Ali's opinion of Louis

[TheGreatA]

I'd say that as in most cases with Ali, they were both friendly yet also rivals at different points in time. It got especially heated in the late 60's when Louis, a commentator in many of Ali's fights, was heavily critical of Ali, his skills and his lack of patriotism, and Ali consequently made him out to be an "Uncle Tom". This didn't last long though due to the respect both had for each other.

Louis used to say to Ali that if he thought he could beat him, "he better wake up an apologize". Ali would say that Louis was great from the waist up.

[Miburo]

I think he called Foreman the mummy.

Not true in the least. It was Foreman, not Louis, who was labelled by Ali a Mummy anyway, as already stated. You don't score the knockouts Joe Louis scored if you're not in proper position with your feet.

No it was Louis he called the mummy as well.


0:45 ..

NChristo beat me too it. He explicitly calls Louis a mummy there, which is exactly the source I was citing. And Wild Blue got all offended too

It's pretty apt if you think about it - Louis was great from the waist up but had a tendency to just stand flatfooted and shuffle forward. This left him vulnerable in exchanges he wasn't getting the best of.

[Great John L]

Joe Louis had excellent footwork, and was a master of cutting off the ring. But his footwork is degraded today because people only think of footwork as being "Float like a butterfly." Louis had strategic footwork not ballerina/dancer footwork. Efficient but not graceful in the traditional sense.

[Miburo]

Joe Louis had excellent footwork, and was a master of cutting off the ring. But his footwork is degraded today because people only think of footwork as being "Float like a butterfly." Louis had strategic footwork not ballerina/dancer footwork. Efficient but not graceful in the traditional sense.

Actually Ali praises the footwork of both Charles and Walcott for just those reasons, and they weren't "dancers" either by and large (especially Walcott). Louis' footwork is getting overrated, it was not a strength.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Actually Ali praises the footwork of both Charles and Walcott for just those reasons, and they weren't "dancers" either by and large (especially Walcott). Louis' footwork is getting overrated, it was not a strength.

I haven't been all offended --- I'm simply saying, it is beyond a matter of opinion --- you're mistaken calling Louis' footwork less than great. It is a hugely common mistake, I'll give you that, but a mistake nonetheless.

I will stand corrected on the Mummy comment. You should do the same on Louis' footwork. You're not thinking it was just a coincidence he was always in position to use his great offense, do you?

One of the great misconceptions of all-time is Louis' footwork being less than great. Like I say, you can have a rifle for a left hand & a machine gun for a right, but it means nothing if you can't put yourself in position with your footwork to acquire the leverage necessary to unload. Louis caught up with virtually everyone, including fighters thought by most to have excellent footwork (Walcott, Farr, Conn, Pastor).

[GJC]

Actually Ali praises the footwork of both Charles and Walcott for just those reasons, and they weren't "dancers" either by and large (especially Walcott). Louis' footwork is getting overrated, it was not a strength.

Louis wasn't a dancer but his footwork was efficient and he was superb at cutting a ring off which takes decent footwork.
Louis didn't have great footwork but I wouldn't put it down as a weakness just not one of his greatest strengths.

[JAB5239]

NChristo beat me too it. He explicitly calls Louis a mummy there, which is exactly the source I was citing. And Wild Blue got all offended too

I bow down to both you and NChristo's wisdom and knowledge, you taught me something new today.

[BigStereotype]

I haven't been all offended --- I'm simply saying, it is beyond a matter of opinion --- you're mistaken calling Louis' footwork less than great. It is a hugely common mistake, I'll give you that, but a mistake nonetheless.

I will stand corrected on the Mummy comment. You should do the same on Louis' footwork. You're not thinking it was just a coincidence he was always in position to use his great offense, do you?

One of the great misconceptions of all-time is Louis' footwork being less than great. Like I say, you can have a rifle for a left hand & a machine gun for a right, but it means nothing if you can't put yourself in position with your footwork to acquire the leverage necessary to unload. Louis caught up with virtually everyone, including fighters thought by most to have excellent footwork (Walcott, Farr, Conn, Pastor).

Louis' footwork was good. That's as far as I'm willing to go. He could cut off the ring pretty well, but to say it's excellent is a little much. He was a shuffler and his feet were the weakest part of his game.