Jess Willard vs. Buddy Baer

Then we have a gentleman's disagreement, Seamus. That's all fine and good. We've said our pieces. Let's see what else we can contribute to. Other posters can evaluate this for themselves, and conclude accordingly.

 

Willard looks quite good in the available footage against Johnson. He’s quite calm during Jack’s attack, sees all punches coming, and ties up when he needs to. He also clearly had a game plan to drown Jack late and appears to turn up the pressure as the fight goes on. Plus the Knock out punch is a peach - great step in with perfect leverage.
Off the Johnson fight I would pick Willard.

 

Both giants for their time and both could punch. Baer had the advantage of fighting a longer list of good fighters while Willard showed he could go in long distance fights that were no longer scheduled by Baer’s era. Neither man ever beat a fighter of his own size but Baer at least fought men who were “ closer “ to his size than Willard did. Interesting fight. I’m leaning towards Baer to take this one but when you have two very big men with a lot of power and not much mobility anything can happen

 

Buddy beat Abe Simon while being outweighed 6 lbs

 

True

 

I don't know much about Buddy other than he was very big, was supposed to be a very good puncher in his own right , his two Louis fights on film and that he also beat up a fading Galento. In addition in the famous clips he was another charismatic Baer similar to his big brother Max. What I can say about Willard is based on a ton of studying as much as I could get my hands on over the years including Pollack's exceptional Johnson and Dempsey books and Tracy Callis' terrific , detailed read on Willard and of course the films. My take on Willard is that he was one of the most potentially physically gifted , a giant who was tough as nails and a terrific athlete in very brutal sports like bronco busting and had the least training and experience of almost any heavyweight champion. The man didn't lace on a pair of gloves til he was 28 years old ... his who story is much deeper than how too many write him off ... more to come ..

 

And he did more than beat him. He came back from the brink of being KO'd to do it if memory serves.

Buddy was a huge dude who could actually box a bit and hit like a mule kicks.

 

Willard would give Joseph Parker a tough fight

 

Agree. Although to be fair Abe was a 16 fight novice while Baer was a seasoned contender

 

I would be inclined to go with Willard, while acknowledging his manifest limitations.

What is Buddy Baer remembered for?

Giving Joe Louis a difficult fight in a losing effort?

Beating Abe Simon and Tony Galento, which is solid enough, but just makes him a very good contender.

Yes I think that he might have been much more, if the war had not cut his career short, but it did, and the rest is history.

Willard was a champion, and very uncontroversialy so in my opinion.

Perhaps give him the benefit of the doubt here?

 

And Lee Savold and Nathan Mann

 

Buddy Baer is remembered for fighting a lot better fighters than Willard had to face. His competition was much more fierce. And he never gave up on his stool....twice.

 

225-plus-pound Jack Johnson at 37 or 38 still was far better than anyone Baer beat. He was lightning fast, very experienced, and had excellent defense. Beating him was no small feat, even if it took 26 rounds to do it.