The Subtle Skills of Joe Louis

Many boxing commentators realize that Joe Louis was a great puncher but often do not understand what a great boxer he was. There have been many documentaries about Joe Louis but in none of them do they break down Louis as a fighter, demonstrating his style and ring techniques. In this short I attempt to show some of the classic skills that made Joe Louis a great boxer.

I chose big band music with no lyrics because I did not want singing to distract from the on screen explanations. It also works well as a silent film, so if you do not like the music just turn off the volume.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Joe
• Louis
• boxing
• heavyweight
• champion
• action
• combat
• sports
• martial
• arts

[brightspider]

Great to see the Brown Bomber at work ! I think Louis was the best Heavyweight off all time , taking into account the following : variety, quality and power of punch. Simply unmatched by any other. He also has a great record of being in exciting fights , beat genuinely huge men and carried himself with dignity at all times. I would love to see Ali and Louis , but time robbed us all of the pleasure. I think styles make fights, and Joe Frazier would have been harder for Louis than Ali.

[coxscorner]

@brightspider Disagree on the part about Frazier. Actually the opposite is true stylistically. Frazier gives the most trouble to mobiel boxer like ali cause he cuts the ring and gives the out-boxer little choice but to fight him off which makes them vulnerable to his left hook. On the other hand Louis is a counter-puncher who excels at bringing his opponents into his power. Frazier gives any version of Ali absolute fits but is taken apart by Louis.

[pumpSHO]

why does having your head off centerline good?

is there any physiological problems doing so?

[coxscorner]

@pumpSHO Because straight punches are the best and if a punch is thrown directly straight the head is not there to be hit, you keep your chin down and hands up makes it harder to be hit cleanly and your opponent has to change angle of punch and it leaves him open for counter. There is no physiological problem with this and foot placement helps.

[bwv878]

One of the slickest moves of all time, and one that you didn't comment on in the video: Watch very closely Joe Louis knock out Braddock. Braddock was pawing with his left hand, holding out too far. Louis threw a left hook at Braddock's left arm, opening him up for the knockout right hand.

[Brownpride480]

IMO Joe Louis' footwork was underrated and yes his footwork is no where near the level of Muhammad Ali or even Larry Holmes but his footwork has enough speed to step outside a distance to avoid a blow. This video tells me that regardless of these giant heavyweights of nowadays, Joe Louis would obviously dominate this joke division of nowadays I mean the Klitschko's aren't bad but are facing the worst competition and if Joe Louis can KO a giant Primo Carnera then he certainly can KO these giants.

[MrAUFANATIC]

@MrJoelouisbarrow You think i'm kidding? I'm related to him by my grandmother. Real talk. She passed in the early 2000s but they had a JLB celebration when his son came down to LaFayette, Al and they revealed his statue up in front of Chambers County courthouse. My grandmother and him are close related. Blood related. I won't give my grandmother's name but her last name is Brock. Ok though you have your own opinion.

[MrJoelouisbarrow]

@MrAUFANATIC haha good joke bro

[MrAUFANATIC]

Joe Louis is my cousin. I can take you to the house where he was born at right now & they just built a statue of him in our hometown like almost a year ago in front of the courthouse.

[CoffeeBeatsTea]

@neilsenti55 simple and un-exaggerated head movements.

[unioncity]

@unknownuser4rm

exactly. Especially counter punching

[unknownuser4rm]

so he revolutionized that defensive tactical boxing that current boxers does such as mayweather or what??

[neilsenti55]

One thing I dont understand. He keeps his elbows and hands at body. And he keeps his head at an angle. But how does he avoid head shots?

[mdmcdd1117]

@MrLukedanger

What brand of alcohol are you drinking? I'd like to try it so I can make foolish statements such as Riddick Bowe is the 2nd best HW of all-time.