Matt Skelton vs Buddy Baer

Baer wins probably by late tko.imo

 

Mismatch.

Baer would probably have held a portion of the title at some point if he had lived in Skeltons era.

 

Baer was a far better fighter than Skelton.

 

I would take Buddy Baer, he was the bigger puncher and actually didn't mind slugging it out on the inside despite his height. Skelton's success can be contributed for the most part to his ability to rough up opponents in the clinches. He's the one who will likely get roughed up if he goes at Baer.

It should be noted though that Gunnar Bärlund (see avatar) took the fight to Baer and stopped him on body blows.

 

I think he was a good puncher, though not as powerful as his brother. He got the job done inside the distance in 47 of 51 wins, which is impressive against any kind of opposition.

Buddy took up boxing rather late, I believe only after his brother had won the title, at 18 or 19 years of age. He did not have much experience but was in good hands as far as promoting goes, thus he rarely stepped up in competition until the late 1930's. In his first step up he KO'd the skilled Al Delaney in round 4, a year after a young Joe Louis had KO'd him in the same round. The Jack Doyle bout received some hype, Doyle had won by KO in all 14 of his wins while Baer had only been extended the distance once in 23 wins. It only lasted a single round.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJECujC3TKI[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqqAgFqJllQ[/ame]

6:45

At this point Baer had only fought for a year, but his power was evident.

Several setbacks followed, but Baer made his way into a top ranking by defeating Jack London, the father of Brian London, and by staging a comeback against Abe Simon to stop him in 3 rounds. A potential title shot opportunity was derailed by Gunnar Bärlund, but Baer was back again in 1940 with wins over Lee Savold, Nathan Mann and Tony Galento. He fought Joe Louis for the title twice, flooring him once, only to be floored numerous times himself and retired afterwards. Baer then went into acting.

To sum it up I'd say that he was a hard puncher, who had talent for boxing and size at 6'7, 240+ pounds, but his road to the title shot was made easier by the fact that he was Max Baer's brother. While he did face some top contenders, the majority of his opponents were poor and meant to be beaten. However, despite only taking up boxing after seeing the success his brother had and immediately retiring after losing against the champion, Baer was not a fraud and was a legitimate puncher who was to be taken seriously. His KO's match up well against the other punchers of the era who knocked out common opponents.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNYTX8jLebE[/ame]

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To be fair Skeleton wasn't far off becoming a titlist in his own era

 

The Ring Record Book had him listed at 6'6½.

 

I dont particularly.

He was however a helacious puncher who had size and some decent boxing skills. The kind of fighter who would always do verry well indeed against fighters outside the elite of a division.

 

Skelton crumpled under LeBanner's power, I can't see him holding up to Baer's. Buddy stops him in one of the mid rounds.

 

Do you really think so?

I had him pegged as a comonwealth grade heavyweight, who never quite broke into the top teir of the division allong with Williams and Harrison.