It's funny generally he seems dismissed, and put as one of the worst champions ever. Seen as lucky to have beaten Baer, but lets not forget he earned that shot with a series of good wins, in Griffin, Lewis, and Lasky. He's never ranked close to as high as Max Baer despite not only beating him but also doing much better against Joe Louis and Tommy Farr. Actually done very well against Louis even dropping him. Plus starting as a Light Heavyweight and becoming Heavyweight champion is a feat in and of itself.
His record is patchy, but his record was decent until he was having a lot of problems with his hands breaking etc. plus he didn't have the money and time to really train, and was fighting on short notice while working.
Is James J Braddock Underrated?
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Ambling Alp II
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 15182
- Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 18:31
Re: Is James J Braddock Underrated?
Overall he is rated pretty fairly.
Re: Is James J Braddock Underrated?
His hand problems hurt his place in history, and rightly so. At his best, he was great! I think he gets overshadowed by his story as well as the robbery of Joe Louis' future revenues.
Re: Is James J Braddock Underrated?
Braddock was a good dude... Not a great fighter but a really good human being.
Max Schmeling said... "I'm not too concerned where I'm rank as a boxer... I just do my best with what God gave me... If I win or I lose and I did my best, I am satisfied... I would rather be known as a good human being than a great boxer."
Both Braddock and Schmeling had industrious careers in other fields for decades after they left Boxing... The worst thing for me is seeing a formerly great fighter on the down and outs, because he's too proud to work an 8-hour day on a job that requires skill and attention to detail... That would never happen to a men like Jimmy Braddock or Max Schmeling.
Max Schmeling said... "I'm not too concerned where I'm rank as a boxer... I just do my best with what God gave me... If I win or I lose and I did my best, I am satisfied... I would rather be known as a good human being than a great boxer."
Both Braddock and Schmeling had industrious careers in other fields for decades after they left Boxing... The worst thing for me is seeing a formerly great fighter on the down and outs, because he's too proud to work an 8-hour day on a job that requires skill and attention to detail... That would never happen to a men like Jimmy Braddock or Max Schmeling.
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Ambling Alp II
- Super Middleweight
- Posts: 15182
- Joined: 04 Nov 2012, 18:31
Re: Is James J Braddock Underrated?
I guess we should decide where he is rated now and where he should be.
He is not regarded as one of the great heavywieghts. You usually don't seem him too high on some all time list.
However, he is in the HOF. Other lower tier heavyweight champions Carnera and Hart are not. So he has got some respect.
He was never a great fighter. At times he was very good. I think he is rated pretty fairly.
He is not regarded as one of the great heavywieghts. You usually don't seem him too high on some all time list.
However, he is in the HOF. Other lower tier heavyweight champions Carnera and Hart are not. So he has got some respect.
He was never a great fighter. At times he was very good. I think he is rated pretty fairly.