Jack Dempsey says Max Baer was possibly the GOAT

I never saw Louis stunned even for a second. I also do not consider Baer an elite fighter .. a high ranked fighter for the time but he was closer to a wild amateur than a polished pro ... he won his fights through superior size ( for the time ) and power ... his style was made for sharp, hard puncher with speed ..

 

The best punch Max Baer landed on Joe Louis was just before the bell ended the first (or was it second?) round. A massive shot, Baer's classic overhand wallop, but it obviously didn't hit Louis in the right spot. It knocked him back and bounced him off the ropes though. And then the bell went.

 

none of the baer footage i've seen indicates elite skills. however, he obvious power, stamina and chin. it takes you damn far...imagine shavers with the ability to fight 15 rounds and take a punch?

 

Max Baers failure to fulfill his potential was not just down to his poor work ethic. The death of Frankie Campbell ruined him as a fighter. Prior to that he was realy nasty and prety consistent, although he had a tendency to get frustrated and loose by DQ.

It is after the Campbell fight that he becomes inconsistant and the clowning starts. After this he starts to loose to fighters he ought to be able to demolish. He kind of gets his act back together, and puts toggether a winning streak that ends in him holding the title, despite his still verry real issues. After this Dempsey and others, think/hope that he has finaly turned the corner.

The rest is history. He looses his title to Braddock and has other setbacks. Eventualy he realises that the clock is ticking and gets his act together. He enjoys a series of wins over top contenders, and looks set to challenge Joe Louis for the title. Ultimately he is old too soon and wise too late, and Lou Nova retires him.

 

i'll take a look at whatever earlier, baer material is readily available. everything i've seen is from around the carnera fight and after and he doesn't look like much

 

Baer did have some interesting skills. He became prety good at countering the jab for example, which is a key reason why he beat Carnera.

I think he looks most impresive on film late in his career, when he knows that the clock is ticking e.g Pat Comitskey fight.

In some ways the most impresive thing about Baer, is the fact that he was so naturaly talented, that he could act like a goofball against world class opponents and still somehow get away with it!

 

Jack Dempsey is wrong because Joe Louis beat the **** out of Max Baer, regardless if Max killed or had poor work ethic.

 

I think Dempsey said it about a year before Joe Louis even turned pro.

 

Regardless, I think there are too many other great heavyweights in history that were better then Max Baer to make him "possibly" the GOAT.

 

At that stage, he has just won the title, beaten the best two fighters in the world (Schmeling and Carnera), and would presumably kill Braddock if some sicko sanctioned the fight.

The competition is Sullivan, Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey.

Would it be unthinkable at that stage that you might be seing the start of something big?

 

Perhaps you are being a bit hard on Dempsey over what might have been a throwaway statement, for the cameras, in the heat of the moment, cynicaly motivated by promotion considerations.

And at the end of it all, what is your point?

 

he could potentially be seen as a potential GOAT at that time in history, in the same way people spoke of Tyson as being the next coming when he was 21.

With hindsight, Tyson is nowhere near the GOAT, but it certainly felt like he was going there in 1982.

 

A lot of them are, but there is usualy a grain of truth behind the worst of them.

While you should not agree with this comment, you should absolutely try to understand why Dempsey said it.

If it does not change your opinion, then it will at least give you some fascinating insights into the era!