Louis is a plodder and would be vulnerable to both Klitschko brothers but that does not mean he will stop coming forward while putting up solid defense of his own while trying to cut the ring and narrow the distance. Louis is the most fundamentally correct heavyweight fighter ever, His upset KO loss to Max Schmelling very early in his long career was all part of his early development and his losses to Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano were more due to his old age.
They would both do better.
Ali was the fastest heavyweight of all time. He had middleweight speed. He was also a ring general like no other. He would walk through the division like a tyrannosaurus in a sheep farm.
Louis was slow and plodding. He just hit harder.....than anyone.
If he hit you, that was the end. Billy Conn showed how to take him into the deep end of the pool.....but the famous words...."you can run, but you can't hide".
I think Joe Louis would make some changes to his technique in our modern gyms....but the "bum of the month club" would still be open for business. Just look at he old reels of him hitting the heavy bag.
Build means nothing against great heavyweight and both Louis and Ali were each great in their time. Very few heavyweights today are even good, let alone great. both Wlad and Vitali are/were very tall, technical fighters with the European stance, sitting back on their right leg. Vitali, IMO had the better chin, but held his left hand dangling by his left leg . Louis and Ali both could back up Wlad and hit and score knockdowns., as it's been proven that Wald cannot fight going backwards. IMO opinion, being in boxing for over 50 years both these previous heavyweight champions would do excellent in today's division.
Both men would be too small and skinny for the heavyweight division. Especially Louis' boxing style would be horribly outdated nowadays and he would get destroyed from boxers that you might consider bums today. Seriously, just look at the size differene between Ali and W. Klitschko in this photo.
What rubbish answers you have had. Most heavyweights today hardly move and are out of breath after 5 rounds, leaning on each other until one is exhausted.
Ali and Joe would finish them all off.
Both would be small heavyweights.
BUT
Ali would be the fastest heavyweight today, and likely have the best work rate.
Louis would be the most accurate heavyweight today, and he flurished against big men like;
250lbs of muscles in Abe Simmons. 270lbs in Carnera; http://vi.sualize.us/primo_carnera_train...
Buddy Baer among others
I think both at their prime would win every heavyweight fight if they fought today, both beating Wlad Klitschko(Ali by UD and Louis by KO). Against each other I see their fight rated a draw.
I would have to say Ali most of these heavy weights today just stock up on power and have very poor stamina. Ali speed, Stamina, and foot work would be his tools to take to take over the present heavy weight division.
Ali and Louis would beat all of them but Louis might have trouble with Wladimir. I see Wladimir taking that one.
Neither one of those 2 would survive todays boxing in match fights ...boxers today are much taller and built better than Ali or Joe would ever be...
They both would dominate
