Let's compare both fighters by category;
1. Boxing accomplishments;
Ali; One of if not the greatest physical freak in the heavyweight division. He was the fastest and probably had the best chin and footwork ever. He may have been the greatest outside fighter ever thanks to his speed. Ali was also the first fighter to use the ''Rope-a-dope'' technique, it worked against powerpunchers who gassed out, if your opponent didn't gas-out it was a bad technique. On the downside; his defense tactics were flawed; he avoided punches with body-movements and footwork but kept his hands too low. In his prime he was prone to body shots which led to head openings, guys like Doug Jones, Cooper, Frazier and Norton capitalized on this. As his speed and reflexes faded with age, he got hit way too much, thus is now in his current condition. Ali also had lower than average power for a heavyweight.
Louis; One of the most correct boxers, and probably the most technically sound heavyweight ever. He was also a patient fighter like Zora Folley but much better. He didn't waste a punch & according to compubox was the most accurate puncher ever. He also had very fast combinations and a powerful jab which helped him set up punches. On the downside; his chin was pretty good but not as great as Ali. He was also prone to overhand right in his youth but in his prime, after Schmeling, he corrected this flaw.
This can go either way, it's the awesome technique vs awesome physic.
2. Accomplishments outside the ring;
Ali; He was the most entertaining and globally marketable personality in sports EVER. Before Parkisons, hosts from television, universities and government brought him for interviews and lectures and he was the star, no hosts needed. He also became a public figure for several civil rights movements, some were good and the one's that were not he eventually left behind [some were racist].
Louis; This man was very quaint, humble, quiet and boring, but by being so he undone the white hatred towards blacks left by Jack Johnson. Joe Louis opened the door for blacks in boxing, golf and helped push for equal rights in the US army. He was the first heavyweight boxing champion since Jack Johnson and he was the first black superstar that was admired by white America. Joe Louis was also a superhero to every black man and women in America at his time showing them that a black man can have success, some say his influence drastically increased black-pride which led to the civil rights movements.
I give this to Louis because he MADE and inspired change, Ali only inspired change.
3. Most important fight;
Ali; ''The Fight of the Century''; an undefeated former Olympic gold medalist & universally recognized champion fought an undefeated former Olympic gold medalist & former universally recognized champion. Ali lost.
Louis; second fight with Schmeling. Schmeling became the posted board for Hitlers Aryan race [superior race] while Louis became a poster board for minorities after Louis had lost the first fight. Louis obliterated Schmeling.
I give this to Louis. His fight was far more significant, it was not simply media hype for boxing fans and he won it.
4. Competition;
Ali; 19 universally recognized heavyweight title defenses against the toughest competition of any heavyweight ever, most fights were very competitive.
Louis; 25 universally recognized heavyweight title defenses against some tough, and some not so tough competition. Most title defenses were complete domination.
It can go either way since it's quantity vs quality dilemma. Louis competition is underrated, he fought some of the most correct boxers EVER, but Ali UNQUESTIONABLY had tougher competition, BUT he also had more problems. Louis walked through most title defenses, Ali didn't.
Conclusion;
Ali entertained more but Louis got things done in and most importantly outside the ring. It's like asking ''who accomplished more; Michael Jackson or James Russell''. One of the 2 is well known and imitated by allot more people. 1 of the 2 was also more creative, the other isn't as famous today but without James Russell [Louis], Michael Jackson and MANY OTHER ARTISTS wouldn't have had cd's to sell.
This is a very difficult question and you've already received some expert opinions from some of the very best here on this boxing forum. Both Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis are ring legends without a doubt and both were great inpsirations to millions of people for different reasons. Ali had the faster hands but Louis punched harder with both hands and wasn't exactly slow himself and had a harder jab. Ali had the superior footwork and could take a better punch. Louis was great at finishing his opponent and cutting off the ring and Ali knew exactly how to get into his opponent's head. Here is the rundown of each mans great career:
Joe Louis
Won: 68
Lost: 3
Draws: 0
KO's: 54
Most consecutive years as undisputed Champ and most sucessful title defenses
World Heavyweight Champion 1937-49 (Undisputed)
25 title defenses
Greatest career wins:
Max Baer (HOF) KO4
Paulino Uzkudun TKO4
Jack Sharkey (HOF) KO3
James Braddock (HOF) KO8
Tommy Farr W15
Max Schmeling (HOF) KO1
John Henry Lerwis (HOF) KO1
Tony Galento TKO4
Bob Pastor KO11
Billy Conn (HOF) KO13
Lou Nova TKO6
Buddy Baer KO1
Billy Conn (HOF) TKO8
Jersey Joe Walvott (HOF) W15
Jersey Joe Walcott (HOF) KO11
Jimmy Bivins (HOF) W10
Wins over 8 Hall of Fame fighters during his career. When he originally retired in 1950 he had not lost a fight since 1936 and had a record before his comeback of 60-1-0
Muhammad Ali
Won: 56
Lost: 5
Draws: 0
KO'S: 37
First man to win the heavyweight title 3 times.
