Boxer Profile: Joe Louis

Joseph Louis Barrow was born on 13th May 1914 in Alabama to Barry Barrow and Lilly Louis, their 7th son and their 8th child. Whilst as a child his family moved to the Motor City of Detroit (Michigan)(1), where under the wing of Jackie Blackburn(2)he want on to start an amateur career.

The Am years

Louis took up training at Brewster Recreation Center (BRC) in the early 1930's making his debut in 1932(3) in which he was put onto the deck 7 times to a more experienced and full grown opponent. Though Louis was soon to improve at the BRC and under Blackburn.
This improvement was most evident in 1934(4) when he won the National AAU(5) light Heavyweight Champion. Which is similar to the ABA title in the UK, or in other words, the top national title at the weight category in which he was fighting.
So with the national Light heavy weight (at amateur level light heavy weight is 178 pounds and not 175), Louis turned pro (almost a week after his last Am fight).

The Pre-Louis Times-Racism

Now we are talking about 1930's America, Louis was a young black man and in those days black people weren't accepted as being equal to the whites. Lets remember upto Louis their had only been 1 black heavyweight world champion (Jack Johnson who held the title between 1908-1915 ), and at the time Johnson was seen as public enemy No 1. The race card which had been played for the previous 50 years had cost some great fighters their place in history, such as Sam Langford and Harry Wills.

So unlike more modern times where big black Americans have dominated the heavyweight title (from around the 50's) with people like Sonny Liston, Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Riddick Bowe, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfeild all having the title at one point or another (6).

With this in mind Blackburn told Louis he should stick to fighting black guys only, something Louis refused to do (knowing it'd probably harm his legacy if he did).

The Pro years I- The early years

Louis made his pro debut against Jack Kracken on 4th July 1934, and made an immediate impression, the following is taken from an INS report:

"Shortly after the start of the fight the Detroit Negro sent Kracken down for a count of nine with a left hook to the jaw. When Kracken gained his feet, Louis knocked him through the ropes and into the lap of Joe Triner, chairman of the Illinois Athletic commission. Kracken crawled back into the ring at the count of 14, but Referee Dave Miller stopped the bout." (7)

The first round KO of Kracken who was 10-6-0 going into the fight and despite having been stopped for the vast majority of his losses, was still seen as a great fight for a debutant. Following this result Louis went on a brilliant run stopping his next two opponents, before facing unbeaten Jack Kranz, in a fight in which no knockdowns were scored (for the first time in Louis' career) (8). Louis winning streak and only being taken the distance once before the end of 1934 (Adolph Wiater), at the end of the year Louis was 12-0.

He opened 1935 with a fight against Patsy Perroni (48-10-3) who gave him a 10 round work out, despite Louis putting him on the mat 3 times for 9 counts). 9 wins later (8 by KO) Louis was seen to be fit for a real challenge, in the face of Primo Carnera.

The Pro years 2-To make yourself a contender, you have to beat the others

For those who know about boxing in the '20's and 30's Carnera, was 6′ 5½″ (huge in those days, with Louis only being 6'2 by comparison) and a former world champion (holding the crown between 1933-02-10 and 1934-06-14, winning it from Jack Sharkey and losing it to Max Baer). Carnera's record was also as impressive as his size recording a ledger of 82-7-0...before Louis demolished him in the 6th round.

Next came tough but dirty fighter King Levinsky (67-24-5) who's record doesn't look amazing, however Louis stopping him in the first was indeed amazing. (9) As Louis faced tough tests such as another former world champion. This time the man who beat Carnera for the title Max Baer (40-8-0) who had in turn lost the belt himself to James J Braddock (10). Baer an aggressive hard punching sort, who was a feared "killer" (11) in the ring. Baer was stopped in the 4th round

Now as I'm one to pick on peoples records, I'll do the same to the great brown bomber, after 3 tough fights he faced the Spaniard Paulino Uzcudun, who hadn't won a fight in 2 years (0-2-1 in the time period), though in fairness the Spaniard was teak tough, and hadn't been stopped before Louis did it in the 4th.

