Billy had the fight won until the 13, his corner told him just jab and keep moving, Billy said no, I want to knock him down. that was Billy's mistake. Joe was to big for him.
Conn had the best footwork of any fighter I've seen from that period. It was surprising that he hurt Lewis so badly because he wasn't really a knockout fighter. Lewis was a very methodical and patient fighter, and his upper cuts set up Conn for the KO.
Billy Conn, undefeated light heavyweight champ, nearly wept, when he said, "I lost my head and a million bucks!" Later, he loved to joke, saying, "Joe, you know I had your ass whipped; why didn't you let me have the title? You'dve gotten it back in, say, six months.." Joe Louis, who also loved a good joke.laughed, and said, "You couldn't hold it for twelve rounds; so, how you gon' hold it six months..?" Billy Conn laughed, and said, "Ahh, he should've killed me..!"
When asked by a reporter why he went for the knockout, Conn replied famously, "What's the use of being Irish if you can't be thick (i.e. stupid)?" Later he would joke with Louis, "Why couldn't you let me hold the title for a year or so?", to which the Brown Bomber responded, "You had the title for twelve rounds and you couldn't hold on to it."
@26marbay WTF? RobertoWHO? Joe Louis was the most powerful and fastest punching heavyweight in ring history. great hand speed, was awesome to behold. had a powerful jab, threw every punch perfectly and with wasteless accuracy. His right cross, thrown short and straight, was sheer dynamite. his record 25 title defenses.. 25 successful defenses, 21 by KO, 17 ten counts! He KO out 6 HW Championship of the World. his record 60-1 51 KO. held the HW Championship for a record of nearly 12 years.
Did the ring anouncer say Billy Conn weighed in at 162 pounds? Wow. Pity the fools in the light-heavy division of the day if he goes toe-to-toe with the best heavy of all time, giving up 45 pounds, and almost wins! Amazing. Think what he must have done to his light-heavy oppponents...
conn did change his fight plan he tried to knock out joe when all he had to do was box like he was in the early rounds, louis was so cool in the ring never in a rush he look like he knew he was going to knock conn out.
Conn didn't change his fight plan. He ran out of gas in the last round after exerting himself so much against a bigger, much heavier hitting fighter for 12 rounds.
@mesk, Not a chance. Louis had trouble with slick boxers. Conn, Pastor as examples. Difference is Tunney could punch. Most underrated of the past champions. Styles make fights. Tunney wins 8 out of 10 encounters.
@mesk1447. dont get me wrong becuase im more of a luis fan but dont be too quick to make that assumption, gene tunney was a bigger stronger version of conn for boxing skills but the difference was that conn had better legs. now if tunney stood still then sure, luise could probably get the ko but tunney was the first fighter of ali's style and tunney was around wayyyy before ali's time. tunney would have a shot againsed luise and keep in mind dempsey couldnt ko tunney before saying luise would.
right before he passed away ,conn was in a coffeee shop in penn. when a black came in and announced a robbery,billy punched the guy and yanked the scumbags jacket off,the cops found the i.d. of the black inside the coat.Right till the end billy was a fighter.
what a classic--Conn was totaly outpointing Louis, then foolishly decided to try to KO him. had he just stayed away andboxed, as ishiscorner told him, he would have won title
"When Joe Louis asked Lena Horne, with whom he was then having a relationship, to keep score for him at a Hollywood golf benefit, the singer refused -- she was entertaining troops that day. Joe hit her with a left hook. Then he started to choke her. In his 1978 autobiography, written with Edna and Art Rust Jr., Louis said that the only thing that saved Lena's life was an aunt in the next room who threatened to call the police."
When Joe Louis asked Lena Horne, with whom he was then having a relationship, to keep score for him at a Hollywood golf benefit, the singer refused -- she was entertaining troops that day. Joe hit her with a left hook. Then he started to choke her. In his 1978 autobiography, written with Edna and Art Rust Jr., Louis said that the only thing that saved Lena's life was an aunt in the next room who threatened to call the police.
Billy had the fight won until the 13, his corner told him just jab and keep moving, Billy said no, I want to knock him down. that was Billy's mistake. Joe was to big for him.
ponketon 3 months ago
Im just pointing it out but at 5:50 on ringside theres a midget
quaabhunter 6 months ago
EPIC!!
mikedjmix 9 months ago
Conn had the best footwork of any fighter I've seen from that period. It was surprising that he hurt Lewis so badly because he wasn't really a knockout fighter. Lewis was a very methodical and patient fighter, and his upper cuts set up Conn for the KO.
finnemccool 1 year ago
Billy Conn, undefeated light heavyweight champ, nearly wept, when he said, "I lost my head and a million bucks!" Later, he loved to joke, saying, "Joe, you know I had your ass whipped; why didn't you let me have the title? You'dve gotten it back in, say, six months.." Joe Louis, who also loved a good joke.laughed, and said, "You couldn't hold it for twelve rounds; so, how you gon' hold it six months..?" Billy Conn laughed, and said, "Ahh, he should've killed me..!"
zipper179 1 year ago
When asked by a reporter why he went for the knockout, Conn replied famously, "What's the use of being Irish if you can't be thick (i.e. stupid)?" Later he would joke with Louis, "Why couldn't you let me hold the title for a year or so?", to which the Brown Bomber responded, "You had the title for twelve rounds and you couldn't hold on to it."
