Max Baer hit harder than...

The only one I know of is Tommy Farr, who originally said Louis hit harder but changed his mind after losing his rematch with Baer in 1938. Carnera and Levinsky both said Louis hit harder.

 

Def not a strong era…how can anyone say it’s a strong era when the men of today simply do not fight each other. Yes lots of big roided up guys. How do we know they’re any good? The top roided up guy (Fury) has faced less ranked men than Ali has faced in a year. It’s a pathetic era the last twenty years.

 

We are not talking about which top ten is stronger, we are discussing whether the best from the 30s would crack today's top ten.

You are clearly skeptical that they would.

While today's top ten is very good, there is weakness in it.

It is very strong down to #3, then the quality drops off sharply.

Guys like Whyte and Parker would be very beatable in any era, though they are by no means weak fighters to be holding those rankings.

Towards the bottom things get a bit confusing, because the slots are held by up and coming fighters, who might be world beaters, but clearly are not yet.

Even so the bottom two have clearly beaten nobody at world level yet, so it would be difficult to argue that the best men from the 30s, could not theoretically replicate their rankings.

 

When I say it is a strong era, I mean the talent is there, if the spirit is willing.

 

Thanks Solomon. I might try chase up some more testimonials, hopefully ones that also make relative comparisons.

I recall reading Braddock (common opponent to Louis/Baer) touting Joe by far as the hardest puncher he had ever faced with the vivid qualification that being hit by Louis’ jab was like having a light bulb smashed and broken into your face.

Actually, as I typed I found an article that includes Braddock’s quoted words re Louis’ power - along with some other high profile opinions re Louis’ power - including that of Eddie Futch. Interesting.

[url]https://coxscorner.tripod.com/louis.html[/url]

 

How can you know that?

 

I obviously can't!

We can never "know" anything for sure in these kinds of discussions. We put forward opinions, based on what we know about the subject - opinions that can never be proven to be factual. Like when you claim Fitz would ko both Monzon and McCallum... something which you honestly feel would be likely outcomes if these fights took place in real life, but where we will obviously never know the "truth".

 

Well, you said "surely", so I assumed you are sure about it. I'm glad you are aware that hypotheticals are just hypotheticals, I think most people should do that here. I would never say that Fitz would KO Monzon for sure.

 

"surely" is just an expression - meaning something like "it's my firm belief" or "I find it highly likely". Nothing we discuss here on Classic, least of all when it comes to the Old vs New debate, can be known with absolute certainty.

 

I guess when we're talking about testimony from opponents we should probably put an asterisk against the ones who were speaking immediately after their defeat. When a man's just beaten you to a pulp it's bound to be his power that looms largest in your memory.

 

Interesting that you mention that.

I recall Tillis being interviewed straight after his fight with Shavers.

Tillis said that Ali had told him previously that Shavers was the hardest puncher (preordained) that he (Ali) had ever faced -

Tillis, who was KD’d by Earnie, then went on to say that Shavers was the hardest puncher that he (Tillis) had ever faced.

While crediting Shavers’ power of punch, Tillis seemed to be also touting himself for having survived it.

We often try to formulate sophisticated criteria to determine “true” one punch power (removing speed, technique, timing, vital targeted areas etc. from the equation).

However, I don’t think the recipients of the punches necessarily run with the same hypothetical criteria - if it hits you, hurts you and/or stuns you, it’s a hard punch.

And if someone is dealing out those types of punches to you for the better part of a fight, then it would be fair in its own way to say that’s the hardest you’ve ever been hit.

And the memory of one’s most recent experience against a power puncher can definitely influence the assessment - as you suggested.

Shavers was of course a huge puncher at any rate but Earnie was also the last power hitter Ali faced - and an older, worn, torn and more hittable Ali himself might’ve felt the punches that much more at that stage of his career also.