Let's use our imagination here,if you could use Baer's attributes and relate them to the modern style of boxing what type of fighter would he be in today's terms
I don't think he would have ended up a lot different to be honest. Various attempts were made in his own era to refine him, and he didn't have the self discipline to submit to it.
Somewhere on line there is a video of Max demonstrating fairly sophisticated boxing techniques (slipping and countering jabs and such) that he never used in his filmed bouts. I tend to do agree with your assessment. He played by his own rules and fought with his own style once in the ring.
Greetings AF; I'm the 'eras' guy here and no one wants to 'modernize' any previous fighter as none of the Klit 'nuthuggers' want to position them back to the 20's for example. There is a BIG difference when you try to set up a fantasy match but it seems like so few (or none) seem to realize that. :?
Baer had a savage right hand and an Iron Chin. Not sure who he would compare to today. I would say with modern nutrition/training/PED's he would probably be 230 pounds of muscle. Baer was a big guy for his time.
If he could take it serious he could be a Great fighter, for today he had ample size and power, a little muscle work supplements would not hurt him and he had a great set of whiskers. Problem would be keeping him focused. He would be a great guy Today...maybe a few tony Robbins or Joel Osteen books etc. may help him achieve more and be the best he could be.
One word.....JAB. Max would need to develop a good jab to compliment and set up his potent right hand. With his 80" reach a good consistent jab would do him a world of good. Also a little combination punching would help as well. Imagine Max throwing a double jab followed by a right hand and left hook Ala Joe Louis? He had the power, chin and durability but not the skillset to be competitive in the later decades. Give him the necessary skills and he would be a force to be reckoned with.
You nailed it Rico!!! Today: modern nutrition/training/PED's Days gone by: none of that Let's give the by-gone guys a pass as they didn't have the modern era advantages. Let's realize that the modern guys wouldn't have had their physical attributes a half a century (or more) ago. Every champion in every era is a true champion! They were able to accomplish their legacy within their era and with said contraints. And, by the way, Ray Robinson is still the greatest fighter of all-time!
No j, Harry Greb went up the ladder in weight classes , spotted more weight than Robby did, fought more fights against MORE HOF's, avoided NO ONE of colour, style, size, nor weight, and did this for the last few years with but ONE eye, knowing full well that a blow to his remaining eye, might make him virtually BLIND and helpless in front of thousands of fans and officials...Think of the courage this required that the Iron City Express had ? Robinson who I saw in his glorious prime had to be the best all around fighter ever, along with Joe Gans and Benny Leonard, but even these immortals never met and whipped bigger Hall of Fame fighters time and again as Greb did...What say U ?