Prime for Prime

No, he did only have the pysical attributes and some skills, he lacked power, stamina, chin, etc...

 

The stamina problems were conditioning-related.

He was not a knockout puncher but neither were Ali or Holmes and that didn't stop them from becoming all time greats. Besides, when a 6'4 230lb man hits you often enough, something is gonna give in.


He did seem to have a somewhat weak chin, but then again, so did Schmeling. Either way, both Schmeling and Douglas had "enough" chin to conquer two of the greatest punchers of all time when they were unfocused.

 

Schmeling had a weak chin? That´s really something new for me, sure, he didn´t have an iron chin, but at least a solid one. From his 10 losses there were only 5 KO- losses, one against Louis, one against Baer, both 2 of the hardest HW- hitters in the HW- history, against the German bum early in his career, against Daniels and Gains he was very green and unexperienced, he wasn´t prime, a lot ATG have some losses early in their career, it would be unfair if we rate now Max early losses...

 

I posted this in another thread but i will say it again: if you look at contenders or champions who rose in the same time as Schmeling and also started before or around their 20's, like Braddock, Uzcudun, Max & Buddy Baer, Sharkey, Carnera, Young Stribling, Schaaf and Loughran all had early losses, but none of them had the amount of early knockout losses that Schmeling had. So out of 11 he is the only one; i think that is a reasonable suspicion that his chin may be weak compared to other contenders.

Of course Douglas isn't exactly iron chinned either. His losses do have some asterisks: the Tucker TKO ended on his feet when he ran out of gas and the Holyfield KO was a quit job. I would say his chin is at least as good as Schmeling's.

 

OK, we have here different opinions, IMO Schmeling had a better chin than Douglas, in his prime only Baer and Louis KO´d him, like I wrote yet, 2 of the biggest hitters at HW ever, Douglas was KO´d by Holyfield, White, and Tucker, against Savares and Bey I don´t count that much, because against Bey he wasn´t prime and against Savarese he was shot...

 

The Douglas that beat Tyson would obliterate Schmeling. Too much size, reach and speed. Two completely different styles and makes, Douglas' jab would be in Max's face constantly until a booming right hand ends it period.

 

Because I reckon that Douglas was susceptible to right hands which was a recipe for disaster against a fighter with a short right hand like Schmeling had.

Max had the boxing skills to match it with the bigger man and the necessary technique to find the opening and repeatedly land that sweet right hand.

I don't think Douglas has the chin to withstand too many shots from a puncher like Schmeling and after an even first 6 or 7 rounds I think Schmeling takes over and batters Douglas to defeat in the 10th.

Douglas was a good fighter and produced one of boxings great performances,but I think the Tyson he beat wasn't mentally or physically prepared and was ripe to be upset that night.So I don't rate Douglas all that highly on the basis of that single performance.

This is why I favour Schmeling over Douglas.

 

I actually think Prime Douglas would kill Schmeling.

 

The Tokyo version of Douglas probably beats Schmeling at any stage, but Schmeling was the more consistent fighter. Tough one. :think