Max Schmeling is overrated and/or his resume is dependent on the Louis win

Agreed, if his surname was Nelling, I’d say Nelling, Schmeling

 

His resume is dependent on the Louis win? Duh. In other news, dog bites man.

All the fighters you named are good fighters. Schmeling himself started out at LHW, so it doesn't much matter some of the guys he beat were on the lighter side. As for Sharkey, the title "win" was a disgrace, but most feel that Schmeling won the second and "wuz robbed," so it evens out.

Naw, Schmeling's fine.

 

I don't agree at all.

The elephant in the room regarding Schmeling's resume, which time has obscured somewhat, is that he beat everybody at their absolute summit, and was often the only person to knock them out.

Johnny Risko, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him.

Paulino Uzcdun, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him.

Jack Sharkey, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him, albeit by DQ.

Young Stribling, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him.

Mickey Walker, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him.

Walter Neusel, his absolute peak is when Schmeling beats him.

Steve Hamas, his absolute peak is when Schmeling avenges his defeat against him.

The consistent pattern is that he takes on the most dangerous contenders available, and beats them in their now or never moment.

His decision to challenge Louis merely follows this pattern.

 

Schmeling was either heavyweight champion or a top heavyweight contender for a decade 1929-1938. He was an excellent technical fighter with one of boxings best right hands.

 

lolz

 

This. Well deliniated @janitor.

 

It’s true that the Louis win is the cornerstone of Schmeling’s legacy. But I wouldn’t say that he’s overrated or that it’s the only thing he has. Max was a heavyweight champion of the world before Joe Louis came around and in fact beat three other hall of fame inductees and a handful of contenders. That’s enough to be in the HOF without the Louis win.
On a side note: Schmeling was lined up to challenge for Braddock’s title. But Braddock’s people struck a deal with Louis’s management promising Braddock a percentage of Joe’s future earnings. Schmeling got screwed out of a title shot and one that he quite possibly may have won.

 

Schmeling was all set to fight Braddock. Tickets and posters for the bout were printed.

 

Even if his resume was dependent on one name (maybe it is, maybe it isn't) that's enough to get him pretty far in a historically weak division like heavyweight.

 

Schmeling is underrated if anything, a solid resume lost to the passage of time. As above posters pointed out, he fought opponents consistently at their best. Not only that, he stopped many iron chinned warriors of the era. Look how many times Louis was stopped, Risko, Hamas and how about Stribling! Then look at the one guy that ko’d all of them. Schmeling was a dynamite puncher.
He was totally robbed against Sharkey in the rematch and in the first fight he won on a legit serious low blow. (And look at Sharkey’s track record with low blow shenanigans, not just this fight and the Dempsey fight)
He beat Uzcudon - 2 times and it should have been 3 of 3 the draw was a dubious result by the Spanish referee in which the result was loudly booed.
Then look at how he was cheated not once but twice at enhancing his legacy. He got robbed of making more title defenses by the Sharkey rematch. Then he fights and beats arguably the best heavyweight ever, and instead of being rewarded with Braddock he is cut out of the picture. A fight he likely wins. Then he goes to sign and fight Tommy Farr and Louis’s team undercuts him and outbids to make Farr Louis’s first title defense.
Is it an all time resume no, but he has wins over 4 hall of famers. Multiple fights of year and arguably was involved in the biggest fight in the sports history.
He still makes my top 20 heavyweights on the back end.

 

Schmeling was one of the most technically astute heavyweight champions. His victory over Louis was much more than a right hand over a low left. It was a master class of technical boxing. Max is a top 15 ATG heavyweight champion in my book.

 

Of the fighters Schmeling “missed” fighting can you show where fights against these heavyweights were offered to Schmeling but turned down? A bout between Braddock and Schmeling was to happen for the title, tickets and advertisements were printed, but Braddock walked away to fight Louis.

 

I wanted to respond to this thread, but no need. You guys got this!