.... vs: Max Baer Max Schmeling Jack Sharkey Primo Carnera Jim Braddock Plus any other contenders you cam think of who'd make interestiny fights. How does Oleksanddr Usyk do?
He'd definitely lose some fights here, it's a brutal schedule. I'd bet on Schmeling and Baer to do the trick, but Sharkey could be also dangerous. Braddock and Carnera were a bit too limited in my opinion, although they are not without any chance.
All those rights hands Usyk was walking into against Bellew would get him put out on his back against Sharkey, Baer, Braddock, and Schmeling. Against Carnera Usyk would need to be carefully not to walk into anything, since Carnera flattened Jack Gross, who was Usyk’s size and also a talented southpaw. All that said to be fair I still need to see Usyk against top competition at heavyweight to give him a fair assessment against these guys, since if Usyk goes on to clean out the heavyweight division obviously my answers would change.
He would have everything that he needed to be highly successful. With the right management, only the best of the era, would be a threat to him.
I would favour him over all of them. Braddock was too ordinary, Sharkey was good but too inconsistent, Baer has a punchers chance, Carnera is too crude. Schmeling-Usyk could go either way. Max has the best chance here with his quality counter punching.
I'd pick Usyk with confidence over all of them. Actually, I'd pick him to beat everyone before Louis. I love these guys, and find them all underrated at times, but Usyk is a clear level above them. Usyk figures Sharkey's unorthodox, athleticism-based style out and out-boxes and works him for the rest of the fight. Baer gets the Głowacki treatment. He's way too slow and crude for Usyk's sharp counters. Schmeling has the best chance as he can potentially walk Usyk onto counters, but I think Usyk refuses to come forward and instead starts countering Schmeling. Usyk is the smarter fighter. Carnera's sheer length could theoretically give Usyk slight problems, but if the version who tortured Huck shows up then it's curtains. The pressure which Usyk applied than the speed he did so with was awesome, and Usyk certainly has the power to KO Preem. Also, Usyk has like 11 losses in over 300 amateur fights, and like 100 of them are at world level. I highly doubt the schedule gets to him that much. Actually, Usyk's top five opponents vs these guys would be more interesting. I'd pick Briedis, Gassiev and Glowacki over Schmeling, Baer and Braddock respectively. Maybe even Hunter over Preem too.
Good stuff, I always enjoy your posts and analysis. In case I have not told you, your knowledge and understanding has grown a lot over the past year or so.
It seems that you're really high on that CW division (which is reasonable). I don't agree with all of your points (I don't think Usyk is smarter than Schmeling for example, or that Baer has no chance) but it's not unreasonable to be that high on Usyk. He's a real talent.