September 24, 1935: Joe Louis KO Max Baer

Prepare for the 50 page nonsensical Baer debate.

And this is Louis at his best IMO.

 

Just look at those primitive 1930's-era skills. Today's fighters must be really good.

 

Wow, had no clue that Louis was a volume puncher.

I wouldn’t turn off my PlayStation to go watch these guys fight, even if the bout was in my living room.

 

It just showcased what a borderline clubfighter Baer was......stiff as a board, zero head movement, telegraphed punches everybody sees from a mile away, zero defense,dangling fists by the waist, poor foot work, pathetic jab.......Louis simply walked him down and could not miss Baer even if he tried......granite chin my azz, he buckled with any decent shot landed and was bounced around the canvas similar what Foreman did to Frazier......absolute non competitive fight until he said no mas searching for his heart.....

The skill level between Louis and Baer is literally night and day.....the first what I would call modern Heavy with skill....yet Louis standing right in front trading with slow feet fairly straight up would get him murdered against Liston/Foreman/Tyson/Bowe and he aint got the chin to weather the storm..............

 

Louis did not walk him down. Joe boxed side to side looking to hurt Baer THEN attack. Beautiful boxing from Louis.

 

Note the announcers call for this fight. Old timer Humphries....”Although colored”. Followed by another announcer walking back that comment.

We have come a long way.

 

His (Baer’s) skills were considered primitive by the standards of the 1930s. Not fair to disparage all 1930s fighters on that basis.

 

I was trying to be funny.

That's usually the type of reaction I get, now that I think about it.

 

Relative to good boxers, rather than in a literal sense, yeah.

 

Great performance by Joe. He never forgets the body, uses angles, great punch selection...

All that said, he has a compliant opponent with extremely poor skills. Extremely poor. No real jab. He lands squared up after every right hand. A forgiving canvas for Louis to paint a masterpiece.

 

Ah, so you’ve seen zero footage of Baer outside the Louis fight. That’s fine, I’m sure you’re not alone.

I’d suggest expanding your horizons, you might like what you see.

 

I am not rating him. I am making an observation. He was a compliant opponent. He was often far out of position, especially after throwing the right. His idea of a jab was extending his left gingerly to Louis' head and holding it there while he measured his right. He came to life in the first and tried to make it a firefight and was repeatedly countered, battered and turned to the ropes.

I don't see a lot of "there" there with Baer. He's a rock'em sock'em robot with a heavy right hand and fortitude.

 

A fortitude that deserted him in this particular fight.