From Dempsey to Louis: Max Baer the Forgotten Man

During the Great Depression Max Baer was the most famous boxer. He came after Dempsey and before Joe Louis so he kind of gets lost in the shuffle just like Larry Holmes did for coming after Ali and before Tyson.

The movie Cinderella Man wrongfully depicted him and Ron Howard was sued by the Baer family and lost.

But why is Max Baer worth talking about? because he beat a plethera of men, had a lethal punch, and was quite a character

He was 6'2 and began boxing in 1929, he went 15-1 in the year, losing by disqualification for throwing his opponent.

Baer lost in his first step up fight when he lost to the tough Les Kennedy.However he destroyed Frankie Campbell who had just defeated Kennedy. Sadly Campbell was never revived from unconsciousness and he passed away.

Baer would be inactive for 4 months (longest in his career) and then lose his next fight. and then drop 2 losses to tough contendors, Johnny Risco being one. He is know 26-7

Baer then wins 10 fights in 10 months including victories over Kennedy, Heeney, and Risco, and King Levinsky twice.

In 1932 Baer fought Ernie Schaff, and in the tenth round knocked Schaff out cold in the waning seconds of the fight, he won a decision and Schaff died in his next bout with Primo Carnera. Many deem that Baer did the damage that killed Schaff.

He would then defeat Tuffy Griffith by knockout setting up a fight with number 1 contendor Max Schmelling.

Max Baer was not Jewish, but he did have Jewish ancestors, because of this he wore the Star of David vs the Nazi tied Schmelling. In a great fight Baer took the early stages only to see Schmelling begin to outbox him, in the 9th round Baer caught a second wind and finished Schmelling in the 10th. Max is know 39-7

He would wear the Star of David the rest of his career. It is know 1932 and prime Carnera has taken the title from Jack Sharkey, Baer is giving up 60 pounds and 3 inches to Primo for the title. Baer at 6'2 had a freakish 81 inch reach, Primo had a nutso 85 inch reach.

Carnera would be dropped by Baer twice in the first round shockingly (Primo was favored). Primo would manage to survive, but he was not a good boxer at all. Neither was Baer he was just a devestating puncher, but it was obvious his boxing skill was higher than Carnera's. The fight would go to the 11th with Baer winning by knockout and having put Carnera down 5 times.

Baer is the Heavyweight Champion of the World and 40-7

In his first title defense he losses to Jimmy Braddock in a huge upset, Baer never seemed to get going, and fouled alot in the unanimous loss.

In his next bout he is knocked out by Joe Louis,Max nailed Louis several times in the initial trade that he was knocked down in. However, getting in a corner with Joe Louis is never a good idea. This shows how good Louis' chin was, he ate Baer sunday punches and knocked him out for it. Baer never succesfully defends his title and never holds the title again. It is 1935 and he has just lost to Joe Louis. Baer is 40-9.

From 1935 to 1936 he goes 19-0 mainly fighting in the south. That is not a typo, his record is 59-9. Biggest win during this time is probably Bearcat Wright, a tough black fighter from that era.

He then goes 3-2 splitting 2 with Tommy Farr,another good fighter. His record is know 62-11.

In 1939 Baer faces Lou Nova and is knocked out in 11, he wins two more fights than finds himself facing Tony "Two Tons" Galento in 1940. Baer knocks out Tony in the 7th round and then defeats Pat Comiskey by Knockout.

In his last fight Max Baer again losses to Lou Nova by 8th round knockout retiring with a record of 66-13 with names like Schmelling, Carnera, Galento, Louis, Braddock, Levinskey, Comiskey, Less Kennedy and Johny Risko on his resume. 51 of his 66 wins came by knockout

He is an underrated great and helped bring the sport to mainstream with his playful clownish ways and murderous right hand, he is the one of three boxer's on record to be responsible for two fighters deaths.

Guess he really is the forgotten man

Ya, Cinderella Man made him look like a prick, but he wasn't happy about the guy who died fighting him, and it really bothered him. He gave portions of his purses to the widow. The movie says two guys died fighting him, but there is supposed to be some historical accuracy error there from what I recall.


I have actually seen some Max Baer classic fights and the real fight between him and Cinderella Man. Pretty cool stuff.

Max Baer vs Tony Galento

http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=6130

Max vs Lou Nova

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-107428083318121746&ei=NeBPS_2XBqiwqALv0JHjBg&q=max+baer+fights&hl=en#

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Ya, Cinderella Man made him look like a prick, but he wasn't happy about the guy who died fighting him, and it really bothered him. He gave portions of his purses to the widow. The movie says two guys died fighting him, but there is supposed to be some historical accuracy error there from what I recall.

I have actually seen some Max Baer classic fights and the real fight between him and Cinderella Man. Pretty cool stuff.