BumDog007 1 year ago
@26marbay WTF? RobertoWHO? Joe Louis was the most powerful and fastest punching heavyweight in ring history. great hand speed, was awesome to behold. had a powerful jab, threw every punch perfectly and with wasteless accuracy. His right cross, thrown short and straight, was sheer dynamite. his record 25 title defenses.. 25 successful defenses, 21 by KO, 17 ten counts! He KO out 6 HW Championship of the World. his record 60-1 51 KO. held the HW Championship for a record of nearly 12 years.
theangelrules007 1 year ago
Did the ring anouncer say Billy Conn weighed in at 162 pounds? Wow. Pity the fools in the light-heavy division of the day if he goes toe-to-toe with the best heavy of all time, giving up 45 pounds, and almost wins! Amazing. Think what he must have done to his light-heavy oppponents...
popeiix 1 year ago
@26marbay 1. It's Louis, not Lewis. 2. Invest in a dictionary because your spelling sucks.
beaupeep1 1 year ago 6
@beaupeep1 Stay classy San Diego
timmytide1 7 months ago
Billy Conn is one of the most underated boxers in history
yohncolt 1 year ago
conn did change his fight plan he tried to knock out joe when all he had to do was box like he was in the early rounds, louis was so cool in the ring never in a rush he look like he knew he was going to knock conn out.
SLIMZD 2 years ago
thats because joe knew conn was on borrowed time lol
dirtyjew1974 1 year ago
Conn didn't change his fight plan. He ran out of gas in the last round after exerting himself so much against a bigger, much heavier hitting fighter for 12 rounds.
marcxopoco 2 years ago
LMAO gene tunney would have gotten his ass handed to him by louis!!!
mesk1447 2 years ago
@mesk, Not a chance. Louis had trouble with slick boxers. Conn, Pastor as examples. Difference is Tunney could punch. Most underrated of the past champions. Styles make fights. Tunney wins 8 out of 10 encounters.
faltagh 2 years ago
@mesk1447. dont get me wrong becuase im more of a luis fan but dont be too quick to make that assumption, gene tunney was a bigger stronger version of conn for boxing skills but the difference was that conn had better legs. now if tunney stood still then sure, luise could probably get the ko but tunney was the first fighter of ali's style and tunney was around wayyyy before ali's time. tunney would have a shot againsed luise and keep in mind dempsey couldnt ko tunney before saying luise would.
dirtyjew1974 1 year ago
right before he passed away ,conn was in a coffeee shop in penn. when a black came in and announced a robbery,billy punched the guy and yanked the scumbags jacket off,the cops found the i.d. of the black inside the coat.Right till the end billy was a fighter.
scorzeny45 2 years ago
"The Black"!!??..
what would you have said if it was the other way round.."The White"!!!??
onlyjoetee 1 year ago
both veterans of ww2 unlike todays pro athletes. conn was another tough white irish kid just like jerry quarry.
scorzeny45 2 years ago
Imagine what Gene Tunney would have done to LOUIS. LIGHTS OUT!!
faltagh 2 years ago
what a classic--Conn was totaly outpointing Louis, then foolishly decided to try to KO him. had he just stayed away andboxed, as ishiscorner told him, he would have won title
loyaldude10 2 years ago
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"When Joe Louis asked Lena Horne, with whom he was then having a relationship, to keep score for him at a Hollywood golf benefit, the singer refused -- she was entertaining troops that day. Joe hit her with a left hook. Then he started to choke her. In his 1978 autobiography, written with Edna and Art Rust Jr., Louis said that the only thing that saved Lena's life was an aunt in the next room who threatened to call the police."
MrPalspal 2 years ago
wait, was this the whole fight?
twobitmage 2 years ago
No, the fight lasted 13 rounds.
Christofides1 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
When Joe Louis asked Lena Horne, with whom he was then having a relationship, to keep score for him at a Hollywood golf benefit, the singer refused -- she was entertaining troops that day. Joe hit her with a left hook. Then he started to choke her. In his 1978 autobiography, written with Edna and Art Rust Jr., Louis said that the only thing that saved Lena's life was an aunt in the next room who threatened to call the police.
ricflarefucknsucks 2 years ago
Wonderful fight. I used to hear from my dad about this great battle, but now to see in is just so great. Thank you so much
lavelle69 2 years ago
Great footage, Thanks
KiidDynamiteReturns 3 years ago
Sweetfights you are a saint for putting this fight on. God bless you.
tracydukeplump 3 years ago 11