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Jim Braddock’s rise from the soup lines… to number one heavyweight contender has truly been miraculous. - NBC Box Commentator (Baer vs. Braddock match)
Photo: Max Baer vs Jim Braddock in 1935
James Braddock was born in 1905. He started boxing early. At the age of 21 he turned pro, fighting as a light heavyweight and in just three years, he scored 21 knockouts.
In 1928, he lost to Tommy Loughranbadly and fractured his right hand in several places. His performance and disposition suffered, his record fell.
In 1929, a severe economic depression spread worldwide. The history named it: The great depression. Millions fell into poverty. Braddock’s family wasn’t sparred. He had to give up boxing and worked as a longshoreman. He had to accept government relief money to survive.
He eventually restarted his boxing career. He defeated a highly regarded heavyweight contender, Art Lasky, and he was given a title fight against the World Heavyweight Champion, Max Baer.
He worked hard: “I’m training for a fight. Not a boxing contest or a clownin’ contest or a dance. Whether it goes 1 round or 3 rounds or 10 rounds, it will be a fight and a fight all the way. When you’ve been through what I’ve had to face in the last two years, a Max Baer or a Bengal tiger looks like a house pet. He might come at me with a cannon and a blackjack and he would still be a picnic compared to what I’ve had to face.”
Braddock defeated Baer. For the boxing commentator, Braddock’s actions may have appeared as a “miraculous rise”. For many boxing wannabes and boxing coaches Braddock’s actions might appear as the recipe to success.
But which of the excellent boxers cares about rising miraculously? Which of them cares about success recipes? An excellent boxer cares about boxing, period.
Focus on doing what you do. Train for the fight rather than success.
PS: Watch Cinderella Man, if you’re interested in Braddock’s story.
