Among the alltime Heavyweights?.. I havent watched much of him yet. Im gonna order what i can of his career.. What made up his arsenal?
He's a hard fighter to appraise because he went through so many stages as a fighter, but you're asking the right question. Braddock was best at Heavyweight at the very end of his run. The big gun was his right hand, with which he could dent HW's and plaster LHW's. The left became a much more educated punch for that last run, and it's true what you've heard - that arm really did become the weapon it finally was working on the docks just in time to lift the title. Braddock also had as much courage and heart as any fighter ever had, and he was gifted with a granite chin. On his run to the title Braddock beat - Corn Griffin. #1 HW prospect, the darling of the press who "handled Carnera" in sparring. John Henry Lewis. An ATG LHW stepping up to take on another man who kicked off at HW. Art Laskey. Top ranked contender Max Baer. One of the 25 greatest HW's in history, perhaps the hardest puncher in the division, ever . Tommy Farr. Underated, a top class operator. And of course, that insanely brave effort against #2 HW in history, Joe Louis, whom he ditched in the first round and absorbed an insane beating from before recieving 40some stitches in his face. Where to rate him? Nowhere really. But that's not to say we can underate him!
