Prime David Tua vs Some names.

Going 15-20 rounds is impressive but for all we know for the last 10 rounds they may have been stalling or fighting in spurts. Also you can fight 20 rounds against one guy and not get tired but then get in there with a pressure fighter and power puncher like Tua and be tired in 5 rounds. Rahman and Baer are two different fighters, Rahman used a stiff jab some movement on his fight and a very busy workrate to keep Tua at bay until getting blasted out late. Not to mention Rahman is a very big dude one of the stronger heavyweights ever this helped him being able to stop Tua in his tracks. I don't see Baer being able to implement a fight plan like this I think like you said he'll try bash away at Tua with combinations and hold but while trying to do this Tua will get off with combinations of his own to the body and upstairs I think he'll break Baer down...

 

There's no basis to question Bear's stamina or workrate. He never gassed in 79 fights against a wide variety of fighters. Bear was noted as a phenominal well conditioned athlete, its one of his most talked about attributes.

Rahman didn't do anything special in that fight that Baer didn't do against Schmeling off the backfoot. Sticking a stiff left arm out there to just touch Tua and keep him at range, the occassional jab, measure him for long looping rights. Protect himself on the inside, guard the left hook, clinch, and outwork Tua with combinations.

Tua didn't just blast Rahman out. He was losing badly until after the 9th when he hammered a relaxed Rahman after the bell. Lucky he was not DQed.

He would need more than one cheap shot to "break" Baer down.

 

Again I'm no expert on Baer's career but I can remember hearing that he didn't have the best training habits regardless from what I've seen of him hes never impressed me much. Tua on the other hand though he's had a number of bad performances has always struck me as a force to be reckoned with depending on the stylstic match up. Rahman had a very stiff jab which he used effectively against Tua and also kept an excellent workrate. Baer from the fights I've seen of him doesn't seem to be the kinda fighter to take that approach.I think Baer would try to slug more with Tua then others who have done well against him and this would be his downfall. Remember though Rahman and Maskaev did a good job keeping Tua off them Ibebuchi wasn't able to do this and take some tremondous punches in the process of winning a very hard fought and close decision. It's hard to speculate on Ibebuchi but from what I saw in his fight with Tua and other fights in his career he looked be a very legit force and Tua gave him all he could handle. Anyway we can argue this forever I wouldn't rule out the possibility of Baer beating Tua but again the way I see it Tua wins I think he'd be too much. In the 1930's-40's when Baer was around their wasn't any BIG explosive power punching well conditioned pressure fighters like Tua. I think he'd be too much for Baer, my opinion on this fight isn't as good as my opinion would be on many of the other match ups as I said I haven't watched a tone of Baer but of what I have seen I've never been too impressed.

 

I would say that Tua is still a bit of an unknown quantity to be honest.

His list of name wins looks impressive on paper, until you take a closer look, and then you see that he met them before or after they operated the elite level.

His record in his key career fight is disappointing. He just seems to misfire when it counts, and falls well short of what was hoped for him.

That is what happened in the real world.

It just seems to be a big leap of faith to pick him over the better heavyweights from other era's, and depends on the assumption that there was a lot that we didn't see.

 

I thought the HBO crew was riding the Tua hype too hard that night. Watch it on other broadcasts and they have it 8-4 for Ike. I respect your opinion though :good

 

No, you certainly aren't. Even well past his best, he was a phenom that trained hard and stayed in shape.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rls9YnQGGrI[/url]

Rahman was slow and not very active against Tua, and did more exchanging on the inside than you remember. Tua was a punching bag following him around the ring until the cheap shot.

Baer in his prime could take it as well anybody, including Ike.

Galento and 5'10" 207 lb Uzcudun..whom Baer at a low point after the Campbell tragedy managed 20 rounds against.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20CEtaejlVk[/url]

Uzcudun vs Tua is even money.

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYnbQYa-TKE[/url]

Uzcudun bobbing and weaving against Carnera.

 

Are great debate here motivated me to check out some more Max Baer footage. I reviewed his fight with Carnera, watched his fight with Schemeling for the first time and also watched the clips of his fight Galento. My opinion is still the same in a sense that I feel Tua in his prime beats him... Baer in the Carnera and Schmeling fights fought well and over powered both of them with his power punches I don't think he'd be able to do this to Tua. Baer is a good punching offensive fighter with an awkward style but gets hit cleanly often and leaves his hands down most of the time not often thinking defense. Schemeling and Carnera both landed a lot of clean shots on him. Baer takes a shot very well and seems to not mind getting hit but against Tua who I consider one of the more powerful one punch knockout fighters to ever be in the division this could prove to be his downfall. Also guys who gave Tua trouble boxed him and most of which implored good defense against him. Yes Rahman did stand his ground but ulitmately he stayed very busy to keep Tua off of him and moved on his feet. Not only this Rahman keeps his hands up and fights a more techincal style which allowed him not to get caught as often as I think Baer would by Tua. I really don't see Baer boxing Tua from range I think he'd do this early but in the early to mid rounds would eventually stand and slug with Tua. He'd do well up until eventually taking a shot or a series of shots that he couldn't withstand. Again Tua though made to order for certain fighters who aren't very good could be a very tough match up for great fighters who would trade punches with him I think Baer would do this. Baer also swings a lot of wild punches and doing this against Tua could leave him open to be knocked out by a devastating left hook or even a right hand Tua had power in both hands.

I respect you're opinion, you clearly know you're boxing and aren't just talking **** but will have to agree to disagree. I feel not only have boxers gotten better since the time Baer fought but athletes in general are better (For the most part).. If Baer was around in the 90's I personally feel he'd be a contender but would have to get a favorable match up in order to capture a championship I'd favor most of the champions from Tua's time to beat him.