Joe Louis

World Heavyweight Champion 1937-1949

Pro Rec 68-3 (54)

Joe Louis was born into a poverty-stricken family in the Deep South cotton fields in Lafayette, Alabama, on May 13th 1914. His family moved north to Detroit and it was here the youngster would learn to box with money his Mum had given to him for violin lessons. In 1934, he won the Golden Gloves award in the light-heavyweight division, in the same year turned professional winning twelve contests within the year.

Astonishingly Louis was in the ring with Primo Carnera little over a year after turning professional, Carnera had only just lost his Heavyweight crown the previous year to Max Baer. The bout was in the Yankee Stadium before an attendance of 62,356, Carnera lasted just three rounds. Max Baer himself had since lost the title, paving the road for Louis to add another impressive scalp to his record. With this, Louis had his reputation travel far and wide and a crack at the title looked inevitable, but first he was faced with yet another former champion. Many thought the meeting with Max Schmeling in 1936, was a formality especially after the way Louis had disposed of two previous champions. The German handed Louis his first defeat dropping him in the fourth and again in the twelfth were the young prospect was counted out. Stunning the world and in particular black America for whom Louis carried the hopes and dreams.

Heavyweight Bout, June 19th, 1936 Max Schmeling vs Joe Louis

Louis (the brown bomber) put the defeat down to experience and was soon back in the ring winning with regularity. It was obvious now that Schmeling was ahead of Louis in the pecking order for a shot at the title, However, on this occasion prejudice would work in his favour, Schmeling was from Germany, the native land of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi regime. Schmeling despised the regime; nevertheless, his roots caused him what most believed would have been a second term as Heavyweight Champion.

The Rematch Heavyweight Bout, June 22nd, 1938 Max Schmeling vs Joe Louis

Joe Louis captured the heavyweight crown in 1937, when he knocked out James J. Braddock in eight rounds. He made twenty-one successful defences till he joined the US Army as a physical instructor in 1942, still the champion he returned to the ring in 1946 and went on to defend his title four more times before announcing his retirement in 1949. Financial imperatives forced him out of retirement and he challenged for the title a year later against Ezzard Charles, who won on points. The Brown Bomber fought his last fight in 1951 against the up and coming Rocky Marciano, Louis was the inspiration that led Marciano to take up the sport, nevertheless Marciano was en-route to a title shot and stopped Louis in the eighth. It was reported many in attendance had a tear in their eye on the night; including Marciano.

Joe Louis set records that stand to this day. He reigned as heavyweight champion for eleven years and eight months, the longest any champion has reigned in any division; he also successfully defended his title on twenty-five occasions.

In retrospect all these achievements came at a time in America when racism was rife and many black Americans lived in segregation. Before Louis, numerous talented black fighters where denied a title shot in favour of less-gifted fighters, sickeningly because they were politically more acceptable. Louis began to crack the system he showed a black man could win the world title and could compete on equal terms with dignity and hold himself admiringly.

When Joe Louis died on April 12th 1981, the American Government had him buried in Arlington National Cemetery, which is reserved for American heroes.

Mark Leroy