Most boxing people like myself feel Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis and Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali were the two greatest heavyweight champions.
Let’s take a look at each. Their records as professionals are about the only thing close to what each have.
Louis was 63-3 with 52 knockouts from July 1934 to October 1952. He won his first twenty-four fights before Germany’s former heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, 48-7-4, knocked him out in twelve rounds at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.
He would go on to win his next thirty-four fights before losing to by decision former champion Ezzard “The Cincinnati Cobra” Charles, 66-5-1, at the same ballpark. He won his next eight fights before a career-ending knockout loss to Rocky Marciano, 37-0, at Madison Square Garden, New York. Louis was Marciano’s “hero,” and he cried after stopping Louis.
Louis lost time as an active boxer when he enlisted into the Army on January 8, 1942. A day later, in a rematch with Buddy Baer. On March 10th, he appeared at Madison Square Garden given by the Navy Relief Society. Two weeks later, he returned to the ring, knocking out Abe Simon in 6 rounds. A majority of his winnings from both fights were donated to the Army Relief Fund. He was discharged in October of 1945.
The IRS taxed Louis for his two bouts at the end of WW2, owing the US over $100,000.
Louis had a record-ending defense in the division at twenty-five.
Now let’s take a look at Muhammad Ali in comparison. He won the 1960 Olympics light heavyweight title in Rome, Italy. He turned professional in October of 1960 and his last fight was in December of 1981.
In March of 1967, Ali won his twenty-ninth straight fight, knocking out Zora Folley at Madison Square Garden, improving to 31-0. For not entering the draft, eventually, the New York Boxing Commission took away his license.
He didn’t return to the ring until October of 1970 when he scored a pair of stoppages before then facing Olympic and heavyweight champion “Smokin” Joe Frazier, 26-0, losing for the first time at Madison Square Garden by decision. He would go onto win his next ten fights before losing to Ken Norton. He won the rematch and another bout before a rematch with then-former champion Frazier for his NABF title, winning by decision at Madison Square Garden in January of 1974.
In Ali’s next fight, he would regain the title, stopping “Big” George Foreman, 40-0, in eight rounds in Zaire, Africa. After three defenses, he defeated Frazier, called “the Thrilla in Manila!” After six more wins, he lost to Olympic champion Leon Spinks, 6-0-1, in February of 1968. He won the rematch and didn’t fight for over a year, losing to Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes, 35-0, and in his final fight to Trevor Berbick, 19-2-1, in December of 1982.
Ali had 19 title defenses to 25 of Louis.
In comparing both, they lost time; Louis was in the Army, and Ali was without a license. While Louis served his country, Ali would eventually bring back 15 American hostages from Iraq.
There you have it, boxing fans. Would the hard-hitting Louis knock out Ali, or the boxer Ali decision Louis? Let’s hear your opinions.