How would Max Baer do in today's HW division?

[Slothrop]

I like him against almost anyone but Wlad.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by Slothrop

I like him against almost anyone but Wlad.

I would make him favourite against everyone but Wlad. I wouldn't be making a pick where that one is concerned.

I would be very interested to see him fight Peter. That might be a good one. I think i'd favour Baer there too though.

[Jack]

Sam Peter is a better fighter than Baer was.

I'd pick Peter, Wlad, Vitali and maybe Chagaev over Baer.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by Jack

Sam Peter is a better fighter than Baer was.

Well Baer was certainly a bit fleeter of foot.

I'd pick Peter, Wlad, Vitali and maybe Chagaev over Baer.

Chageav is an interesting one and I think underated by many. But i'll need to see a little more of him in action at the top before i'd be able to pick him over Baer.

[Lacyace]

Originally Posted by tobkhan

Sadly, we may perhaps never see him in the ring again.

What happened to him?

He is the only current hw i was interested in.

Me too.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by tobkhan

He has Hepatitis B, thats why he had to pull out of the unification with Ibragimov. If it becomes chronic he has to quit boxing.

Well that is shit news.

Mobile and can hit with both hands. Let's hope he straightens out.

Max Baer could beat them all, brutally and electrifyingly.

But he could lose to them all too, and stink the joint out in the process.

That was Max Baer.

If he was around today he'd be on the cover of all the magazines, probably being screwing Angelina Jolie, Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Lopez, and drawing record PPV audiences.
Boxing would be back on the front pages.

[mr. magoo]

Personally, I think that his brother Buddy would have a better chance of making a bigger impact today, given that he had all the right size dimensions and physical tools which fit the bill for this era. Max had talent, but skills that were rather unrefined. His brute strength may have gotten him his meal ticket in an era, where most heavyweights were not built like they are today, but in anytime post 1960, he'd have to come up with something other than just savage slugging, and frankly I just don't think that he had the right accumen.

[The Kurgan]

I'd expect him to beat Wlad and the rest of the top boxers, EXCEPT Chagaev and maybe Peter. Chagaev's skills and hard-working attitude would allow him to pick up plenty of rounds while Baer is clowning and not working. Peter-Baer would be a classic brawl; I think if Peter can make enough of an impact early on he can get Baer unwilling to engage a sufficient number of times in the second half, and thus sneak a decision.

Of course, this is all if Baer is focused. Since he often wouldn't be, he'd pick up a lot of silly losses against people one would never pick to beat him.

[mr. magoo]

Originally Posted by The Kurgan

I'd expect him to beat Wlad and the rest of the top boxers, EXCEPT Chagaev and maybe Peter. Chagaev's skills and hard-working attitude would allow him to pick up plenty of rounds while Baer is clowning and not working. Peter-Baer would be a classic brawl; I think if Peter can make enough of an impact early on he can get Baer unwilling to engage a sufficient number of times in the second half, and thus sneak a decision.

Of course, this is all if Baer is focused. Since he often wouldn't be, he'd pick up a lot of silly losses against people one would never pick to beat him.

You may have a point, except if Baer exercised his tendency to clown, as you say, then he might have a very long and hard night against Wladimir Klitschko

[Lex]

Max Baer was the Earnie Shavers of his day. Shavers was always one crushing overhand right away from being a world champ. I'd give Baer a good chance against any of today's heavyweights. On any given night he'd knock their blocks off. And on another night they'd crush or outbox him. But unlike a lot of today's fighters, Baer would campaign for rematches, and probably get 'em.

[janitor]

Originally Posted by Lex

Max Baer was the Earnie Shavers of his day. Shavers was always one crushing overhand right away from being a world champ. I'd give Baer a good chance against any of today's heavyweights. On any given night he'd knock their blocks off. And on another night they'd crush or outbox him.

This sums it up nicley. The distractions that prevented Baer from fulfilling his potential in his own day would be magnified ten fold today.

When he was on he would tear through any heavyweight active today but his consistency would let him down.

[janitor]

Originally Posted by Sonny's jab

If he was around today he'd be on the cover of all the magazines, probably being screwing Angelina Jolie, Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Lopez,

He would have em all. When it came to screwing celebrities Baer was without peer in the pantheon of heavyweight champions.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by mr. magoo

Personally, I think that his brother Buddy would have a better chance of making a bigger impact today, given that he had all the right size dimensions and physical tools which fit the bill for this era. Max had talent, but skills that were rather unrefined. His brute strength may have gotten him his meal ticket in an era, where most heavyweights were not built like they are today, but in anytime post 1960, he'd have to come up with something other than just savage slugging, and frankly I just don't think that he had the right accumen.

Max had more power than his brother,and a better chin,but lacked his dedication.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by janitor

He would have em all. When it came to screwing celebrities Baer was without peer in the pantheon of heavyweight champions.

I have thought about this A LOT and I am going to bet that Johnson would have achieved more in this era.