BoxRec

Louis 1937 V Lewis 1993

There are few fights I know I could make more $ then this one. There is no doubt in my mind the Brown Bomber would destroy Lennox inside of 8 rounds . . .

..i don't distinguish between ko and tko..the guy can either finish or he can't....so louis within five seems reasonable to me.

Were this prime for prime, I would go for a TKO to Lewis in an absolute thriller.

However it is not, and while I would still give '93 Lewis a chance, but it would have to be by an early KO or TKO (I can see Louis going down, but I think he'd get up), or at a stretch, a narrow points decision (Lewis would have to be using his jab to the best of his ability, something he didn't consistently do at this point of his career). The strong case for Lewis, is that Louis was knocked down ten times, and out twice both times by comparatively small men with less power than Lewis.

I can see both going down in this fight, but Louis being the more likely to get up. So, could go either way, but in all fairness, based on the evidence I have to give it to Louis by a mid rounds TKO or KO.

1937 Louis vs. 1993 Lewis, I would say KO (or more likely TKO if under contemporary refereeing) to Louis. And Joe Louis vs. a prime Lennox Lewis, I would say Louis clear points winner.

As much as i admire Louis, I have to go for a Lewis KO.

Lennox was just too big and strong, even in 1993.

Louis was a bit open to the overhabd right, which just happens to be Lewis's best weapon.

Louis was also a bit too methodical, maybe even predictable to worry Lewis IMO

Sorry Joe.

Too methodical?? Sorry, but Louis had more versatility in his left foot then Lennox had his entire career. Carnera, Buddy Baer, and Simon were all bigger then Lewis and strong, tough guys (esp. Baer) and Louis completly annihilated them. If Lewis couldn't handle a fat, one dimesional Mercer and his jab, how in the heck could he ever handle Louis and his jab, who was also a heavier puncher, much faster, much better defensively, and had more of an arsenal then Ray Mercer ever did? Not to mention Louis's stamina was in another league to Lewis . . . .

In my opinion, this bout ends very early in favour of Joe Louis by KO. A prime Lennox Lewis would not have beaten a prime Joe Louis, so the 1993 version of Lewis is not going to fair any better, in fact, probably worse off!

This one could end as early as the 1sdt round. Louis' punches would be so accurate and pin-point, and he would not be flustered by anything Lewis did etc. Joe always had great composure.

I see Louis hooking off the jab to KO Lewis within 3 rounds. At the end of the day, Louis was in a different league to Lewis!

Danny

dempsey and rocky are right on the button ..which is where louis' punches would be.

the idea that louis was a one dimensional , predictable robotic kind of fighter was an error that many made...even when he was in his prime..until he started bowling over every size and style of opponent he faced. he was actually a great improviser, able in an instant to come up with the arsenal he needed in every situation. extraordinary abilty to spot a mistake, which he is opponent might make once..and then .. when he made it again, it was timber.

....and i'm one who considers lennox lewis a very good fighter indeed....just not in the bomber's class, regardless of size.

Too methodical?? Sorry, but Louis had more versatility in his left foot then Lennox had his entire career. Carnera, Buddy Baer, and Simon were all bigger then Lewis and strong, tough guys (esp. Baer) and Louis completly annihilated them. If Lewis couldn't handle a fat, one dimesional Mercer and his jab, how in the heck could he ever handle Louis and his jab, who was also a heavier puncher, much faster, much better defensively, and had more of an arsenal then Ray Mercer ever did? Not to mention Louis's stamina was in another league to Lewis . . . .

You cant possibly compare Lewis to Baer, Simon and Carnera, just because they were all big men. Yes they were all tough guys, but Lewis was in a different league.

If a 193lb Schmelling could knock out Louis, I recon a 235lb Lewis would be in with a chance.
If Galento and Buddy Bear could floor Louis, i think Lennox might just knock him out. If Farr could go the distance with Joe, I think Lewis could too, and maybe do better than Tommy.

OK Lewis was KOed by Rahman and McCall, but these were big men 230 plus pounds. And a big problem with Lewis was he underestimated these two guys, he got careless. If Lewis made that mistake against Louis, then yes i agree Joe would have eaten him alive inside two rounds.

One thing i will say for Joe, he was a true champion, always motivated, unlike Lennox who blew hot and cold.

Its a tougher call this fight then some people might think.

I agree with the guv

even before his prime Lennox was in a different league to anyone Louis fought. that said, Louis was in a different league to anyone Lennox fought. if Lennox game in prepared Joe would probably be ko'd. Louis may have fought some relative giants, but they were all slower, weaker and considerably less skilled than Lennox. I agree that Louis is far better than Ray Mercer who gave Lewis troubles (i scored the fight to Lennox by 2), but I don't think he was any more powerful than Mercer, and would have been easily outmuscles around the ring. I could only see him winning by KO or TKO, and Lennox would be ahead on points at the time.

my bet: Lennox KO4

PeeKay wrote:I agree with the guv

even before his prime Lennox was in a different league to anyone Louis fought. that said, Louis was in a different league to anyone Lennox fought. if Lennox game in prepared Joe would probably be ko'd. Louis may have fought some relative giants, but they were all slower, weaker and considerably less skilled than Lennox. I agree that Louis is far better than Ray Mercer who gave Lewis troubles (i scored the fight to Lennox by 2), but I don't think he was any more powerful than Mercer, and would have been easily outmuscles around the ring. I could only see him winning by KO or TKO, and Lennox would be ahead on points at the time.

