Benny Leonard calls Primo Carnera's defense "Marvelous"

Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan)
20 Jun 1934, Wed
Page 17, Column 3

Pictures Show - - - Well, Primo Can Take It

By Tod Rockwell

After viewing the Baer-Carnera fight motion pictures, now showing currently at the State Theater, it is apparent that

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It is also apparent that if someone who knew as much about Benny Leonard could take the Primo to some undisturbed rendezvous and teach him how to bow, the former champion might yet remain in the running. For certainly he can absorb punishment.

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It has been said that Baer’s left hand punch is as good as his right. The pictures do not bear this out. max Baer won the heavyweight championship with his right hand. It was a right hand smash to the left side of Carnera’s jaw in the first round that started Carnera on the downward path. It was another right hand smash in the eleventh, followed by a series or them, that caused Carnera to mumble that he was through.
Even as Primo was talking to the referee, seeking to indicate that he could go no further, another of Baer’s right hand swings landed flush on his jaw.
Carnera’s biggest asset obviously was his superb condition. He was in tip top shape to absorb the beating he did.

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Seldom in pictures, whether the Hollywood kind or from ringside at a big fight, will a standout punch be as pictorially perfect as the first right hand smack that sent Carnera to the canvas in the first round.
Carnera was boring in pumping both arms in front of him in the manner of all fighters and Baer was cautiously backing away. But in the center of the ring, Max stopped suddenly and lunged forward.

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The slower pictures reveal that every ounce of Baer’s 210 pounds was behind the punch. The shock of it depicted clearly on Carnera’s face. But Carnera got up without a count.
There were several other such rights in the second and last two rounds. But none carried the sting of that first punch.

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Primo's defense is most ordinary, lets be honest. His size and reach can only help him so much when the level of competition rises. His awkwardness and size is somewhat of an asset against the lesser pugs but his basics let him down badly against the likes of Baer, certainly no great technician himself.

 

This is a nice find, but regarding Primo Carneras prowess as a boxer I shall prefer what I can see with my own eyes on film and the ringside opinions of champion fighters like Schmeling, Jeffries, Leonard, Sharkey, Baer, and Larry Gains to the views of a man called "Tod".

 

There was no shame in being knocked out by Baer. If Primo really was exposed in that fight he never would have regrouped against Walter Neusel or fared better against Joe Louis than Max Baer did.

 

That's your prerogative, as it might be that of Carnera's peers to be polite, when asked to comment on a fellow contemporary.

I have eyes too, which is why I tend to agree with the journalist in this case, in respect to how easy it was for Baer to manipulate and land on Carnera.

I don't care too much to judge a man's wits by his name (or, in this case, his nickname).

 

I never said there was any shame in it, nor that Carnera was exposed. Via Joe's own testimony i really don' t think Primo fared very well at all. This was a pre peak Louis and he was still a long long way above Max and Primo.

 

Joe Louis was a long way above everybody. It's like Foreman knocking out Norton and Frazier. Being outclassed by Foreman didn't stop Frazier giving Ali life and death or norton taking Holmes to the wire. Likewise with Primo and Baer, theyre not awful just because Louis knocked them out.

 

But not Joe Louis who actually fought him? Curious that.lol

 

Louis was just 20 years old!

 

Carnera didn't win a round against Louis ,get real!

 

The journalist at least noticed Primo had supreme ability to absorb punishment which folklore has managed to erase from what the film shows. Though he made no reference to Primos broken ankle that there are photos of, he's purely an observer of the film. He was not there. But other than that he proved to be no more qualified than any of us watching the same film. It's easy to lambaste the worst possible losing fight of any fighters career. How good does Roberto Duran look against Thomas Hearns or Roy Jones against Tarver?

Like I said before I prefer testimonials from champion fighters who fought him or watched him live.

 

So how do you explain the Walter Neusel result? That was a solid win.

 

He sure didn't seem a long way above Schmeling at this stage no? Louis got stopped by Max 12 months or less after pumping Primo and Baer. He wasn't yet peak.

You brought Louis up but are now all defensive about him. Who said they were awful because Louis pole axed them?

Mind you what did Baer and Primo do after being knocked out by Louis that is comparable to Frazier and Nortons efforts vs Ali?

 

What on earth has that got to do with anything i posted? Where are you even coming from?

 

Who's lambasting? It's straightforward observation and one, in this journalist's case, probably benefiting from reviewing the film and slow motion replays. The thread is about Benny Leonard's viewpoint on Carnera, prior to the Baer fight - so there should be no surprise that this is the fight being discussed.

Not a huge number of journalists were making reference to Carnera's ankle. For those that did it was, in the main, a footnote, referred to variably as a break, a sprain - even a dislocation (allegedly Primo's own description, given in a message back to his folks in Italy, no less).

I have not in any way implied that I consider the journalist to be "more qualified" than anyone else. I have said I happen to agree with his observations. If you want to align yourself with other viewpoints that's fine but what happened happened and there's no getting away from it.