What happened was he flat out killed one fighter, ad the other I recalled it in my OP, cant off top of head, he battered a fighter and knocked him down in final seconds of fight, he was saved by the bell
In his next fight the fighter was killed by Primo Carnera in the 1st round by a jab
everyone agrees Baer is the one that had done the damage


Cinderella Man couldnt have been more inaccurate as far as detailing Baer
He was one of the darlings of the Depression, he was in countless movies, and everyone liked him.
If you watch Cinderella Man you wouldve thought he was the meaner Mike Tyson

They should do a Max Baer story where they make Cinderella Man look like a shithead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Baer_(boxer)


LOL this article reads like a old man grampa simpson ramble, as if it was written by someone who was alive back then. 90 year old men using Wikipedia.

Quote :

Baer, ever the showman "brought gales of laughter from the crowd with his antics" the night he stepped between the ropes to meet Braddock. As Braddock "slipped the blue bathrobe from his pink back, he was the sentimental favorite of a Bowl crowd of 30,000, most of whom had bet their money 8-to-1 against him." Max "undoubtedly paid the penalty for underestimating his challenger beforehand and wasting too much time clowning." At the end of 15 "dull, uninspired" rounds during which "Baer didn't throw 10 genuine punches of any sort" and Braddock was described as "a plodder" the most "colorless bout in a decade" ended with Braddock emerging the victor in a unanimous decision, outpointing Baer 8 rounds to 6 in the "most astounding upset since John L. Sullivan went down before the thrusts of Gentleman Jim Corbett back in the gay nineties." Braddock took heavy hits from Baer, but kept coming at Baer until he wore Max down.

hahahaha the gay nineties hahahahha

Ya I am down, make Braddock look like a bastard that held the title ransom for joe Louis' money

From Ron Howards perspective you would have thought it was the greatest fight ever

bump

excellent article..baer actualy floored canera either 10 or 12 times in that fight..max had a great right hand and was a wonderfull colorfull funny guy..when he and canera both got tangled up and fell to the canvas max yelled lol last one up is a sissy...yes the movie exaggerated max as a cocky guy with noo feelings.actualy it was the opposite..also in the hurricane carter strory the got carter destroying giardello over 15 rounds and lost cause of race predudice..far from the truth..joey giardello sued and won..i saw that fight in person and joey took 9 out of the rounds and the entire last seven..thats the movies..max was half jewish.his father was jewish but the jewish people oddly dont recognize that..they only recognize if your mother was jewish your dad coul;d be irish but the jews will say your jewish..its just in there beliefs...max did not truly know how to fight.he did plenty wrong but he could punch big time and had heart and guts..and in shape..hed be champ today no doubt..he hit that hard..

completely agree he would be a champ today, if not the champ, very hard hitter

I forget, wasnt it Barney Ross that inspired Baer to wear the star of David?

my grandpa used to live in New Mexico, and when Baer was retired he would come referee the local weekend matches and my grandpa basically became good friends with him and they would have breakfast together every saturday or sunday morning before Baer would leave town, said he was a great guy, really funny, and extremely huge

ya Hurricane didnt need to do that, Rubin Carters story wouldnt have been any less interesting if they admitted he lost his title shot

yep it was barney ross..i love barney..great guy..talked with him for 2 days 2 hours each day in my home town..great story on max..he was good looking also ..you grandfather im sure shared some nice stories with you like my dads did with me..awsome

ya my grandpa was just in town it was fun talking boxing with him, just read a book on Barney Ross, that would be cool as hell to talk with the "King of the Ghetto"

if there was ever a fighter who deserved a movie it was Barney Ross, from title fights vs Jimmy McLarnin to fighting in World War 2 to kicking a drug habit, the guy was one in a million.

After Baer tragically killed his opponent, he went into a deep depression. I forgot the details of the story but he effected him terribly for about a year. Cinderella Man, while being a good movie, incorrectly depicted Baer.

yep i agree.barney ross life story is so incredable that you would think that nooo way .its gotta be fiction and even beyound the writers of hollywoods imagination..but all of it true.from his mother going to a mental institution and his younger brothers and sisters in a orfanage and raised himself from the age of 14 and vowed to make enougfht money to get the family back together which he did..running errands and being befriended by al capone to become later one of boxings greatest champs ever ...going to WW2 becoming a real hero in the battlefield to getting hooked on morephine.overcoming that speaking all over the country against drugs many times free.then was a outspoken person for the creation of isreal to ask and was denied a passport to go over there and join there army to fight for that cause to finaly becoming a gun runner sending arms to isreal....thats a REAL hero.

truly a fabled life they need to make a movie

bird they did make a movie on barneys life but it was hollywood style..cameron mitchel i think was the star and monkey on my back i think was the title.a new film with reality on barney is in order .i agree.

thats right Monkey on my Back

wasnt Barney not happy about the way the movie came out

ross was very disappointed yes in that movie.

thats to bad, going threw a life like that then watching the big screen version and being like "what the hell was that?"

also how do you think Buddy Baer would have done in this era?

buddy baer would be more than competitive in this era..in the top 2 or 3 with the K brothers...lol tony galento would also destroy chris arreola..big time.
..i going to go out an eat and then do my other fav sport lol chase woman.hey im 100 percent italian..question for you bird...how do you know an italian male is getting old....anser.when woman there age start to look good.....dam thats old.

hahah I am also of the belief that Two Ton would actually be top 10


hahahahahahah that was a funny joke ahahha never heard it before

good luck with the ladies