Baer

The radio play-by-play broadcast of Louis-Baer is like listening to a highly-entertaining horror story. Sounds even more brutal than it looks on film (fight starts around 13:00 in)

https://vimeo.com/90165319

 

In Baer’s case none, but wouldn’t it be fair to say that Rocky Marciano had no choice but to be a swarmer, for example?

 

Yes it would and the same goes for Tua though he is regularly called one dimensional and crude whereas Rocky is called "deceptively clever and hard to hit"!

 

I think it is a fair statment in both cases.

Marciano probably did as much as he could with his particular style, and I don't think that Tua did.

 

Well said

 

:good

 

At the end of the day, a fighter cannot be successful for no reason.

If they are successful, then you have to account for it somehow.

 

The figure in sculpture is seen in context of its relief. Thus, you are viewing Marciano's figure of work in context of the wonky old lightheavies and doughy 200 pounders he beat. Tua had to go up against physical monsters. We've tread this ground before but it is always worth reiterating... as it will continue to be true.

 

Very weak era, an explanation that was voiced by pretty much every contemporary writer.

 

Schmeling was a standout and prime Baer destroyed him. Baers main issue was lack of discipline. If he had taken the game seriously he had all the physical qualities plus a great chin to be an ATG. It was said that his bout with Campbell where he killed his opponent changed him as a fighter.

 

That "standout" had 5 set-backs in a row, if one considers former welterweight Walker was supposed to be easy victim for Schmeling.

 

Janitor seems to regard the fact that most of Tua's top opponents were fit, prime, agile 6'2+/230+ men who could jab on the move or throw fast, hard combinations as almost entirely immaterial. Rankings are rankings, regardless of the era or the fighters.

 

Schmeling caused a sensation when he came to fight in the US. From that time until he lost to Louis in 38 he was one of the leading hwt contenders if not hwt champion. A true standout not only in ability but in terms of his career.

 

Most felt Schmeling beat Sharkey in both of his second bouts with both Sharkey and Uzcudun.

Max's record in his last 20 or so bouts going into his second bout with Louis was something like 17-3-1. That draw was against Uzcudun where the ref was good friends with the Basque and most felt Max won going away. One of those three losses was against Sharkey where most everyone had it decidedly for Schmeling.

Anyway Max was a TOP NOTCH hwt champion or hwt contender for over a decade. Great tactical fighter with an excellent and powerful right hand. During his time he was one of the most powerful punchers in the world.

 

Sometimes what people label skill, or what they look for in the representation of skill, is mere technique. And technique can be great and can be a wonderful thing to fall back on when things aren't going your way. But boxing is primarily about physicality, about enforcing strength, power and speed... and having the greater initiative to do this. It's often about being first, continuing to be first and shipping the greater damage during the interim. Really basic, primal stuff.

To simplify it, skill is great but if you have b@lls, instinct and brute physicality it can sure make up for a lot... especially in the heavyweight division. I think that is the end of the spectrum where we find Baer.