With the exception of one round, the 7th, Baer didn’t through any serious punches, and in that round he only opened up because the crowd was booing and he felt he had to look like he wasn’t dogging it. The fight, which took place on Jat the Madison Square Garden Bowl on Long Island, was one of the most boring in history. It is nothing like the all out battle seen in the Howard movie. For most of the fight it looks like two guys trying not to hurt each other. I even think it is possible Braddock was in on it as well. After viewing highlights from each of the 15 rounds, I have no doubt at all that Baer threw the fight. I decided to take another look at the fight to see what I would think after all of these years. He justified it all by saying Max probably did it because he liked and felt sorry for Braddock and his family. My father also liked Baer very much so that added to his disappointment. After viewing the film for a short while my father exclaimed “Max threw the fight!” He was disappointed to see that, as it took the glow off of Braddock’s win. He had always believed Braddock had won in the manner depicted in the Ron Howard movie. What surprised my father while watching the film was how the two men were fighting. He was a great admirer of Braddock, particularly because after winning the title James had repaid the money he had collected while on relief (welfare) when things were bad for him and his family. He was a teenager when the bout took place but had never seen it. I do remember when watching it with my father how surprised he was at what he saw. It was the only time I had seen the fight until I viewed it again the other day. When I was a kid my father and I watched an 8mm film of the Braddock/Baer match on a home movie projector. Actual footage of the fight tells a different story. In the movie Braddock’s fight with Baer is depicted as a life and death struggle with Jimmy hanging on to win a close and exciting fight. Most people are now familiar with the Braddock story from the 2005 movie directed by Ron Howard. However, he did go on to win the title that night, and along with that win he became known as the Cinderella Man. He went into the fight a ten to one underdog. While he was certainly a very capable boxer, he just would not have the strength to hold off the dynamite that was in Max’s two fists. It seemed unbelievable Braddock would have any chance against Baer. It is believed the blows from Max had caused an injury to Ernie from which he never recovered, resulting in his death in the Carnera fight. He was saved by the bell and lost a decision to Baer. In an earlier fight with Baer Schaaf had taken some terrible shots and was knocked unconscious as the final round ended. In fact, earlier in his career Baer had killed Frankie Campbell in the ring, and many also believed he was the one responsible for the death of Ernie Schaaf who collapsed and died in his fight with Primo Carnera after being hit with a left jab. Nobody gave him a chance, and many thought he was risking his life to step in the ring with the murderous punching Max. He had managed to string together a number of wins over heavyweights and position himself for a shot at Baer. Braddock had been a leading light heavyweight contender a few years earlier, but injuries and a number of loses had derailed his career. Just a few days over a year later that would all change when Max put the title on the line on against the lightly regarded James J. He was a man sitting on top of the world. in fact, he had made himself a bit of a reputation acting in movies. He was a brutal puncher in the ring while possessing the charm of a Hollywood leading man outside of it. Baer, who had preciously scored a brutal kayo over Max Schmeling, looked like a man who would be champion for quite some time. He had floored the courageous champion 11 times on his way to winning the crown. On JMax Baer won the Heavyweight Championship of the World by defeating Primo Carnera in the 11th round. (This article originally appeared in the Boston Post Gazette in 2019) Baer And Braddock At The Weigh In
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