What's your opinion of Maxie Rosenbloom?

[Asphalt]

Light Heavyweight Champion
World and International Boxing Hall of Famer

His record is the most amazing I've seen, not because of the amount of fights but the number of matches he's won by decision or TKO.

298 Fights

222 Wins (19 KO)

42 Losses

31 Draws

3 No Contests

[TheGreatA]

Fought all of them and beat great fighters despite having no punching power, which is incredible.

The funny thing is that when he did once knock a man out, the fight was thought to be a fix and his opponent was suspended. It was his last fight.

I don't really have any knowledge myself whether it was in fact a fix or not, but considering Rosenbloom's lack of punching power and his opponent's (Al Ettore) proven durability, it probably was.

Either way, he was known as a "slapper" who was not a very pleasing fighter to watch and could be dirty as well, using all the tricks in the book to his advantage. He kind of had to, since he couldn't really knock people out.

After his boxing career he had success as an actor, often playing the part of a punch drunk former boxer in movies.







[IMG]http://www.***ishsports.net/BioImages/bookA_Page_064_Image_0002.jpg[/IMG]

[Obama]

Slapper you say? The original Joe Calzaghe?

[TheGreatA]

Slapper you say? The original Joe Calzaghe?

Willie Meehan was the original slapper. He beat Jack Dempsey twice.

[Obama]

Willie Meehan was the original slapper. He beat Jack Dempsey twice.

He also beat Sam Langford...

Sad tho with Dempsey. Demspey could only beat the little fat man 1 out of 5 times.

[TheGreatA]

He also beat Sam Langford...

Sad tho with Dempsey. Demspey could only beat the little fat man 1 out of 5 times.

To be fair to Dempsey, one of the draws was a robbery against him, so it should likely be 2-2-1.

One might say that they were only 4 rounders and thus shouldn't mean much, but Dempsey always had his best rounds early on yet he could do nothing to Meehan.

[Caesar]

thank you very interesting topic

[Southpaw16BF]

Rosenbloom was a clever crafty boxer who was very difficult to hit cleanly with a power punch; He chose to fight at a distance since he was not a devastating hitter; At times, he appeared to strike his opponents with open gloves and picked up the nickname "Slapsie" Maxie.

Maxie fought frequently, appearing in almost 300 bouts and would battle anyone willing to fight him; During his career, he won the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World. He fought the likes of Harry Greb, Micky Walker, Jim Braddock, and Young Stribling to name a few.

He was extremely popular and enjoyed gala parties, the company of movie actors, women and even gamblers; After his ring tenure was over, Maxie enjoyed a career in radio, television, movies and night clubs.

Raised on the Lower East Side of New York, Rosenbloom left school after third grade and later served time in reform school. Reportedly, actor George Raft spotted the young Rosenbloom in a street brawl and advised him to become a boxer. Rosenbloom had an unusual style. He was a weak puncher and often slapped at his opponents with an open hand-earning him the nickname "Slapsie"-but he was a consummate defensive fighter and did whatever was necessary to avoid getting hit. He won the vast majority of his fights, although he only recorded nineteen knockouts in his entire professional career.

Rosenbloom turned pro at the age of nineteen and quickly became ranked as a contender, placing tenth in the 1925 annual rankings by The Ring. In 1927, Rosenbloom faced Jimmy Slattery-who had already beaten him twice-for the vacant NBA light heavyweight title. Slattery again won the decision. Over the next couple of years, Rosenbloom kept up a rigorous schedule, battling 46 times in 1928 and 1929.

In 1930, Rosenbloom again faced Slattery in a title fight. Rosenbloom took the decision in fifteen rounds and won the world light heavyweight championship, as recognized by the New York State Athletic Commission. Most ring experts considered Rosenbloom the best light heavy-weight in the game, and he was acclaimed as the undisputed champion when he defeated Lou Scozza in July of 1932.

Rosenbloom held the title until 1934, when he lost a decision to Bob Olin, although many sports writers at ringside believed Rosenbloom had won. Along the way, Rosenbloom fought John Henry Lewis, winning three of their five matches. Rosenbloom had a reputation of fighting just about anyone who would get in the ring with him. He once asked for a match with Joe Louis. As the story goes, Louis was confident of winning but declined because he feared Rosenbloom would make him look bad.

Rather interesting tale about him wanting a crack at Joe Louis.

He died when 71 years of age on 1976-03-06. His trainers and managers included Frank Bachman, Ray Arcel and Whitey Bimstein.

Herb Goldman ranked Rosenbloom as the #12 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Maxie was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International ***ish Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

(Ring Magazine also claimed that Rosenbloom hardly trained, but never drank or smoked)

[Southpaw16BF]

Maxie Rosenbloom & Young Jack Thompson


Rosenbloom and Micky Walker do battle


Rosenbloom in later age


Rosenbloom gracing a cover of Ring Magazine

[GJC]

Rosenbloom had a reputation of fighting just about anyone who would get in the ring with him. He once asked for a match with Joe Louis. As the story goes, Louis was confident of winning but declined because he feared Rosenbloom would make him look bad.

Rather interesting tale about him wanting a crack at Joe Louis.

Yes I have heard that Blackburn (or possibly Roxborough) wanted no part of Rosenbloom for Louis.
The only fighter that comes to mind that the Louis camp gave a wide berth to.