my bet: Lennox KO4

Carnera was a strong as Lennox and heavier, and Joe virtually lifted him up in a clinch. I re-watched the Holyfield rematch, and it completly confirmed my belief that Lewis would lose to MANY top heavyweights of the past, nevermind Louis. When anyone forced Lewis to work and move at a pace he wasn't comfortable with (he prefered working at snail's pace, as in the Botha and Tyson fights), he got tired very quickly. Holyfield wasn't even throwing many punches at all, but with sheer foot movement and feints he was making Lewis very uncomfortable. Lewis reigned over an era of inept giants who had worse stamina and athleticism then himself (Morrison, Rahman, Grant etc.) If forced to face guys who could force the pace and utlize foot movement and combination punching on the inside, Lewis would've never had the success he had. I revise my predicition-Louis would KO Lennox inside of 3 rounds. Louis had a good chin-Schmeling was a very hard puncher and much quicker and a better boxer then Lewis, and he had to deliver those right hands for about 7 rounds straight before Louis caved in. Louis was never hurt at all in his KDs vs Galento, Braddock etc. while Lewis was wobbled many times in his career. Tommy Farr? Farr had better stamina then Lennox and could do something that Lewis couldn't do-fight on the inside.
Best opponent Louis ever faced? Maybe, although I think a prime Max Baer KOs Lewis as well, and Schmeling would give him a hell of a shot. What does Lewis do any better then Joe? Joe would outjab him all night just like Mercer (stronger then Louis? I don't think so, he fought Lewis over 20 lbs over his top fighting weight-that's excess baggage not strength), Bruno, and Briggs (when Shannon had the stamina to throw punches) did-they put their whole shoulders behind their lefts-Lewis flicked out his jab like a bee sting-he was always outjabbed by the power jabbers. THe more Lewis I rewatch . . . the guy was great for his time but in an all time sense he's just not in that league.

dempsey-guy correctly dismisses the argument that lewis would outmuscle and maul joe louis with his comment about carnera. carnera weighed 265 pounds and while inept in many ways was very VERY strong. in their fight as soon as he got a chance carnera attempted to intimidate louis by bulling him around....and that's when louis picked him up and lifted him off the canvas. i had a film of that a long time ago but haven't seen it in years, but i never forgot it, and contemporary reports confirm this.

i also agree that max baer would have clocked lewis ...but only if maxie was in one of his moods to do so.

i'm seeing some good arguments here on both sides, but i think the pro louis statements are more convincing......but then, they echo my own...or i echo them, as theirs appeared here first.

Carnera was a strong as Lennox and heavier, and Joe virtually lifted him up in a clinch. I re-watched the Holyfield rematch, and it completly confirmed my belief that Lewis would lose to MANY top heavyweights of the past, nevermind Louis. When anyone forced Lewis to work and move at a pace he wasn't comfortable with (he prefered working at snail's pace, as in the Botha and Tyson fights), he got tired very quickly. Holyfield wasn't even throwing many punches at all, but with sheer foot movement and feints he was making Lewis very uncomfortable. Lewis reigned over an era of inept giants who had worse stamina and athleticism then himself (Morrison, Rahman, Grant etc.) If forced to face guys who could force the pace and utlize foot movement and combination punching on the inside, Lewis would've never had the success he had. I revise my predicition-Louis would KO Lennox inside of 3 rounds. Louis had a good chin-Schmeling was a very hard puncher and much quicker and a better boxer then Lewis, and he had to deliver those right hands for about 7 rounds straight before Louis caved in. Louis was never hurt at all in his KDs vs Galento, Braddock etc. while Lewis was wobbled many times in his career. Tommy Farr? Farr had better stamina then Lennox and could do something that Lewis couldn't do-fight on the inside.
Best opponent Louis ever faced? Maybe, although I think a prime Max Baer KOs Lewis as well, and Schmeling would give him a hell of a shot. What does Lewis do any better then Joe? Joe would outjab him all night just like Mercer (stronger then Louis? I don't think so, he fought Lewis over 20 lbs over his top fighting weight-that's excess baggage not strength), Bruno, and Briggs (when Shannon had the stamina to throw punches) did-they put their whole shoulders behind their lefts-Lewis flicked out his jab like a bee sting-he was always outjabbed by the power jabbers. THe more Lewis I rewatch . . . the guy was great for his time but in an all time sense he's just not in that league.

If I remember correctly I actually voted for Louis to win this one, but it was a tough decision. If this were the Lewis who fought against Rahman the second time, or Tyson, or Botha (I realise these guys were two tiers below Louis ok!) I would have given it to Lennox. However, as it is Lewis of '93, I believe at that point in time his defense was not good enough, and he would have been knocked out by Louis, although the fight would have been competitive leading up to the knockout.

Prime for prime I give it to Lennox. I won't say "he would have been too big and strong for Louis", Holyfield could deal with the size difference, so could Joe. However it would have been an issue, and I believe Lennox would have used his strength and weight to hold and lean on Joe, as well as landing uppercuts to neutralise the majority of Joe's work on the inside.

If Joe Louis had Rocky Marciano's chin, I would favour him over Lennox prime-for-prime. In fact I would favour that fighter over anyone! I just think that against a prime Lennox, Joe would have taken too many uppercuts and overhand rights and would have been knocked out in the middle rounds.

Holyfield could deal with the size difference, so could Joe

Remember Holyfield was 215lb and 217lb when he fought Lewis. Joe was only 197lb in 1937