Max Baer, famously dubbed the “Playboy of the Ring,” stood out as an exceptionally vibrant and captivating figure among the world heavyweight champions. In 1934, Baer earned the prestigious title following a triumph over the Italian boxer, Primo Carnera. However, his reign as champion was short-lived, enduring merely a year before experiencing defeat at the hands of Jimmy Braddock, an upset widely regarded as one of the most monumental and renowned moments in the history of heavyweight boxing.
Baer, who hailed from Omaha, Nebraska, relocated to California during his childhood. It was in this new environment where he gained recognition as a promising young heavyweight boxer. Unfortunately, in 1930, Baer’s opponent Frankie Campbell tragically passed away following a match with Baer. Two years later, Baer delivered a brutal beating to Ernie Schaaf, who tragically lost his life in a bout against Carnera. Baer undeniably possessed incredible punching power.
Baer’s career took a downturn following his loss to Braddock. If a rematch with Braddock had happened in present times, I am confident that Max would have emerged victorious. However, in 1935, when Joe Louis was gaining prominence, a match was arranged between him and Baer merely three months after Max’s title loss. Unfortunately, Baer was defeated in four rounds.
As a recognised name, Baer could still make a lot of money in the ring and he was only 26 when he lost his title, incredibly young when compared with today. He spent most of 1936 boxing in contests that were little more than exhibitions and when he returned to serious boxing, in 1937, he did so in London. His long period of relative inactivity had done little for his stature in world boxing and The Ring magazine did not rate him in the top 10.
In retrospect, this looks a little churlish as I am sure that Max would have had little trouble with the likes of Tiger Jack Fox, Bob Nestell and Eddie Blunt, all of whom did make the ratings. His opponent in London, Tommy Farr, was not rated either, despite his recent victory over the South African, Ben Foord. In the 1930s, The Ring magazine was heavily skewed towards American fighters when it came to their rankings. The fight with Farr took place at Harringay Arena and it was a scheduled 12-rounder. BN favoured Farr, stating: “Unless Baer is in absolutely tip-top fettle he may be thwarted from getting home with an early knockout punch and be beaten for speed and stamina in the long run.” This hit the nail on the head, for Tommy clearly outpointed the American, who was a 4/1 favourite, in a display that “showed us that there is in the Old Country a fellow who possesses all the attributes of a world-beater.” The win propelled Farr to the number four sport in The Ring ratings.
After being defeated by our top home heavyweight, Baer redirected his focus towards Foord. Despite recently losing to Farr, Foord had impressive victories against Tommy Loughran, Larry Gains, and a three-round knockout of Jack Petersen. This posed a tough challenge for Baer, who needed a win to regain his standing. The fight, once again lasting 12 rounds, showcased a transformed Max. He trained at the Ace of Spades, a nearby pub near the Kingston bypass, and sparred with Bridlington’s Bob Carvill.
Under the headline “Max Baer crashes Ben Foord”, BN reported that Baer “proved not only a great showman, but a really great sportsman. He clowned, he gesticulated, roared out his war cry and acted the real ‘kidder’, but when he got his man where he wanted him, he proved a real fighter who punched his full weight to send his rival crashing to defeat.” Foord was decked twice in the second and three times in the ninth when the referee, Jack Hart, put a stop to proceedings.
In 1938, Baer emerged victorious against Farr in a rematch. Additionally, he achieved knockout victories over Tony Galento and Pat Comiskey before retiring at the young age of 32 in 1941.
