BoxRec

When you ask people to tell you who they rate as the greatest Heavyweight champion ever, they will usually tell you either one of two names, Either Muhammad Ali, 3 times world champion, of Joe Louis, the longest Reigning champion.

As an impartial person, who does not subscribe to the view that they where the greatest, who would win in a one on one match-up, with both in there primes.

Both had Great Chins, Good power, and good speed, and some of the best jabs heavyweight boxing ever saw.

Neither at there best has stamina issues and could go the full 15 rounds fighting, whoever the winner, i believe that both would hear the final bell.

Moving on the the fight, i personally consider Louis to have the better more forceful jab, and i believe this would be the most vital part of the fight, i could see louis dominanting and with that jab and punishing hooks and crosses.

However, Louis did have a tendency to be hit with the right hand, as seen with the first schmelling fight, and could be put down, (Tony Galento for example) however the same was true of Ali (Cooper).

so the anwser is really, that i am not 100% sure, but my gut tells me, that Louis would win a close points win over 15 rounds.

It would be Ali, with plenty to spare. Big difference in foot speed and mobility. Ali would dance, dance, dance. Louis would plod, plod, plod. Look what a small boxer like Conn did to Louis. Ali would outweigh Louis by ten or more pounds. Jabs snapping in Joe's face all night. Maybe late TKO for Ali.

Whilst Joe's feet were slow his hand were not! His left hook was amongst the best in history and this was the punch that Ali was frequently vulnerable. Add to this Joe Louis' ability to finish a wounded foe and it is easy to see this fight going against popular opinion (Ie. Ali win).
In all honesty I think Ali would recover from a knockdown and one or two crisis' to eek a split decision.
Nobody ever dominated a prime Joe Louis!

ali late tko because of foot speed. ali had a better chin louis was floored lots of times.

Personally, I'd rate Joe Louis ahead of Ali...but only slightly ahead. (Actually, I posted an all time top ten heavy list with Louis #1 and Ali#2.) I think that if these guys could have fought three times in their respective primes, the same guy wouldn't win all three. I can envision Ali winning a close decision just as easily as I could envision Louis doing the same. I think the 'rubber match' could be a KO, Louis over Ali late in the fight. Ali's ability to take a punch would be a big factor, but remember, he never fought Joe Louis or anyone like Joe Louis. I think the Brown Bomber would provide Ali with much more trouble than Frazier did. Louis was bigger then Frazier, faster than Frazier, and a multi-dimensional fighter, unlike Smokin' Joe..who really relied on the left hook and his huge heart to win fights. Louis winning 2 out of 3 would be my best guess...but I suppose it could go the other way, Ali winning 2 out of 3...I really don't believe either of them would win 3 straight over the other...two ENORMOUS talents, and the boxer vs. power puncher would make a fantastic match-up...in my opinion, perhaps the best theoretical match-up in heavyweight history, the ultimate 'dream fight', one I've thought about for years...And I know there will be those who say if Billy Conn gave Louis so much trouble, Ali would surley give him more trouble...buy don't forget that Conn did LOSE that fight...looking good for 12 rounds didn't help in the 13th...and Louis had some serious POWER in those fast hands!

Ali by late-round TKO, perhaps after some early-round drama where Louis has him wobbled. As I mentioned in my recent thread about Ali in Current Scene, Louis was great, but never fought anyone with the unique combination of size (and Ali really knew how to use his size), speed, skill, chin and heart that was Ali. Conn thoroughly outboxed Louis for nearly 13 rounds before getting foolish and going for the KO. But the smaller Conn needed to get into Joe's range to do so - Ali could've bombed away all night without having get anywhere close to Joe's wheelhouse.

Louis by UD in a tough one.

Ali UD.