I'm trying to get an idea of where both guys size up h2h, particularly at their respective peaks...I'm sure there's some copy written but interested to get Classic's take. How significant was their rematch? (Hill was still an active fighter, and Maske came back after 10+ years off to win clearly...heimkochen notwithstanding - even if you're to say Hill was shopworn, that should have been counterbalanced by ring rust and they're equally old). Had they fought four more times right away throughout 96/97, who would have taken the best of five? Why did Maske retire? Why didn't Maske venture out to match up with many of the other available names at the time? (other than Hill, only Barkley and Rocchigiani stick out and they both came to him) What is it about Hill's style that caused such wide swings on the scorecards? (after the SD win over Maske, he lost to Tiger by 8, 5, and 3 points respectively)
Outside of Germany, not much. Whoever the judges felt like giving the fights to after coming out of their comas. To go into business, I believe. There was talk of him fighting Roy Jones in his last fight, as Roy's debut at LHW, in Germany. Maske knew this was going to be his last fight and was looking for one last big payday to cash out on. Roy turned it down, eventually fought McCallum as his debut, and Hill took the opportunity to fight Maske that Roy had turned down. Against Tiger, he was sometimes busier, but Tiger landed the cleaner, much harder punches.
Maske was a phenom, very hard to beat as he dictated the action with his physicality, quickness and length. Scintillating.
Maske didn't win the '07 rematch cleanly....... Aside from the cut, I thought Hill out-pointed Maske by a few rds......... The decision was home cooking for Makse.... MR.BILL
Maske wasn't spectacular, but he was pretty good, and awkward. He was a tall LH, and would have given trouble to a lot of fighters. He had a pretty good skill set, but wasn't much of a puncher. I would say he was a good second tier LH.
I should point out that Tiger punished him badly, and IMO won by a sizable margin. I would say he won at least 8, if not 9 rounds, and Hill also had a point deducted if I remember correctly.
