BoxRec

I was re-looking over the Brown Bomber's record and I guess this site updates more and more fights as time goes on. But this really puzzled the holy hell out of me.

In 1944 Joe Louis, by ruling of the New York State Athletic Commission, the defending champion, who just defeated Abe Simon in a successful defense of his title, had to face a man by the name of Johnny Davis.

Davis at the time was only 3-3-0 (0), and was a boxer from Brooklyn. Now the record says that the Commission made Louis put up the Heavyweight title in this contest.

The fight was over in 53 seconds of the very 1st round.

My question is this, if this was a World Title fight, why isn't Joe Louis in the records books as having 26 defenses, rather than the 25 he listed as?

And why was Johnny Davis, whose entire career record was 5-21-0 (2), was given a shot at Louis, let alone with the title at stake?

What is the story behind this little known Heavyweight title fight that had the title up, but in the end wasn't placed in the records as being a legit title defense?

this was an exhibition

Then why does BoxRec count it on his professional record and that the Heavyweight title was at stake, as requested by the New York State Athletic Commission?

Well BoxRec.com now recognizes the bout as a pro bout not an exhibition, only CyberBoxingZone that I knew of counted exhibitions---and even it was declared a legit bout, as did RING magazine said it was back in 1945.

So...Joe Louis' record is 69-3, and 26 title defenses....even though I will admit the Davis fight is just about as bad Ali-Spinks when Spinks only had 8 pro bouts and the Rademacher fight, but least Spinks and Rademacher had gold medals---this guy was just a 9th rate pug.

Course I been noticing all throughout BoxRec.com that new fights are being added to old fighters records---such as Jack Dempsey, who I believed only fought but one black man in his career---and recently the record now shows Dempsey at least fought three black men in his early career.

So...its 26 title defenses for Joe Louis...even though it's a bad one.

So...its 26 title defenses for Joe Louis...even though it's a bad one.

ur wrong, that fight was an exhibition

It was recognised by the RING then that it was a legit fight...it had to be, else why would the title be at stake?

Nobody makes exhibitions with titles up for grabs and have judges and referees and the whole works involved.

Speaking of exhibition bouts...I was wondering if anybody had access to the rare 1979 Lyle Alzado vs Muhammad Ali exhibition?

I have only seen short clips, but from what it seemed to me, whenever Ali would try to hurt Alzado, the NFL lineman would pick Ali up and more or less get him up against the ropes and start wailing on Ali.

*coughs* betterauthoritythanyou *coughs*

Maybe so...but neither is this site the authority on boxing.

Looking at the ALL TIME HEAVYWEIGHT rankings how can you say Archie Moore is the number one Heavyweight when he couldnt stop iffy chinned Floyd Patterson let alone Marciano?

How can this site say that Turkey Thompson was greater than John L. Sullivan? Come the fornicate on....

And neither is anybody a true authority on anything, possibly the best person in here who I can say is the authority in this forums is BrocktonBlockBuster49...but even some of his debates is questionable.

But that's what makes boxing interesting is the debates.

Like for instance people hold Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest Middleweight ever---but myself I think Harry Greb was by a small margin cus Robinson was a better Welterweight, and Greb got more work done at Middleweight than ANY other Middleweight past present or future.

Thats what makes boxing great is the debates. Myself I think alot of your points are great, but you say alot of stupid things as well, as I am sure you think I am stupid as well---all I am really saying is I think some contenders would have given other fighters tougher times than people give them credit for.

Stranger things have happened in this sport...but we will never know cus their ain't time machines and crap to make these fights happen...thats why boxing is fun cus of debates.

And neither is anybody a true authority on anything, possibly the best person in here who I can say is the authority in this forums is BrocktonBlockBuster49

there are far more knowleable and experienced people than me on this forum who have a lot more authority than me


im still green! i havnt reached my prime yet

maybe i said you cus i actually follow ur opinions and threads more better than most anybody else---cus alot of your opinions and mine are alike...maybe ur right, but then again---yet another debate, whose the better debater? lol

Decagon wrote:

IrishRufusMurphy wrote:Like for instance people hold Sugar Ray Robinson as the greatest Middleweight ever---but myself I think Harry Greb was by a small margin cus Robinson was a better Welterweight, and Greb got more work done at Middleweight than ANY other Middleweight past present or future.

Here's the problem. Greb got more work done at 175 than he did at 160. He fornicating cleaned out the greatest light heavyweight division ever, while weighing 165 or so pounds, and then he moved down to middleweight. Technically, Greb's best wins were above the middleweight limit.

this is true

Maybe so, he did beat Gene Tunney, and did lose a few controversial losses to Tunney. And yes Geb fought and cleaned out the Light Heavyweight division and even beat many Heavyweights---the crazy SOB even tried to face Jack Dempsey for the Heavyweight title but it didn't happen.

BUT....as a middlweight:

Had a three year title reign (Johnny Wilson-Tiger Flowers), and during that time he fought well over 57 times! Beating such names as Tommy Loughran, Mickey Walker, Johnny Papke, Ted Moore, Jimmy Slattery, Tony Marullo and Bryan Downey---all of whom where either leading contenders, former champions or future champions---plus he won newspaper decisions over Tiger Flowers and Maxie Rosenbloom.

He was stopped but twice in 298 fights---cleaned out Light Heavyweight and most of the Middleweight division with only 51 KO's in those 298 bouts.

And then of course you had well over 183 NO DECISIONS to mention. There is no other Middleweight in history that has EVER had a record against better opposition---not Robinson, not Monzon, Ketchell, LaMotta or even Hagler.