Let's say that the right thing was done, and James J Braddock gave Max Schmeling a crack at the heavyweight title after his amazing upset victory over Joe Louis...and Max beats James J and takes the crown to the Fuhrer in Nazi Germany. Do you think that Max Baer would see this as an opportunity to travel to Germany to repeat his 1933 ko of Schmeling and regain the crown in the process? Just think of the gigantic drama here...Maxie Baer, with a Star of David on his trunks,....in the most hostile environment that a boxer has ever had to endure, but motivated by his own crusading zeal to "stick it to" both Schmeling, Hitler and the entire evil empire of the Third Reich on behalf of the persecuted and suffering Jews of Germany. How do you see this scenario playing out?
I dont think the Nazi would allow Der Max to lose over there especially to a guy with the star on his trunks
The Hitler government wouldn't let Baer go over there and fight with the Star of David on his trunks. That's some Hollywood BS, man.
Schmeling would probably have made the fight in America to be honest. He was a business man first and foremost.
A couple of months before Louis defeated Braddock, Baer lost to Tommy Farr - which sort of propelled Farr into a title fight with Louis. Before that, Baer was sort of feasting on nobodies out in the American west. I don't know how much Baer had left at that point. Can you imagine if Baer went to Germany with the Star of David on his trunks to challenge Max Schmeling for the title and Schmeling beat him? Schmeling would've knocked out Joe Louis, won the title from Braddock, and avenged his loss to Baer. And he'd have become the FIRST two-time World Heavyweight Champion. He probably would've called it a day right then. And there never would've been a Louis-Schmeling rematch. There wouldn't have been a need for one. Max Schmeling wouldn't have had anything to prove. He'd have retired with seven losses instead of 10. He'd have had wins over six of the seven guys who beat him - Sharkey, Baer, Hamas, Daniels, Diekman and Taylor. (Unless he decided to defend against an aged Larry Gains to wipe his loss-slate totally clean.) And Max Schmeling would probably rated a lot higher all-time. Braddock choosing Louis really changed the landscape historically.
I often wonder why a rematch between Schmeling and Baer wasn't arranged at any time between 1936 and 1937...whatever the location.
It would have been too scandalous...almost unheard of to allow a fight with a suspected Jew (half Jewish, ...maybe, that is)like Baer....topped off with a Star of David emblazoned on his trunks.. The Fuhrer and Goebbels may allowed the fight to take place, but not in the confines of the 3rd Reich.
