Baer

It is always a mistake to think that a crude world class fighter has no skills or subtleties.

They adopt a crude style because it works for them, or sometimes because it is the only one that will work for them, due to physical limitations.

That does not mean that they are not going to work tricks into it.

More importantly, it doesn’t mean that they do not understand more complex boxing styles, and know how to find flaws in them.

 

Who was the sparring partner--he's hilarious! Watch this guy pretending like he's trying to jab Baer:

https://streamable.com/4q29

Now watch him pretend like he's trying to defend against Baer's punches:

https://streamable.com/it4j

High comedy! :rofl:rofl

 

Very well put Janitor, and thank-you OldTimer for that, I really enjoyed it.
It amazes me the way people dismiss fighters, even these so called crude individuals have skills and reflexes that would make the head spin.
One of my friends attended a pro hockey skills camp a few years back (this is the off topic part) and some of the 'unskilled' players who were either grinders or goons at the NHL level apparently had some pretty serious skills compared to even a semi pro league player.
Years ago (over 30 now) I boxed as an amateur, and I wasn't very good, in fact, I was awful, but I got to spar a number of very good boxers (amateur) including a number who went on to the Olympics for Canada. A couple of them subsequently turned pro, and their careers didn't pan out too well, but if you actually had a chance to put on gloves and spar with them, you could see their skill level, compared to 99% of the population, was staggering. Just things like footwork and bodyposition, make a huge difference, as does working to your strengths.
Given Max Baer's rather well documented lack of interest in serious training, his skills on displays here are very well represented.
Plus, he clearly hit like a truck.

 

Thank you for posting this. I've never seen it before, and it's amazing footage!

 

:happy:good:thumbsup

 

It's hard to have good discussion with some who doesn't realize that this footage is a demonstration, and not a full contact session.

 

I love the way he crosses his feet and nearly falls over in the first clip,in the second he throws to the body with the back of his glove and his fingers pointing at the canvas,thrown with force that would be a broken wrist.
Are we really supposed to take this seriously? If your impressed by this I suggest you haven't done much boxing. I love Old Maxie but please get real!atsch

 

What physical limitations would you say Baer had to make him adopt his particular style? Maxie's oft repeated trick was the back-handed punch.

 

Agree with all of this.

 

Yes, and how wide he throws the hook with his elbow out like a seagulls wing, it's an arm punch.
Baer was a great puncher with a great chin ,he did not have great skills or even decent ones , and he was never a great fighter, just a great character.

 

Is this seriously supposed to be an argument in favor of Baer? I just can't get my head around this. Do you guys see what you're posting?

He does some nice things against someone who offers little to no opposition, but still has some bad lapses (no guard, no head movement, picking his punches from the waist etc). If this is supposed to be proof of Baer's skills compared to modern world class fighters his size, you're not doing yourself any favors.

Of course Baer had skills. These guys had skills also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfTKH5lhNSg

 

Let me know when you next see someone blocking a left jab by throwing a right uppercut.:good