Compared to Sonny Liston. https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/rare-books/marciano-rocky-baer-max/photograph-inscribed/71331.aspx https://ibb.co/bN3m1MZ So who would win in their primes between Liston and Max Baer?
Baer was 6'3", Sonny was 6'1", this should come as no surprise.......... Though i wouldnt call him "enormous" next to Liston, he would be notably taller. Baer also had airplane-width shoulders, so that helps him look larger
Seems like Max grew in retirement.. I never realised the size factor with these two. Sonny has no real physical advantage here. I think it could even things up...
I am not so sure. Baer is so much better than Cleveland Williams, who some feel had his moments with Sonny. It was a fast right hand Max had too. Big man. Fast. Looks like the wrong kind of opponent for Sonny the more I think about it..
Liston would always have the stylistic edge here. Yes Baer was a tremendous physical specimen, just look at him next to anybody, except Primo Carnera!
The more I watch Baer the less impressed I am. He was a physical specimen for sure but we all know that doesn't win fights. He only looked good against Schmeling but fouled the crap out of him in the process. I dont think he would be able to repeat that feat for what it's worth. Sonny is too fundamentally sound for Baer. I think he gives him a worse beating than Louis.
Liston isnt even as good or fundamentally sound as Louis, yet he beats him worse than Louis, who was fighting Baer when Baer had a broken right hand and sprained left wrist?
Yeah, it was only really Louis on his best night who really did that to max. You make a great point. Liston was a more complete boxer but I can’t help thinking Sonny is vulnerable to right hands. Baer had a great chin.
Would be a great fight to watch but Liston would bang Baer out at some stage I’m sure. No doubt he’d know he’d been in a fight though! Pretty easy fight to picture I think.
Baer was a big man, since he was legitimately 6'2.5" and had a huge shoulders while Liston was 6'0", but often over listed at 6'1". A match between the two could go either way.