One of the greatest heavy weight champions the world has never seen, African American prize fighter Joe Louis was once described by sports writer Jimmy Canon as a accredit to his race; the human race.
Born a son of an Alabama cotton picker in 1914, Louis ignored his trainer’s advice to fight only black boxers and one Michigan’s golden gloves title before turning pro in 1954.
The following year he came to public attention by winning his first 27th fight. Defeating champions such as Primo Carnera and Spaniard Paulino Uzcudun who had never been knocked down before Louis came.
The money from his fights piled up but Louis was known to his generosity and was constantly giving it away to people in need even repay the city of Detroit, the $250 family once received in the fights.
Dubbed the Brown Bomber of Detroit, Louis dedication to his sport was so great that on the day of his wedding to singer Marva Trotter, he fought in one about against popular heavy weight champion Max Baer.
Male: A thrilling victory at now with a bride to enjoy it with him, it‘s needless to say that Joe is quite happy, aren’t you Joe?
Joe: Yeah I’m very happy.
Male: Well tell us fella, what makes you hapier? To a beaten Baer or to be married?
Joe: I beg to be married.
Male: Will you readily admit that it was a pretty tough fight while it lasted, wasn’t it?
Joe; Yeah, it was a tough fight the other night.
Male: Now that you’re in the threshold of the championship bout and married, what are your plans?
Joe: Have a family, I’m going to stay home.
Male: That’s nice work Joes, if you can get it.
But in 1936, he met his match in German Max Schmeling. Schmeling and his trainer analyzed film footage of Louis fights and discovered that Louis that his guard down slightly the moment between he will bring his famous job and following up with a left hook by stepping slightly back, Schmeling could evade the short job, exploit the weakness of the straight right. His strategy was obviously to twelve rounds later in the upset of the year, Louis was counted out for the first time in his career, Black Americans were devastated. It was right in their heart. Although he defeated some big name opponents soon after, Louis said that he would not consider himself a heavy weight champion until he had defeated Schmeling in a rematch.
That opportunity came on June the 22nd 1938 at the Yankee Stadium after running the intense publicity campaign about Germany’s daring supremacy, the Nazi’s waiting for the end when Schmeling went down for the count, only two minutes and four seconds into the first round.
Male: Well Joe you sure mowed him tonight, didn’t you boy?
Joe; Well I did.
Male: What blow do you think put him away?
Joe: A right hand.
Male: And what now Joe?
Joe: Well I guess who ever have picked by me.
Male: How about Tony Gallento?
Joe: I’ll fight him.
Male: Lou Nova?
Joe: He is a good fighter.
Male: How about Maxie Bear?
Joe: Or I’ll fight about two.
Male: Well Joe, you’re willing to fight any of my chips?
Joe: Oh yes.
When hostilities began in 1941, Louis became a first boy for army recruitment as the highest profile African American soldier. Despite the fact that the army was still racially segregated, thanks to his influence, Black soldiers visit to office of training school for the first time. Louis war service was mostly symbolic and he travels a year to boost morale, playing exhibition boxing matches and entertaining the troops, he then made the money he earned to the war effort.
After the war, Louis continued to fight. His famous saying, he can run but he can’t hide is spoken in response to his 1946 rematch against Billy Conn who said he planned to strike at Louis and then run away.
Three years later, Louis retired from the ring but he remained a populous celebrity.
He died in 1981, he was buried with full military honors in the Arlington Cemetery remembered by boxing fans around the world as by the greatest legends up today.
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