This content is protected 1. Braddock looked pretty good. He was stiff, accurate, and his punches were sufficiently powerful. It was really not an amazing round, but keep in mind last time I watched Braddock was in the Tommy Loughran fight. Watch that and you'll understand. Braddock scored with a few harsh combinations while Baer attempted to do nothing. Braddock. 2. Similar to round 1. Baer was starting to get irritated by Braddock. Braddock. 3. Baer started get a little serious here. Once while in close he landed a decent flurry of body blows, but they didn't take anything from Braddock imo. The round was slower than the previous two. Braddock. 4. Slowest round yet, with Braddock doing very little, but more than Baer, which is enough. Braddock. 5. Baer was throwing and landing a lot more in this frame, but experienced trouble landing clean shots, and Braddock made Baer a useless man when tied up. Braddock. 6. There were a few good, but brief exchanges FINALLY. Braddock. 7. Baer fought with a tad more purpose here, like he was starting to become aware that he was losing the match. Baer landed a good short, straight right hand (not good for Baer, though), that seemed to hurt Braddock momentarily. But that was it, momentarily. Baer was on Braddock instantly, hitting him with a few solid blows, but nothing that had any affect on Braddock. Actually, I don't think that one punch a few other solid blows by Baer was enough to sway this his way. Braddock. 8. Something strangely curious occurred at the beginning, for those who don't have the benefit of hindsight. After getting out of a clinch, Baer throws a right uppercut, but then his knees start to buckle right as Braddock throws a right hand. The clown quickly straightens up and attempts to throw some meaningful shots, but doesn't get any in. Braddock. 9. Braddock. 10. Baer threw a lot, but did no damage. Baer. 11. This one contained a more mixing than was done in most of the fight. Baer 12. Baer turning up the heat, trying desperately to land the right hand. Braddock did take 2 decent right hands, but he fought back well. Baer. 13. Even. 14. It was Braddock, not Baer who landed the best punch of the fight, a right hand. Braddock. 15. Head-to-head, Braddock was tiring out, actually more than Baer, but outscored him. Braddock. 11-3-2 for Braddock. My words to each fighter: Braddock: Highly improved since the Loughran fight, but it was still not a real hot performance, just a disciplined one by a tough fighter with good boxing fundamentals. He did use his head a lot though. Baer: What a pathetic way to lose the title. Verdict: Overhyped, but still a classic, primarily in the proper context of Braddock's story. Personally, I kind of liked it, but it was no action fight. I also got a kick out of Baer's clowning. I thought Baer looked like he was babying his right hand. I've heard he injured his right hand leading up to this one, which sure seems true. Anyone got further info on that?
For many of us, it's more like saw it 20-30 years ago, read two Braddock books since, it isn't very good, won't watch it again type thing.
I've seen it claimed from pretty well informed people, but I've never been able to track it down myself There was info on it on a site that's no longer online. You can find archives of it, but I don't really want to share it as I have no idea if there was a specific reason they took it down (or if they just lost interest in maintaining it). @janitor might have more info
Just a quick reply without re-watching the film again. My impression was that the fight was a lot closer, like within a round or two with Braddock doing just enough to get the decision. But then, I had a similar impression after watching the complete theater version of the Carnera-Baer fight. Except for the knockdown rounds which have been shown over and over again, Primo won his share of the rounds. Of course, scoring the fight on points would be another matter. Back to Braddock-Baer, I've read that Baer's hands were hurt in training. There's a photo of Baer showing his hands to photographers after the fight so you can judge for yourself to a certain extent: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/...tusionnées-news-photo/967648186?adppopup=true .
I think if Baer had been focused like Braddock was, he might have won. I've never seen Baer do so much clowning.
Here's the text of what I was referring to. Like I said I have no idea why the site is no longer online, and if the author see this and wants it deleted, I'll happily comply.
The Max Baer vs James J. Braddock title bout was the very basic classic story, a feared champion has possession of the world's greatest prize, the World Heavyweight Title. And what happens? He loses the title to a hungry fighter whom many considered a bum. He does not train as the hungry challenger does, sound familiar? Sonny Liston must have felt that way in 1964 before the first bout against Muhammad Ali. Sonny did not train as he had for Floyd Patterson in 1962. Mike Tyson must have thought that James Buster Douglas was incapable of beating him, Mike did his training by entertaining the street walkers in Japan, we saw the result of those sessions on Feb 11 1990. Braddock fought his heart out, he had a family to feed and support. This is something that a man has to do for his loved ones, a responsibility. James had to keep the lights on. Braddock to me was the essential Rocky Balboa of the 1930's, which was a bad time for every American, due to the Great Depression that ravaged everyone, soup lines, people living in cars, unemployment at it's highest. Like many talented posters have posted, the title was Max Baer's to lose
Eddie Futch was interviewed in the '80s or '90s about fight plans in a magazine like Boxing World or World Boxing and he said that Braddock's battle plan against Baer was the best plan he ever witnessed. The magazine is somewhere in the basement and it would take a full day of rummaging to find it. I have no recollection of the specifics of the article, but choklab posted his recollection of the article previously as follows: "I read an interview once with Eddie Futch. He was asked what his favourite game plan was. He said it was the one he used for Micheal Spinks on Dwight Qawi and he had learned that from the jimmy Braddock v Max Baer fight. He said fighters like Baer who set everything on landing a right like Max did were very clever and that there was a pattern of moves and traps that went into place before he could pull the trigger. He said one particular trick was max knew a fighter instinctively steps forward when he feels a rope touch his back. He would circle a guy in such a distracting way that he could get a guy step forward from the rope onto a right hand without him knowing -but that Braddock had diffused this by jabbing Baer at just that exact moment to entirely throw the counter. Max could not understand how he couldn't get off with his right. And it was down to Braddock." citation: https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...l-of-jim-braddock.591580/page-6#post-18708980
