The Phoenix index., 1939-12-23
Joe Louis Would Have Been Beaten BY
Jack Johnson, Probably Bob FitzSimmons
According to 88- Year-Old Ring Expert
BY LUc1uS MelanchozuJoneS

Eighty -year-old A. D. Phillips veteran white ring
observer thinks Joe Louis compares avorabv with the
heavyweights of all time AS matter of fact Mr. Phillips
says many wonderful things-all ughprovoking
that the corner finds it naszed to reproduce fully
what he actually does reveal It impossible to improve on
the thought and import of his opening paragraph in the
current issue of RING:
Comparisons value only to small degree. Con-
dtOns at different periods of fis history differ
much that it is difficult to place standard by which fight
of be judged accurately with those of to-
day. That is why have frequently wondered what
can forth with definite assertion often has
been made to the effect that Joe Louis is the greatest fight
r OF modern times placing the start Of modernty back to
the first heavyweight championship fight between James
j. Corbett and John L. Sullivan
the unaterable opinion of the writer that Mr. Phil
lips has got something there 1t is increasingly difficult
to even imagine how could ignore the times and make
outright declaration that SoandSo is the greatest So
and-So of All Time
At best it would seem the only fair appraisals that
could be made would be single the predominant artists
in the various tchniques of fghngknOckOut punch, all
round hitting, defense timing generaship, sportsman
ship recuperave powers infghtng and the like That is
the pattern Of reasoning the irsute Mr. Phillips applies
statements like these:
Based however on what have seen, l should say
that Joe Louis compares avoraby with the greatest heavy
weights of all time In around ability wouldn't class him
with such famed rngmen Bob Fzsimmons Jack John
son. two fighters who in my opinion stand at the head OF
the class from Sulvans time to the present Joe hit
ter sock equally hard could Fzsimmons the
terrific punching Jim Jefres and Jack Dempsey In clever
he rates high but certainly not high did Jim
Corbett Fitzsimmons, Johnson.
"n stiffness he can't compare to Jack Johnson, Cor
bett, FzsimmOns In hitting from angle there never
fighter who the equal of Johnson. But in terrific
piedrving blows not FitzsmmOns, Jeffres Demp
sey had anything on the Brown Bomber.
Comparing him with the great gladiators of the past
place the aures his head only because of his hitting
powers Masters of fsticuffs like FzsmmOns Corbett
Johnson would have avoided much of Louis punishment by
standing him off with their eeverness but Fitzsmmons
would have done even more--he would have sunk that
powerful left into the solar pexus time again would
have maneuvered about the sow-shuffng slow thinking
Bomber, and it is my opinion Bob eventually would have
gotten his
Il hold the opinion about Jack Johnson, the
ter arOund fighter of modern times. There
rngman who could fent opponent into knots Jack
There boxer whose jabs and hooks couldn't be
stopped by the clever Jack.
"He could maneuver opponent into any position he
wanted to in order get his sngng abs and hooks
He not of the knockout school Jeffres, John
l.. Sullivan FitZsmmOns, Dempsey, but boy, how he
could cut up and make him feel dazed! His style
of the most thorough have in all seventy
association with the sport and such assertion naturally
hands Johnson the palm.
Next to Johnson, rate Fitzsmmons the best of my
time, and Louis place behind the great Bob no matter
what his future might be- He has earned that high place.
regardless of how he might fare from on champion
every inch of him. that's Louis