[GIF] Max Baer showing skill and reflexes with a triple jab, followed by a sharp combo, and a slip

I'm assuming Louis took what his coach taught him and took it further.

 

For people like us who spend so much time watching world class boxers and great boxers, there's nothing particularly impressive there skill-wise. Because we see so much.

But reznick is responding to constant claims that Baer had "no skill", "no jab", "poor reflexes", "no ring IQ" etc.

If you saw a man like Baer and Farr climb in a ring in front of you at a gym and start doing what you see there in the clip, you'd probably be impressed, you'd probably think "these guys really know what they are doing".

 

I can only go by what my eyes show me.It seems to me that the greats advanced the game.

 

Baer was not a points fighter; he didn't play to the judges. He was a terrifically damaging fighter who held physical advantages over his opponents. But you don't simply fall into 51 KO's in 66 fights, fighting at the level he did, by accident. His skills were not the classic ones we see in boxer types like a Holmes or Bowe. They were the techniques, more in the mold of a Foreman, where he moved guys in position, or in a state, which precipitated the greatest likelihood of a KO. They also were tactics that often went over the line of the rules. He had game-saving power and fairly rock hard chin, and he banked on both. Trying to amplify his boxer-type abilities is a bit wrong-headed and a bit of a disservice to ring intelligence and skillset (as unpretty as they were) he used to get his opponents out of there.

 

Your analysis is broadly correct, but obviously he had a few subtle tricks mixed in there, as is the case for literally every fighter who got to that level.

 

Is there any evidence that boxers fought like Louis in Blackburn's era?

 

I am certain that Louis didn't know anything about boxing, that was unknown to Blackburn.

Louis's style is a bit more old fashioned than that of somebody like Lee Ramage to be honest.

Blackburn was as good as you got for his era technically, but he was still of his era.

 

You would be on fairly safe grounds saying that Joe Gans was as good as Louis technically.

 

Some non truths just get repeated until people believe them:

Joe Louis had slow feet!

Max Baer didn't know how to throw a jab!

Insert fighter didn't have any sort of skills!

If in doubt, go back to the available footage!

 

That’s a bit rich coming from you. You seem to be allergic to watching footage—even when you’ve specifically requested it!

Louis most certainly did have “slow feet” as the term is universally understood in Boxing circles and there is ample footage demonstrating that!