Boxing's great double standards

Speaking of that, I just stumbled across a clip of Max's 1939 comeback from Louis II, a one round knockout win of his own for the EBU heavyweight title over defending champion Adolf Heuser, one of the first matches ever televised. (I've been looking for this one a long time, and wasn't even sure it existed.)

The one minute clip of Schmeling-Heuser (including slow motion replay) runs from 4:17-5:17.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paJrr7B6wyk[/ame]

 

I confess that I didnt even know that existed.

Heuser actualy died after the knockout but mediucs were able to bring him round.

This fight is the strongest argument for those who argue that Schgmeling still had a lot left when Louis beat him.

 

Coming from a poster of your stature, that makes this one of my better contributions on ESB Classic. That it was broadcast on state run television before 70,000 fans in attendance also suggests that Max was not as widely discredited a figure in German sport and society following the aftermath of the Louis rematch as one might suppose.

Now that, I didn't know, but I'd imagine that was directly related to the aforementioned deflection onto his jugular vein. Yet, Heuser was back in action the very next month, winning by knockout. (Imagine that quick a return from such a knockout loss being allowed to happen today!)

It's certainly a testament to Max's true greatness that he could rebound from such a devastating and injurious loss at that age to remain a top competitor among the likes of top German rivals like Heuser and Neusel. Unlike many domestic contemporaries, Max was removed from sustained ring activity by the wartime draft. If he had been allowed to continue boxing, I think he would have emerged from WW II with both his IBU and German BDB HW Titles intact.

Heuser and Neusel each added over a dozen bouts to their records during WW II, winning some and losing some. Competing domestically, I believe Max still could have posted a wartime record like 12-0 or 15-0, even against the credible German and European opposition of the day. (Max's vacated IBU HW crown was briefly usurped by 5-2-1 Olle Tandberg in a box off with former titleholder Karel Sys in 1943. Tandberg promptly lost it in an immediate rematch with Sys. As much as I respect Sys and the tremendous career he had, I can't see him beating an active Schmeling for that European championship, even in '43, '44 or '45. Max had a punch and style well suited for an extended career.)

 

Good read and I totally agree with you. Tunney was an amazing fighter. He was nver stopped and his only loss was to Greb... like you said, he beat Greb several times.

Holyfield and Tyson were both past prime. Prime vs. Prime I think Holyfield would have done about the same.