one. Ali would outbox him and win a lopsided decision or possibly even stop him somewhere around the 13th or 14th round after tagging the hell out of him all night long.

aajayunlimited · Post by **aajayunlimited** » 14 Jul 2015, 22:32

The first fight looks a lot like Ali VS Williams(an offensive show and a KO/TKO) or Cooper(Louis was cuttable and/or had eyes that were very closable). Now, in the second fight, Louis would be as dangerous as a mismatched fighter can be. Ali should be very careful not to make any mistakes, because Louis was like a counterpuncher if you made a mistake and had the punch to put you away. Louis almost never made adjustments in the 1st fight; either he could beat you in the first fight, he could rely on you to make a mistake at some point, or he loses by showing up. From fight 1 to fight 2, Louis made adjustments and did take advantage every mistake and can put you away at any time. Louis was the best puncher's chance in the history of boxing and was quick enough to hit you if you made a mistake. That being said, I like Ali in a lot in both fights: off the scales in fight 1 and very good in the rematch. Louis just was a straight ahead fighter and your chances against even a post exile Ali was minuscule at best(without some kind of quirkiness in his game--Frazier's style and head movement gave him a good shot in every fight; Norton's jabbing from a crouch set Ali up to be hit a lot when Ali was not moving to the head or body; Young had a defense that I've heard that Ali did not expect).

ClivePatrickLyons · Post by **ClivePatrickLyons** » 20 Jul 2015, 00:37

I believe ALI would win a close but un dec

SenorPipino · Post by **SenorPipino** » 29 Jul 2015, 16:59

Ali's 1966 feet would be simply too fast for "shufflin' Joe."

He dances his way to a 10-5 decision over 15 rounds.

L.A. kidd · Post by **L.A. kidd** » 29 Jul 2015, 21:00

I know this is going to sound stupid, but, I never thought much of Louis, I think he is was far overrated......
Walcott beat him, and was robbed of victory, Charles beat him, Marciano almost killed him in the ring.

Louis would not have laid a glove on ali.

yancey · Post by **yancey** » 29 Jul 2015, 21:18

L.A. kidd wrote:I know this is going to sound stupid, but, I never thought much of Louis, I think he is was far overrated......
Walcott beat him, and was robbed of victory, Charles beat him, Marciano almost killed him in the ring.

Louis would not have laid a glove on ali.

You are absolutely correct. It sounds stupid.

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 29 Jul 2015, 21:32

Ali by a very wide decision. Just too much hand and foot speed for Joe.

cfang · Post by **cfang** » 01 Aug 2015, 13:29

Joe Louis was a killer, pure and simple. Brutal power, incredible accuracy and most of all, very very careful with his punch placement. The reason he looks a bit slow and static is that he didn't waste punches...ever.

I think Ali is the greatest heavy of all time on record and achievements but I think Louis would be a horrible opponent for him. I can see Louis really marking Ali up a bit like Bob Foster did for a round or two with his jab. It's too close to call but prob Ali just on points and he'd have to get up off the canvas to win but I can see if going Louis's way on pts too. I can Ali dancing round Louis but Louis doing damage inside. He had lightening fast hands too.

Don't underestimate Joe Louis here! He made 26 defences and without ww2 that would almost certainly have been 40+

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 02 Aug 2015, 14:49

It would be like Louis fighting a bigger, stronger, more durable, harder punching version of Billy Conn.

Bundana · Post by **Bundana** » 02 Aug 2015, 15:57

As great as Louis was, I don't see him beating Ali!
To do that he would have to knock him out - which of course could happen, but is a very unlikely scenario, if you ask me.

SenorPipino · Post by **SenorPipino** » 02 Aug 2015, 18:00

L.A. kidd wrote:I know this is going to sound stupid, but, I never thought much of Louis, I think he is was far overrated......
Walcott beat him, and was robbed of victory, Charles beat him, Marciano almost killed him in the ring.

Louis would not have laid a glove on ali.

While i agree with your conclusion about this hypothetical bout, you cherry-picked to diminish Louis.

All those bouts came when Louis was an aging fighter, especially the Charles and Marciano bouts. The outcomes very well would have been different if those 3 fighters were facing a Louis from the late 1930's.

It's like saying that Ali wasn't much because he was manhandled by Holmes and bullied by the ordinary Trevor Berbick. Ali was an old fighter when those fights took place, the same as Louis when he encountered Walcott, Charles and Marciano.