He's a puzzle to me. Everything I read makes it seem if he really wanted to fight you then you were in for a tough night and probably an ass kicking, And others have described him as simply a clown. From what I've watched that overhand right while a little sloppy and looping was devastating. His pummeling of Schmeling late in the fight shows atleast for that fight that Max came to fight. Schmeling is held in pretty high reguard so that's gotta be his best win I'd assume. The win over Carnera is hard to gage because Primo is such an unknown, being as which fights of his were on the level and which were not. I tend to think Primo is better than he's given credit for. Max had some other big wins/losses as well. I'd be curious where you guys would rate him in terms of the heavyweights all time? And where would you rank him in terms of his punch and any other strengths or weaknesses. Or just anything of interest about him that you want to bring to the table.
Wildly inconsistent. He lost to men he shouldn't do based on how he looks on his best night. I think after Louis he was the best HW of that era but then I remember the people who proved they could best him and find myself questioning it. He seems like a less polished version of Liston when on form. When not he is like a less polished version of Arreola.
Thanks, good points I tend to agree when he was on he's pretty formidable looking!! I'd of loved to see him at his best vs Marciano that'd be a slugfest!!!
He was a tremendous natural talent, who was ruined by his inconsistent work ethic, and the daemons that he carried after the death of Frankie Campbell. For all of this he might have been the best heavyweight of the era, outside of Louis himself.
Overrated like hell. Usually compared with foreman in style, but the truth is that they should not be even in the same phrase, forman was better in everything.baer did punch like a re****ed, he was a clown, savage open blows( much more open than foreman),he was dirty( punched with the reverse of the glove).one handed puncher actually
In a power punchers list should be inside the top 3 (no matter the order), but was easy to hit and doesn't make an atg list Imo.
Max was a head case for sure and did not properly apply himself as he should have,...probably because of that Campbell fatality. I give him more of the benefit of a doubt than do most other posters (after all, he DID destroy Max Schmeling). I feel that with his size, chin, and that incredible power that he had in that right hand....I dunno, here goes,....that if you transported him to another time and place, with a trainer like Manny Steward, Roach, or a genius like Eddie Futch,...and Max was taught some, er uh, "refinements to his technique", that he would have been...could have been...a much more formidable fighter, but that would have also been contingent on him being less of a "head case".
Devastating right hand, great chin and durability. He had the foundation of a great fighter but not the discipline to learn his craft.
I noticed while he was pummeling Schmeling he did rake him with the back hand of the glove, he's a very rough guy in the ring for sure but I don't honestly think he was like the malicious type who is intentionally trying to hurt someone or foulthem.. I think he was just a rough dude and that was how how he fought similar to Foreman always pushing his opponents around the ring, it's like they needed to assert their strengths and dominance. Now yes pushing and intentionally fouling are clearly two different things, but Max while very rough I don't think he was nasty to the point of countless intentional fouls. I also agree he's a little more primitive then Foreman. I can't get over that deadly right hand though.
Top three all time puncher? Can't agree with that. Baer only had that overhand right. No left. Dempsey Louis Marciano Liston Foreman Lewis All carried greater power than Baer.
We will have to wait for his answer but I'll guess Foreman is #1, being as he ranked Baer #3 I'm curious who 2 is. Those are some stout punchers on your list as well.