Frazier is one of the few champions from 60s onwards whom I see Louis beating, simply because the styles favor him so clearly. Louis was a very accurate and powerful counter puncher who needed less room for his punches than Frazier. Thus, I see it being a colorful and explosive yet fairly one-sided fight
Hmmm.... I gotta lean towards Frazier's incessant buzzing swarm giving Louis a real shitty night. Louis puts Frazier down in the 6th, Frazier scoring a KD in the 10th, stopping Louis on his feet in the 13th. Frazier TKO 13. Gimme Louis in the rematch.
It's always easy to pick Louis because of his all-time standing. The problem is that Frazier would be a combination of size, power and speed that Louis never came close to seeing. The Frazier that buzz sawed Ali in their first fight gives Louis a beating in my opinion.
I dont see any way Louis has an easy time here... people forget that Big George destroyed Joe (and he was the only guy who destroyed him) because he physically SHOVED him backwards with little effort and even he had to drop him six times before it was over... Frazier does not get put away easy even when he's helpless Louis wouldnt be able to do what Foreman did... George was utterly unique n that respect I think Louis beats Joe because of his sharper punching and more varied offensive arsenal... I see both guys getting floored in this one... Louis by close decision
This is a tough clash of styles. I lean towards Louis though. Crisp accurate deadly power in both hands, which were blazing fast also. Frazier would be in his face all night and afford Louis the opportunity. Naturally, however, Frazier's left hook can indeed render Louis on the canvas..but would it keep him there. An older Louis was dropped by Walcott...who arguably hit as hard as Frazier (Ezzard Charles was virtually rendered unconcious) and got up...so I don't see why a younger Louis couldn't do the same against Frazier. Louis by mid rounds KO
I always baulk for a minute when seeing Frazier lined up against an all-time great who can... A) Start fast & maintain the tempo. B) Produce elite-echelon hitting power. C) Finish with the best of them. Foreman, Liston, Dempsey, Tyson, Louis. Not good pairings for Frazier, IMO.
I don't see any stylistic similarities between Louis and Foreman, tbh. Where Foreman was a bullish, aggressive lead slugger, Louis was a neat, calculating counter puncher. Where Foreman would try and create an opening which didn't exist yet by brute force Louis would patiently anticipate and measure his. That thoughtful neatness would count against him against somebody with such a relentless volume barrage as Frazier. Frazier wouldn't be difficult to hit with occasional hard shot but that's different to pushing him back under sustained barrages like George did, IMO. And once Joe gets smokin' and gets in Louis' chest it becomes a grim affair. It's a tough fight for Louis. Good chance he wins the rematch by KO, once he's worked out Frazier's patterns, but I think Frazier swarms all over him in a first fight.
only Liston can conceivably be compared to Foreman, and even that is a stretch... I'd give him a shot against all of them, and I think he runs right over Dempsey
Hut-Hut... You are right that the stylistic differences between Louis & Foreman are very wide. I don't think that's an issue for Frazier here. One thing I am always at lengths to point out about Foreman-Frazier I, though, is something no one ever mentions. You watch that film & you can't help but notice what a high volume of punches Foreman actually misses. He routinely swings wide (sometimes so hard as to lose his balance) or up over Frazier's ducking head. It's significant. Louis could not push Frazier off as Foreman did, & he did not have an over-bearing strength advantage, as Foreman benefitted from. However, Louis was just so good tactically. A big part of that was Chappie --- he prepared his fighter not just as well as he could, but also informed him very well, too. He would instruct Louis to start fast & stay there against Frazier. I doubt Louis takes up a cautious approach if he & Blackburn watch Frazier's first bout with Foreman before entering this fight. Louis wouldn't miss Frazier, & he would hit him in a different fashion Foreman. The punches would be quicker & snappier, faster & harder to see coming. The raw power wouldn't be at Foreman's level, but it would certainly be more than enough to floor Frazier IMO, especially given the speed & angles. When I think of these fights, I try to imagine how each man would prep themselves (& be prepped) by their corners. It's worth considering from both angles. I try to imagine what Futch & Durham would have Frazier doing in there. IMO, the best strategy would be to get out of the blocks quicker --- they might anticipate a fast start from Louis, & Frazier would need to be able to respond with volume early. This might come down to how well each of us views Frazier's ability to absorb Louis' punch & still do his work. To me, I don't think he would respond to Louis' offense so well, which puts the win ultimately out of reach. I guess if people think Frazier can take what Louis dishes out early, then yes, he has both the style & the work-rate to really give Louis a hard night.
Right. Let me clarify by saying I make no comparison, stylistically, between Foreman & those other men (even Liston, it has to be said, fought quite a bit differently). Simply, I think those men retain crucial common qualities with Foreman --- namely, the three I outlined above. These are great weapons against Frazier, IMO.
