Here is Max Baer's biography:
Max Baer was a professional boxer who held the heavyweight championship of the world for 364 days. Born on February 11, 1909, in Omaha, Nebraska, to a Jewish father and a mother of Scots-Irish descent, Baer moved to California with his family and dropped out of school after the eighth grade to work on a cattle ranch with his father.
Baer developed tremendous physical strength as a ranch hand and turned to boxing in 1929, training in a dedicated fashion. He racked up 22 wins in his first 24 fights, nine via first-round knockouts, and was a very dangerous fighter. However, his career was plagued by controversy, including a suspension from the ring in California for a year after the death of one of his opponents, Frankie Campbell.
Baer returned to boxing and was revitalized when former heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey took a financial interest in him and taught him to shorten his punches. He became known as "Madcap Maxie" and was nicknamed "The Monster" for his aggressive fighting style.
Baer's most notable fights were against Ernie Schaaf, whom he knocked out in the tenth round, and Primo Carnera, whom he defeated to become the heavyweight champion of the world. He held the title for 364 days before losing to Jimmy Braddock in one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
Baer's career was marked by controversy and tragedy, including the death of several opponents in the ring. He was known for his good nature and clowning around in the ring, but his lack of motivation and training led to his downfall. He retired from boxing in 1941 with a career record of 72 wins (52 KOs) and 12 losses.
Baer was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995 and died of a massive heart attack on November 21, 1959, at the age of 50. He is remembered as one of the most colorful and charismatic boxers of his era.