Next came another less remarkable fighter, by the name of Charley Retzlaff, who did have wins over James Braddock and Art Lasky, as his only stand out wins. Louis took him down and out in the first in front of over 16,000 people in attendance.

The Pro Years 3- Schmelling I

19th of June 1936, with the second world war looking a likely inevitability, this fight had more residing on it than mere boxing records (although the rematch 2 years later would be even bigger). The perceived to be unbeatable Louis (who was now 27-0-0) , was facing another former heavyweight champion in Max Schmelling (champion from 1930-06-12 to 1932-06-21, winning a vacated title in a fight with Sharkey, who he then lost to).

Despite being German based, the Louis fight was Schmellings 12th in America (from his record of 48-7-4), which had included the two Sharkey fights, A fight with Max Baer and one with Young Stribling (12).

Schmelling came into the fight a 12 to 1 underdog, after saying he had seen a flaw in Louis' fighting style (this was thought to be a bluff, to make Louis change the way he fought). Turned out he had, and after knocking Louis down in the fourth, he finished the job in the 12th round, putting a 1 in the L column of Louis' record, and leading Joseph Goebles (the German propaganda minister) to saying it was for the good of the Nazi's, and the Black Corps (German Nazi based weekly magazine) went as far as to say:

"Schmeling's victory was not only sport. It was a question of prestige for our race."

The Pro Years 4-The comeback I

Ok the title is a little unfair, as he didn't sit out for month like modern day boxers do when they lose a big fight, and try to see where they went wrong (Ricky Hatton springs to mind here), Louis threw himself in with another former world champion less than 2 months later. Jack Sharkey, the man who had beaten Schmelling in their rematch (a close points decision, that some claimed was given to the American to keep the title from Germany), Sharkey lasted less than 3 rounds before succumbing to Louis' destructive shots.

Louis then fought some fights to keep sharp against less than stellar competition, such as Eddie Simms, Bob Pastor and Steve Ketchell (13) before getting his chance at the crown.

The Pro years 5-The championship shot and Bum of the months

Almost a year exactly since his lost to Schmelling Louis had become the second highest contender for a shot at James J Braddock (see note 10). Despite Schmelling being the Number 1 contender, Braddock chose to face Louis instead (14).

The fight started with a shocking beginning, Louis was caught cold in the first and put on the deck, before getting off the mat and ended the Cinderella man's reign in the 8th round. Despite this Louis still didn't recognise himself as the champion, saying he needed to beat Schmelling to accept he was the best in the world.

In a rather odd occurrence Louis next fought Tommy Farr (the Commonwealth champion) who Louis dominated for a points win, the unsual part, is that Braddock's next fight was also Farr (Bradock won) in what would be Braddock's last bout.

Now what occurred in the career of Joe Louis is often (rather unfairly) termed bum of the month competition, and as the name implies, he'd fight a bum (or poor quality fighter). This started with KO wins over Nathan Mann and Harry Thomas and continued after the fight for domination.

The Pro years 6 - Schmelling II

With world war II almost certain to kick off, Louis had a chance to redeem his only loss, Schmelling had a chance to rip a title away from a "weaker race of people" and be a true "Nazi hero" in the process. Defeat for Schmelling would embaress the Germans, and really embarrass Hitler (who claimed Schmelling was an perfect example of an Aryan).

Black V White
German V American

The fight sold it's self with out trying, for a promoter this was an dream, and easier to sell than anything since Johnson V Jeffries (and in that case the fight only appealed to the Americans). With live radio being broadcast across both sides of the Atlantic, this was one of those fights that had the world captivated like so few have since, if any fight has since.

