Max Schmeling vs the best of the 1970's era

To me it’s all a matter if you feel Schmeling was big enough to compete he wasn’t a very large heavyweight. Skill wise he could definitely compete. Heavyweights that came towards him were dead meat. So I think his accurate and hard right would make him very formative for Frazier and Norton. In fact I think he could KO Norton. And maybe stop Frazier.
He was real competitor always in shape and always with a game plan. Good punch great intellect and dedicated. See no reason why he wouldn’t be a top 5 contender

 

It would be a slug fest. Depends on if you believe Max can stand up to Frazier power. Max ko’d Johnny Risko who was a come at you left hooker, and he ko’d mickey Walker an aggressive two fisted brawler who yes was a blown up middle.
It’s a very good matchup.

 

I don't see him dethroning Ali but he could sure throw punches.

 

Schmeling's strong right hand had to hit Louis numerous times during the 12/15 rd fight to ko Joe.
Louis of course in his career, was 66 (52 ko's)-3-0....losing only twice by k.o.

1936-06-19 : Joe Louis 198 lbs lost to Max Schmeling 192 lbs by KO at 2:29 in round 12 of 15

• Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, USA
• Referee: Arthur Donovan
• • Louis was 24-0 with 20 knockouts. The previous year, he easily knocked out two former World Heavyweight Champions, Primo Carnera and Max Baer.
  • Schmeling, a former World Heavyweight Champion, was 48-7-4 with 34 knockouts.
  • The fight was promoted by Mike Jacobs.
  • The bout was delayed a day because of rain.
  • The odds were 10-to-1 that Louis would win, 4-to-1 that Louis would score a kayo, and 2-to-1 that Schmeling wouldn't make it to the seventh round.
  • There was an estimated crowd of 60,000. Paid attendance was only 39,875. The discrepancy in the figures was caused by the fact that thousands were admitted at the last minute—merely by planking down two or three dollars at the gate and seeking the best seats they could find.
  • The gross gate was $547,531, and the net was $464,945.
  • Louis's share of the gate was $139,483.50, and Schmeling was guaranteed $150,000, tax-free.
  • Veteran manager and promoterTom O'Rourke died of a heart attack in Schmeling's dressing room shortly before the start of the bout.
  • Louis was knocked down in rounds four and twelve.

 

He beats Quarry and Wepner. He doesn’t make the mistake of chasing Quarry to be countered he stands in the pocket, patient as ever, and finds a home for his right hand all night. UD

Wepner not in same class. Big body but Schmeling hammers him all night to a UD or stoppage on cuts.

Lyle, Shavers and Bugner are difficult. Because of the size difference. Schmeling was originally a light heavy, and those are solid sized heavies. He fought Baer even for many rounds but Baer wore him out in the end (and fought incredibly dirty and was allowed to) after Schmeling bounced a ton of right hands off that head.

I think he could beat Lyle and the rest - tough fight with Lyle but Young beat him twice and Schmeling could counter like Young and hit harder. But at same time Lyle was big man and could punch. Same with Shavers he didn’t have half the Stamina of Max but I think he could def Ko Max. Bugner was enigmatic never did as much as he should.

P4p Schmeling better than all of them but I feel those fight could go either. I see him going something like 3-2 against those 5

 

I think Max has a very hard time in the 70's, but geez so would everyone.

 

Max Schmeling was a superb fighter who could give anyone a hard time or pull an upset on a given day. He would not be favored against the great heavys of the '70s, but as I noted in the Schmeling-Frazier thread any of them who faced him would know they'd been in a fight, and a lot of them would not go back to the dressing room afterward unmarked.

 

I don’t think he beats the BEST of the 70s. But there were pockets of time during the decade where he might have gotten his hands on a belt. Perhaps against a 1970 Jimmy Ellis. Or a 1978 Leon Spinks or an aging Norton or Aging Ali that same year. He’d make the top 10 contenders in any given year of the that decade. But I wouldn’t bet on him to beat Foreman, Frazier, Holmes or any decent version of Ali or Norton

 

Thanks for this wonderful post.
However, Max Schmeling knocked out a better version of Joe Louis than Marciano.
Max Schmeling loses to Muhammad Ali, Foreman, FOTC Frazier, and Holmes (Norton fight).

 

As long as Foreman ain't in that park

 

Or Ali.... or Frazier.... Or Holmes.