World Heavyweight Champion 1964-67, 1974-78, 1978-79
Total of 20 title defenses as undisputed Champ
Greatest career wins:
Archie Moore (HOF) KO4
Doug Jones W10
Henry Cooper TKO5
Sonny Liston (HOF) TKO7
Sonny Liston (HOF) KO1
Floyd Patterson (HOF) TKO12
George Chuvalo W15
Henry Cooper TKO6
Cleveland Williams TKO3
Ernie Terrell W15
Zora Folley TKO7
Jerry Quarry TKO3
Oscar Bonavena TKO15
Jimmy Ellis TKO12
Buster Mathis W12
MacArthur Foster W15
George Chuvalo W12
Jerry Quarry TKO7
Floyd Patterson (HOF) TKO7
Bob Foster (HOF) KO8
Joe Bugner W12
Ken Norton (HOF) W12
Joe Frazier (HOF) W12
George Foreman (HOF) KO8
Ron Lyle TKO12
Joe Bugner W15
Jimmy Young W15
Ken Norton (HOF) W15
Earnie Shavers W15
Leon Spinks W15
Was undefeated when stripped of his title in 1967 for failure to report for military service. Defeated 7 Hall of Fame fighters in his career and the most charismatic Champion of all time who fought perhaps the toughest opposition of them all in his storied career. He like so many fought when he should have hung up the gloves losing a few fights near the end of his career he normally would have won.
Final Analysis
This isn't an easy call and for folks who are passionate about their favorite of these twoi men are always going to side with their fighter or their hero. Both men make a stong case as you can see with all the facts I presented. Some rank Louis #1 while some rank Ali #1 as far as accomplishments go and Louis done some things Ali didn't do but Ali also did some things Louis never did. So I have to call this one about pretty darn even.
Ali's ring record as heavyweight champion has remained unsurpassed by any other heavyweight titlist, past and present. Louis's 25 title defenses fly in the face of the quality of the opposition he met in those championship bouts.Ali fought and mostly defeated a virtual who's who in his time to include Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson, Larry Holmes, Jimmy Ellis, Oscar Bonavena, George Chuvalo, Ernie Terrell, Jimmy Young, Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Bob Foster, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Jerry Quarry, to mention some.
Ali started the million dollar superfights in the USA and other parts of the world including the Battle of the Century fight versus Joe Frazier title defenses in Zaire ( Rumble in the Jungle versus George Foreman ) Malaysia ( Big Lumper in Kuala Lumpur versus Joe Bugner) and the Philippines ( Thrilla in Manila versus Frazier), the last considered as the greatest fight in heavyweight history and boxing as a whole.
Ali had much to do in developing what we now know as pay per view fights through cable TV and close circuit TV fights, something the superstar boxers after his time enjoyed till today.
Ali was the inspiration for the Muhammad Ali Boxing reform Act which protects even non-American fighters fighting in the USA.
Ali was the inspiration for all Ali wannabes after his time to today that included Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather, to mention just two prominent, great fighters.
joe louis had most defences but ali won olympic gold and was a 3 time champ. it's a really tough question but i'm going to go for ali. imagine what he could have achieved if he wasnt banned
This is a far more complicated question than meets the eye, because in order to answer it correctly , you must understand the political climate during both of these great Champions careers.
Joe was an American Sargent fighting a Nazi paratrooper on the eve of WWII and Louis's second fight with Max Schmeling was not only the biggest boxing match in history, it may have been the biggest sporting event period of all time. There is no question Joe Louis's KO of Max Schmeling in their second fight was the biggest propaganda coup in the history of warfare. The social impact that that fight cannot be overstated. Joe's impact on the civil rights movement was at least equal to Ali given their time frames and circumstances. Many people don't even know Joe Louis was one of the first to break the color barrier in professional golf as well as one of the two best heavyweights in history. Joe was loved by America where as for the early part of his career Ali was reviled. Today Ali is universally loved and revered, but that was not always the case.
Ali's impact outside the ring was probably even bigger, primarily because of Ali's personality and the controversial nature of Islam in today's political climate. The civil rights movement was as central to Ali's legacy as boxing, and the entire Black Muslim Movement was the direct result of American bigotry. during the 60's. The racially transcending issue of the anti war movement and Ali's stand on the Vietnam war crossed all color lines and elevated Ali to Heroic status with all creeds and colors.
In boxing Ali's three titles, gold medal and stellar competition out shine Joe's 25 title defenses, so in the ring Ali edged Joe, but outside the ring its amazingly close, both impacted socially to an immense degree. Since I never met Joe Louis personally, but I have met Ali a couple times, I obviously have some bias in favor of Ali, but in the interest of objectivity, I have to say both left their mark's scored deeply on their respective era's, both in and outside the ring.
Ali was greater than Joe, but not by very much, they were both great American Hero's to their respective time frames, and Ali's recognized by quite possibly everyone on the globe today.
Who has more/greater accomplishments in boxing, Muhammad Ali or Joe Louis?