As it turned out Louis had taken care of the deficiencies of the earlier fight and the whole event was rather anti-climatic with Louis taking care of the German in the first round, giving him a savage beaten from pillar to post (one that would land Schmelling in hospital). This fight would lead to a friendship between the two of them that would last until Louis' death, and would extend to Schmelling (as well as Frank Sinatra) helping Louis out financially. And would be the second to last fight Schmelling would have until after the war (the other being a first round knock out of Adolf Heuser for the German and European titles).

The first was sold to Americans on Schmellings Nazi link's, which (I'm sorry for detracting, but felt the need to correct), he wasn't much of a Nazi, having hidden a Jewish family during the war. However he was drafted (allegedly by Hitler himself, due to the embarrassment of the Louis loss), as a paratrooper, in which he was injured (partially blamable for the 8 year ring absence). Hitler had cut the radio broadcast when it looked like Louis was going to win (so rather quickly) to hide the defeat from the German people...though to be honest it made the loss even more obvious.

The Pro Years 7 - Back to Bum of The Month

Louis' next fight was against tough former contender John Henry Lewis, who had been a feared fighter in the era of Baer and Braddock, often regarded as an avoided fighter (despite losing to Braddock in a title eliminator tournament) he'd racked up a record of 94-7-5 and had never been stopped...Louis put an end to that, and his career with a first round stoppage win after knocking the apparent iron chinned Lewis on the mat three times in the round.

Next came the list of real bums:
Jack Roper
Tony Galento (infamously referred to as "Two Ton Tony" and "Fat Bastard"
Bob Pastor
Aturo Goody (twice, the first being a split decision, with Louis being very sloppy on the night)
Johnny Paychek
Al McCoy
Red Burman
Gus Dorazio
Abe Simon (twice)
Tony Musto
Buddy Baer (Max's younger brother, managed to knock Louis down in the first, before beign knocked down himself three times in the sixth. The corner man for Baer felt the last knock down came after the bell and refused to leave the ring, resulting in a DQ win for Louis)
Lou Nova
Billy Conn (Conn had been out boxing Louis for vast parts of the fight, and was 2 points up going into the thirteenth, before Louis detonated with a KO blow). (15) (Twice)
Johnny Davis
Tami Mauriello

The Pro Years 8 - Jersey Joe Walcott

Jersey Joe Walcott was seen as a highly rated contender, and Louis was seen to be on the fade a little bit (after having had 60 fights previous), but not many gave Walcott much of a chance pre-fight. Despite this Walcott put in a stellar performance and was on the wrong side of a split decision, a decision he thought was unfair, partially because he'd managed to deck Louis twice.
A rematch was fought just over 6 months later, with a more decisive win for Louis, a KO in the 8th after Walcott had again put him on the deck (being the only man, that I know of to have put Louis on the mat three times).

The retirement I
Louis acknowledging he was on the wane and got out, officially retiring March 1, 1949. Hoping that was the end of his fighting career...or would have done, with the war over (Louis had bee enlisted in the Army, though performed exhibition boxing bouts to try and gee up the guys morale; and made sizable monetary donations) the tax man came a calling. And did he ever call, Louis was left in an ugly financial mess (sorry I'm not sure of the actual figure, but I'm sure it was in the millions, of unpaid tax). Unlike folk of now a days who fight on for money despite having enough to live a hundred times (fighters such as Evander Holyfield), Louis was forced back into the sport around 18 months after his retirement.

The Pro Years 8 - The forced come back
The come back started against Ezzard Charles, and for the first time in his pro-career he was out pointed, losing a UD to Charles. The Cincinnati Cobra as Charles was known was then declared the undisputed world champion (having already beaten Walcott for the Vacant title), a title he lost less than a year later to...Jersey Joe Walcott (in Walcott's 5th shot at the title).

Next on the come back trail for Joe were some more nobodies (as far as boxing history is concerned) with fights going the distance that the Louis of old would have put to bed early. Oddly the only KO he had during this time was against Lee Savold (6th round KO) the only other name that he did fight was the man to give him his third loss, and who would go on to major things himself. Rocky Marciano.

