Weirdly eternal this struggle. This match is always popping up! The two guys with two of the best wins in HW history. Both punchers, one supremely gifted, one credited as one of the great ring generals. Comparative in size. I like Schmeling I suppose, if he doesn't get blown out which doesn't seem particularly likely. Could see Norton making the running but Schmeling having to suss his right hand into the fight against a faster, dangerous opponent. This could be very exciting, a great fight maybe, like a KO8 job one way or the other that just never slows down.
Norton points, out hustles him and outmuscles him, Schmeling doesn’t have the strength to keep him off nor the footwork to outmanoeuvre him.
Norton gives Max too much pressure, too much twitch, too much man. Walks him down and finishes him mid to late rounds.
This has the makings of a great contest and something very different from Norton/Ali (I) and Schmeling/Louis (I). As to who takes it... ...I'd say Schmeling has the slight incline to scale here. It'd likely be a close-quarters battle, forced by Schmeling since I can't envision him having much success at long range - Norton picks him off there and I suspect Schmeling would respond by wanting to shorten the distance between them. But Norton is not exactly uncomfortable at short range, either. Norton also has the edge in size and, as durable as Schmeling was, I can see this taking it's toll on Max, over the course of the first two-thirds of the bout. On the other hand, Schmeling is quite the cerebral fighter and he does have a very persistent and meaningful right hand, which he will land - and how Norton reacts to this will be pivotal. A war of attrition with a second-half stoppage bringing the bout to a close and, if I had to bet, as it stands, I'd probably back Norton.
Norton stronger and more power, Schmeling a much better and smarter boxer who was not feather gloved himself, I go with Max and it goes the distance and is reasonably competitive.
