Joe for me ,though he may get shook up a couple of times along the way. I'm not convinced that Max hit appreciably harder than Jimmy Ellis .
Not a good style for Max, he likes to have time and space to operate and counter. I think that Frazier would be too agressive for him. Very tough battle but I'm on Frazier side here, even though I prefer Schmeling as a fighter.
I just see Frazier swarming Max , taking away the chance for him to settle in to a pattern . Tho he'd cap Frazier coming in and cleanly at times but without sufficient power to really stop him advancing . And Frazier s relentless March and that deadly left eventually drops Max . A bad fight for Schmeling , one where he'd be bravely hanging in whilst getting smashed .
Max in his prime was technically very astute. Astute enough to nullify Joe’s hook and counter with his own right which was a potent weapon.
Schmeling blew hot and cold whereas Frazier was very consistent. I'd have to pick Frazier with the caveat that when Schmeling was on form, he could probably beat anybody within spitting range of his weight.
Boxing is a very technical sport. There are very clear ways to nullify, or at least make much less effective, a left hook especially knowing you have nothing to fear from the right side. Schmeling certainly had the technical know how and the physical attributes, to do so.
Frazier is a strong pick for me. Styles make fights and I think Frazier has a nightmare style for Max. I think Max spends most of the fight backing up or against the ropes.
I say that Frazier stops him....Schmeling may or may not score a knockdown as I'm sure he would catch Joe coming in a time or 2, but ultimately, I say that Frazier prevails VIA TKO
I would go with the relentless Frazier that would never quit, unless his corner called a fight for him, that hook would eventually catch up to Schmeling, I wish tunny had stuck around to defend his title vs max it would have answered a lot of questions about both, Max was an excellent fighter, but Frazier's Powerful left crushes him
Max was a superb fighter with a great killer instinct. Joe was a great fighter who if your name isnt George Foreman your in for the fight of your life. I have Joe by stoppage sometime around the 6th or 7th
