Louis vs Charles (prime for prime)

[Bokaj]

We all know has this played out in real life, but could Charles have beaten a prime Louis?

[janitor]

Potentialy yes.

Charles would simply be a nightmare for anybody on his best night. If Louis didnt take him seriously he could be in trouble.

[Hydraulix]

Joe said in his autobiography that there were so many openings available when he fought Charles, but he simply wasn't fast enough to catch him.

Prime versus prime, I'd give it to Louis.

[he grant]

No way ... even though he lost a fairly lopsided decision to Charles Louis fought very competitive in many of the rounds ... take a look at Charles face after the fight ... a prime Louis would have stopped Charles in the middle rounds ...

[Bokaj]

No way ... even though he lost a fairly lopsided decision to Charles Louis fought very competitive in many of the rounds ... take a look at Charles face after the fight ... a prime Louis would have stopped Charles in the middle rounds ...

That's oversimplefying it a bit I think. Conn, Farr and Pastor did better than that, and they were all inferior to Charles.

[Joe E]

Charles would have given Louis a match but you must remember that Charles had a tendency to brawl especialy when in trouble. Getting into a punchout with a prime Louis would be a big mistake. Louis late KO.

[Minotauro]

Prime Charles was a lot smaller but more effective especially because this would be Charles before the Baroudi tragedy. He could cause Louis problems style wise and with his speed and boxing ability but I feel Joe would stop him eventually in a great fight.

[stonemittens]

Prime vs Prime you have two all time p4p greats. I would have two give it to Charles even though he was the smaller man. Remember he is the only fighter to last 15 rounds with Rocky.

[robert ungurean]

I give Charles a slight edge.

[ghettowizard]

Hed cause Louis some problems but Id take Joe when its all said and done

[Verbalkint]

Louis would stop Charles late

[Bummy Davis]

That fight would prove that Charles was underated but Louis would prevail by a Stoppage...Still Charles had the slickness and tools and he would not coast like he did vs the old Joe it would be more heated battle with a lot of exchanges...but Joe was master at combination power punching and Charles would get caught in an exchange in a competitive bout Louis TKO 12

[OBCboxer]

Louis by late stoppage. Though Charles was slick and would give Louis some trouble early, Joe would find the openings and capatilize with his skilled combinations and stop him late.

[Mendoza]

Charles would have given Louis a match but you must remember that Charles had a tendency to brawl especialy when in trouble. Getting into a punchout with a prime Louis would be a big mistake. Louis late KO.

In the real match, a prime Charles busted up an old Joe Louis. However Louis in his prime has a lot of zip on his punches. In a prime vs prime match, I think Louis would land one of his Sunday's best and end it.

I agree with you. Charles was a stand and trade type of fighter who used hand speed and countering ability to win. I respect Charles. He was a pound for pound tough son of gun. Charles fought the same stand and trade style vs Marciano.

[janitor]

Would Charles necisarily stand and trade with a prime Louis?

He knew he could get away with it against the older version but against a prime version he might think better of it.

Another interesting "what if" is a scenario where Louis takes Charles on imidiately after the Walcott fight. Could he have had enough left at this point to slip past Charles and then string his title reign out further by defending against guys like Savold.

[Minotauro]

In the real match, a prime Charles busted up an old Joe Louis. However Louis in his prime has a lot of zip on his punches. In a prime vs prime match, I think Louis would land one of his Sunday's best and end it.

I agree with you. Charles was a stand and trade type of fighter who used hand speed and countering ability to win. I respect Charles. He was a pound for pound tough son of gun. Charles fought the same stand and trade style vs Marciano.

Charles didn't have the same legs or reflexes against Rocky that he had in his prime. Watch his fight with Lloyd Marshall from his prime and you'll see his amazing boxing ability coming in and out of range while carrying out a great body attack and his jab and hand speed were better as well. Even his fight with Johnson when he is past his best you can see his boxing ability and sure Charles liked to mix it up but he wasn't a stand and trade fighter well as least I wouldn't classify him as one and I've seen a lot of his footage.

[Mendoza]

Charles didn't have the same legs or reflexes against Rocky that he had in his prime. Watch his fight with Lloyd Marshall from his prime and you'll see his amazing boxing ability coming in and out of range while carrying out a great body attack and his jab and hand speed were better as well. Even his fight with Johnson when he is past his best you can see his boxing ability and sure Charles liked to mix it up but he wasn't a stand and trade fighter well as least I wouldn't classify him as one and I've seen a lot of his footage.

Would you classify Charles as a fighter who liked to mix it up, or as a smart boxer type who picked his shots, and waited for the right moment to attack? I pick the former. Charles was aggressive. He liked to slug, go toe to toe, and use his speed and skills to counter.

I did not say Charles could not use his legs, I just feel tactically he perfereed to mix it up.

One could say Charles was the 2nd best fighter Louis ever fought. Marciano was the best.

[redrooster]

Joe said in his autobiography that there were so many openings available when he fought Charles, but he simply wasn't fast enough to catch him.

Prime versus prime, I'd give it to Louis.

Me too. Hey Hydraulix is that you in the picture? Your butt looks bitching!

[Bummy Davis]

Would you classify Charles as a fighter who liked to mix it up, or as a smart boxer type who picked his shots, and waited for the right moment to attack? I pick the former. Charles was aggressive. He liked to slug, go toe to toe, and use his speed and skills to counter.

I did not say Charles could not use his legs, I just feel tactically he perfereed to mix it up.

One could say Charles was the 2nd best fighter Louis ever fought. Marciano was the best.



Charles did like to mix it up, he could fight from the outside and inside he had such a great arsenal but he also had good heavyweight power in either hand, speed, good legs and ring smarts. I dont know if Charles, Walcott or Schmeling was the 2nd best opponent Louis fought but Marciano was the best and Louis was at the tail end of his career if the fight was prime to prime the result MAY have been different and it MAY have not but here would have been a load of early fireworks

[Minotauro]

Would you classify Charles as a fighter who liked to mix it up, or as a smart boxer type who picked his shots, and waited for the right moment to attack? I pick the former. Charles was aggressive. He liked to slug, go toe to toe, and use his speed and skills to counter.

I did not say Charles could not use his legs, I just feel tactically he perfereed to mix it up.

One could say Charles was the 2nd best fighter Louis ever fought. Marciano was the best.

He could be both more so the latter just also a great finisher which may have contibuted to a slightly more aggressive style at his best. Charles is a smart fighter I doubt he would trade with Louis especially after he feel Joe's power I think he would chose to box and use his speed whether he'd be able to pull the win is another matter. The reason why I brought up his legs is because you mentioned the Rocky fight where he could not move like he did in his prime.

[SuzieQ49]

I agree with you. Charles was a stand and trade type of fighter who used hand speed and countering ability to win. I respect Charles. He was a pound for pound tough son of gun. Charles fought the same stand and trade style vs Marciano.

WRONG! Charles in his prime was a slick defensive counterpuncher who boxed on his toes....i dont know what your talking about. Watch film of charles vs Lloyd Marshall or Walcott I and get back to me