Max Baer vs. Lou Nova (1st meeting)
Max Baer 211 lbs lost to Lou Nova 202 lbs by TKO at 1:21 in round 11 of 12
- Date: 1939-06-01
- Location: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York, USA
- Referee: Frank Fullam
- Judge: Bill Healy
- Judge: Joe Lynch
Comments
Nat Fleischer, former editor of The Ring Magazine, discussed this bout in his book entitled Max Baer, The Glamour Boy of the Ring, which was published in 1942. Fleischer observed the bout from the press row. Fleischer noted that this bout was stopped due to an injury to Baer who sustained a mouth cut earlier in the fight - profuse bleeding from the cut hampered Baer's breathing. Fleischer indicated in his evaluation that this was a competitive fight up until the time of the stoppage.
Boxing Factoid
This was the first boxing match ever televised.
Article
"Lou Nova battered veteran Max Baer into such a helpless, bloody hulk Thursday night that their savage brawl was halted in the 11th round, giving Nova a TKO victory and the right to a shot at the heavyweight championship. Referee Frankie Fullam halted the scheduled 15 round bout at Yankee Stadium at 1:21 of the 11th, when Baer was staggering about with blood streaming from his nose and mouth, and with both eyes almost closed. Max was so badly beaten at the end of the 10th that Fullam examined him in his corner and said, "I ought to stop the fight now, but I'll give you one more chance. I'll see how you do in this round."
During the early going it was a grand battle, with Maxie several times having Nova on the verge of groggyland. After the 6th, Maxie, spouting blood from his nose and mouth, was futile in his desperate attempts to beat back the ever-aggressive Nova. The only damage suffered by Nova was a gash under his right eye. However, Baer received one of the worst beatings of his career as he suffered his second KO in 11 years of professional scrapping." -United Press
- Unofficial UP scorecard through 10 completed rounds - 7-2-1 Nova
- Nova was penalized the 4th round for low blows and Baer was penalized the 7th for hitting after the bell.
Post-fight comment
- "Maybe I ought to quit and keep the brains I got!" -Max Baer