Yep, it would have been a good one.
I think in a series they would have split wins. Schmeling really studied Joe, and found a weakness. Nobody studied their opponent like Gene. Not only would he have found this weakness , but more If possible, because Louis was so technical and textbook. But Gene would have a well laid out game plan for each and every flaw.
There are so many variables here though.
We could view it as much like the Conn Louis bout with Tunney in place of Conn. No doubt, in my idea, that Gene would not make the crucial mistake Conn did. Leading him to a win. But, Some of those variables are, in my opinion, are that Conn was a speedster. Faster than Gene. Don't get me wrong, Gene was quick, he had to be to get along in his bouts against the fast, but out of prime Dempsey. But not the overall different speeds of Conn. Conn's very quickness played a large role in his almost successful fight with Joe.
Gene doesn't have quite the same speed as Conn.
Also because of Billy's speed, he fought on the inside with Joe, which could and did befuddle Joe. One of the other reasons he was successful. But Tunney was more of a outside fighter. So does this hurt his chances ? On the outside Joe could really zero in on those accurate bombs.
So there are some differences that come into play here, rather than just viewing it as Conn did great, Tunney would do it a bit better. ( 'Im just not quite of the Tunney was a bigger better version of Conn school of thought, with a easy clear cut win for Gene either.)
But I think, looking at it from the perspective of the Dempsey Tunney bouts, how the better moving mobility of Jack, the speed of Jack, ( compared to Joe) how Gene negated this to a game plan victory, also does against Joe also.
But in a second match, like the Max bout, Joe really pours it on, and Gene feeling some what safe due to his first victory, gets once too close to the fire. With no long count. TKO for Louis.
3rd. fight. Gene will not make that mistake again. And has Joe's number from then on.
A very good boxing match this would have been sir. First of all, I will go through each fighter.
Joe Louis was very intelligent in the ring. He was very accurate, while at the same time, huge punching power. This is one of my favorite fighters of all time, introduced to me by my father. He has beaten the likes of Primo Carnera, Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, James Braddock, Tommy Farr, Max Schmeling, Buddy Baer, Billy Conn, and Jersey Joe Walcott.
Gene Tunney also a very wise fighter in the boxing ring. Mostly a Light Heavyweight throughout his career, and one of the best Light Heavyweights of all time. He is known for moving up to Heavyweight and beating Jack Dempsey twice. He beat the likes of Harry Greb, Georges Carpienter, Tommy Gibbons, Jack Dempsey, and Tom Heeney.
The fight
The way I see this fight going is a back and forth boxing match, a chess match. If Joe Louis' power was too much for some of the best Heavyweight's in the world, it would be too much for a Light Heavyweight. Tunney would box pretty well in the early rounds, but Louis' power would be tremendously wearing Gene Tunney out, and he will knock Tunney out in the tenth round.
Louis KO10.
tunney could give the brown bomber all sorts of problems. conn boxed louis' ears off and gene could too.
if louis catches tunney cleanly with a similar combo to the one dempsey did (long count), it's all over, but if it goes the distance, it's a pick 'em. but a prime louis is the master of rematches.
Tunney could be beat, and Louis would do it.
Regardless his skill he can not run for 15 rounds and eventually he would get knocked out, regardless the length of the count.
As Louis said, "he can run, but he can't hide."
wow... I think that Tunney could win this fight if he doesnt go down but I also feel that a prime Louis could land his big right hand.
Joe Louis would have Knock him out in round 4
Imagine a prime Tunney being in the same shoes as Conn was in 1941.
