I'll start by saying very good. It's a strange fight because for me it's Baer's best performance yet he still goes to sleep at least five times in the bout. He exhibited a nice cross-armed defence and fought in measured spurts. When the ending came Schmeling got one of the worst shell-lackings ever. Schmeling has his moments also but the physical strength and durability cards see Baer through.
Yeah, very good. Schmeling is rated and to be respected and probably edges onto most all-time type lists. Baer too, and this win is one of the main reasons. I'd say it's as good a scalp as Norton, say.
Schmeling claims he was ill for the fight ... it is still a huge upset to me as I view Baer, personality aside, as very limited ... it does show that Schmeling himself was pretty inconsistent ...
Hell, it was V.I.P. at the time... Max Schmeling was still in the mix and Baer was on a quest... Baer beat the tar outta Schmeling in the end... The ref had to stop it... MR.BILL
I think it's a very quality win..in Schmeling's book, he says that he has never been able to explain the shellacking he got from Baer. Hell, no offense to the Black Uhlan, but I can explain it pretty damned good...an inspired Maxie Baer just beat the hell out of him, that's all. It's what Baer could have gone on to do in so many of his bouts..the ones that he lost..if his head was screwed on tight. Let's put it this way, he wouldn't have lost his crown to Jim Braddock.
Baer is one of the most apathetic boxers ever to become a champion, but in this fight he had special motivation. What was it? Baer was part Jewish, and he wanted to show the world he could beat Schmeling.
I agree. However he would have still lost to Louis, who he fought and lost to in his bout after Braddock. Louis would lose the championship to Schmeling. Perhapps the second Louis/Scjmeling fight would still have played out the way it did. However, as champion Schmeling could have made Louis come to Germany. The result could have been the same. Louis was hellbent for revenge. Than again the second bout might not have happened.
I got my tape rolling.... Baer is crude and wild, yet strong as an Ox.... Schmeling the more seasoned pro with skill, but not strong enough to wade in and take control... Schmeling is 189 and Baer is 203... MR.BILL
That was just Baer at his best, it isn´t as if it was a domination. It was about even before Baer stopped him and Schmeling had Baer nearly out himself, according to Baer. A win over Schmeling is always a very good one and I wouldn´t pick too many to beat him. Baer did it. Rematch might have looked different.
Like everyone else said a very good win over a top quality opponent who usually dismantled less skilled opponents. This fight was the extremely rare instance were Baer was motivated and wanted to fight, if he fought like this during his whole career who knows how highly we would regard him.
