MAX SCHMELING
The scramble for the title vacated by Gene Tunney in 1928 lasted two years. Many eliminaters featuring all the top contenders were fought during that time. The two men who emerged to fight for the crown were tough American Jack Sharkey and the European heavyweight champion Max Schmeling.
Schmeling incurred the displeasure of his family when he eschewed a business career and took up boxing. He also surprised them, for he had lost two fingers on his hand due to a childhood accident. He was nevertheless a stylish boxer, a good technician and a damaging puncher.
SHUNNED BY PROMOTERS
His rise to the top was by no means meteoric. There were some solid victories, including wins over the tough spaniard Paulino Uzcudun and Johnny "Rubber Man" Risko. But there were reverses too. Defeat insise one round to moderate British Cruiserweight Gypsy Daniels did little to enhance his reputation. In fact, when he travelled to Britain in search of engagements, no promoter would even look at him. His fortunes improved when he arrived in America. A string of victories took Scmeling to a showdown with Sharkey at the Yankee Stadium on 12th June 1930.
There was probably less interest in this contest than any other Heavyweight Title Fight of the post war era. Schmeling wasn't a well known figure as far as American boxing fans were concerned, while their compatriot, Sharkey, had a reputation for inconsistency. He could be brilliant one day then shite the next, and as a result the fans didn't take him seriously.
LOW BLOW
It was, in fact a short and contraversial encounter. Sharkey had the better of the early exchanges, including a terrific right hook to Schmeling's jaw in the third round, a blow which sent the German reeling onto the ropes. The fight ended in the next round when Schmelling went down in agony after an undoubted low blow from his opponent. The bell sounded when the count reached six. Schmeling's manager, Jim Jacobs, was incandescent. His cries of "foul!" were taken up by large sections of the 80,000 strong crowd; others disagreed vehemently. After a considerable delay in which the referee consulted the judges, Schmeling was declared the winner. He became the only German to win the title, and the only man to take the crown on a foul. The decision reverbrated throughout the whole of the boxing world and precipitated a rule change: in future, a boxer guilty of a low blow will be cautioned, not disqualified.
Schmeling successfully defended his title the following year against Young Stribling, the referee intervening in the 15th and final round to save the American from further punishment. Schmeling then agreed to a returm match against Sharkey. It was to prove another contraversial affair. Schmeling had profited from a contentious in 1930; this time he finds himself on the recieving end of an injustice.
(Thats as far as I have got with the Heavyweight bio's, however I will post them here as I do them from now on.)
History of the Heavyweights part 10 (Max Schmeling)
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kerrminator
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 120
- Joined: 27 Apr 2006, 18:58
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pundit
- Heavyweight
I believe Schmeling was European light-heayvweight champion and German heavyweight champion when he came to the US.
Also, he wasn't really shunnend by promoters - the issue was that his German promoter Buelow couldn't get him fights in the US, knowing nothing about the US business. He fired Buelow and hired Jacobs who threw him into the mix, but Schmeing had to pay Buelow a share of the purse for some time.
Also, he wasn't really shunnend by promoters - the issue was that his German promoter Buelow couldn't get him fights in the US, knowing nothing about the US business. He fired Buelow and hired Jacobs who threw him into the mix, but Schmeing had to pay Buelow a share of the purse for some time.
Re: History of the Heavyweights part 10 (Max Schmeling)
Sorry for acting like a teacher, but.....
"The two men who emerged to fight for the crown were tough American Jack Sharkey and the European heavyweight champion Max Schmeling."
Wrong!
Max was current German Heavyweight Champion and former European and German Lightheavyweight Champion when he came to the U.S.
"Schmeling incurred the displeasure of his family when he eschewed a business career and took up boxing."
Wrong!
His father allowed him to have training lessons when Max was a boy...and his mother was very proud of her son too.
"He also surprised them, for he had lost two fingers on his hand due to a childhood accident."
Wrong!
He had all his 10 fingers his whole life.
"But there were reverses too. Defeat inside one round to moderate British Cruiserweight Gypsy Daniels did little to enhance his reputation."
that was Schmelings ONLY defeat between September 1925 and June 1932 in 32 fights. It took place in early 1928 when Max was still a light-heavyweight. and the defeat 1932 against Sharkey wasn't realy one.
"In fact, when he travelled to Britain in search of engagements, no promoter would even look at him."
Wrong!
Max never went to Britain to fight. He went there only once in 1927 to see the fight between Mickey Walker and Tommy Milligan.
"There was probably less interest in this contest than any other Heavyweight Title Fight of the post war era. Schmeling wasn't a well known figure as far as American boxing fans were concerned"
Wrong!
80.000 saw the fight! And the year before over 40.000 mostly americans saw the fight between two Europeans Max and Paolino. After Max outclassed Johny Risko in an outsold Madison Square Garden he was a topnotcher....and the press compared not only his face with that of Jack Dempsey.
"It was, in fact a short and contraversial encounter. Sharkey had the better of the early exchanges, including a terrific right hook to Schmeling's jaw in the third round, a blow which sent the German reeling onto the ropes. The fight ended in the next round when Schmelling went down in agony after an undoubted low blow from his opponent."
Schmeling was studying his opponents and Sharkey wanted fast K.o. Shortly before the low blow Schmeling took the offensive, was on the way of winning a clear round after Sharkey won the first 3 rounds slightly.
Schmelings Career didn't end in 1932. After a victory over Mickey Walker Schmeling had a crisis, loosing to Baer and Hamas in 1933/34 but then came back with some good fights including the K.o. over Joe Louis.
One year after the second Louis fight Max won the European Heavyweight Championship by a furious first-round K.o. over Heuser. His ambitions to challenge Louis again were stopped by WW II.
"The two men who emerged to fight for the crown were tough American Jack Sharkey and the European heavyweight champion Max Schmeling."
Wrong!
Max was current German Heavyweight Champion and former European and German Lightheavyweight Champion when he came to the U.S.
"Schmeling incurred the displeasure of his family when he eschewed a business career and took up boxing."
Wrong!
His father allowed him to have training lessons when Max was a boy...and his mother was very proud of her son too.
"He also surprised them, for he had lost two fingers on his hand due to a childhood accident."
Wrong!
He had all his 10 fingers his whole life.
"But there were reverses too. Defeat inside one round to moderate British Cruiserweight Gypsy Daniels did little to enhance his reputation."
that was Schmelings ONLY defeat between September 1925 and June 1932 in 32 fights. It took place in early 1928 when Max was still a light-heavyweight. and the defeat 1932 against Sharkey wasn't realy one.
"In fact, when he travelled to Britain in search of engagements, no promoter would even look at him."
Wrong!
Max never went to Britain to fight. He went there only once in 1927 to see the fight between Mickey Walker and Tommy Milligan.
"There was probably less interest in this contest than any other Heavyweight Title Fight of the post war era. Schmeling wasn't a well known figure as far as American boxing fans were concerned"
Wrong!
80.000 saw the fight! And the year before over 40.000 mostly americans saw the fight between two Europeans Max and Paolino. After Max outclassed Johny Risko in an outsold Madison Square Garden he was a topnotcher....and the press compared not only his face with that of Jack Dempsey.
"It was, in fact a short and contraversial encounter. Sharkey had the better of the early exchanges, including a terrific right hook to Schmeling's jaw in the third round, a blow which sent the German reeling onto the ropes. The fight ended in the next round when Schmelling went down in agony after an undoubted low blow from his opponent."
Schmeling was studying his opponents and Sharkey wanted fast K.o. Shortly before the low blow Schmeling took the offensive, was on the way of winning a clear round after Sharkey won the first 3 rounds slightly.
Schmelings Career didn't end in 1932. After a victory over Mickey Walker Schmeling had a crisis, loosing to Baer and Hamas in 1933/34 but then came back with some good fights including the K.o. over Joe Louis.
One year after the second Louis fight Max won the European Heavyweight Championship by a furious first-round K.o. over Heuser. His ambitions to challenge Louis again were stopped by WW II.