Marciano was 37-0 and seen as an in ring monster puncher thing, the unmovable object had 32 wins by KO, and despite seeming crude he punched like a mule would kick. Louis by now was so shot that he no longer resembled the fighter that ruled for 11 years and made over 20 defenses, he looked like a man who's better days were well beyond him and it showed, with Marciano's missiles taking him down in the 8th, before knocking him cold out against the ropes at the end of the fight.
Oddly Marciano next fought Savold, who also retired after receiving a loss on his record from the Brockton Blockbuster.

Retirement II
The time retirement was final, and he had to find other ways to earn a crust, these included golf (in the 1952 San Diego Open he was allowed to be the first black person to ever play a shot in Open history), professional wrestling (something other boxers have done since and before). He also worked as a guide at a casino, embarrassing work for a man who once stood atop the world with the biggest title a man could ever have.

Death
In his latter days he suffered a stroke, which left him wheelchair bound, and not much later he'd suffered a heart attack and on 12 April 1981 he passed away aged 66. He was buried Arlington National Cemetery a national hero and with full military honours due in part to Ronald Reagan on April 21st 1981.

A boxing legacy like no other helped establish him as one of the most memorable heavyweight champions in the history of the sport. His 25 title defenses is still a record as is his reign of over 10 years (the longest by any heavyweight in history). His record of 66 (52)-3 is one of the most impressive in history never mind of a heavyweight champion.

Trivia:
Frank Lucas (The gangster from "American Gangster") was a close friend of Louis' and paid off some of his tax bill.
He was a Liverpool Football Club player (he'd signed a contract with them for publicity in 1944)
The song "Killer Joe" arranged by Quincy Jones is a tribute to Joe Louis' career. Jones met Louis as a child in Chicago.
Another song "A Ballad For Joe (Louis)" is also a tribute to the boxer. It was by composed Joe Sample of the Crusaders and came out on the 1974 album Southern Comfort.
Jackie Robinson (Former Baseball player) was helped to be schooled, whilst in the Army due to his friendship with Louis.
A street near Madison Square Garden is named after Joe Louis.In 1993, he became the first boxer to be honored on a postage stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

(1)Detroit has been the home of many boxing greats since Louis, such as:
"Motor City Cobra"/Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns (Multiple weight champion)
Milton McCrory (Welterweight Champion)
James "Lights-out" Toney (Multiple weight Champion)

(2)Blackburn's full name was Charles Henry 'Jack' Blackburn, who was himself rather handy having got himself a pro record of 99-26-19, scoring 25 KO wins and facing the legendary Harry Greb.

(3)Some sources state he won his first fight, others indicate he lost it, but what is almost certain is he was decked the 7 times mentioned.

(4)Some sources state Louis won the AAU National light heavyweight title in 1933 and defended it in 1934.

(5)AAU-Amateur Athletic Union, now called, United States National Boxing Championships. Others to have held the title have included greats such as Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali), Leon Spinks, Montell Griffin, Tony Tucker and former Light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver. As well as up coming star at 168 Andre Ward.

(6)There have also been non-American black people have also heard at least a portion of the title, such as Lennox Lewis and Current title holder Samuel Peter.

(7) Source taken from Boxrec in it's entirety.

(8) Kranz was banned for not honoring a contract of a rematch in May of the following year.

(9)A description of the fight:

"August 7, 1935, Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois

Joe Louis, KO 2 over King Levinsky

King Levinsky tonight went the way of all flesh that has contacted the lethal blows of Joe Louis, Detroit's sensational brown bomber. After two minutes and 21 seconds of fighting, Levinsky, battered to the floor three times, squatted on the ropes of the ring and pleaded for mercy. Chicago's glorified ex-fish peddler, hopelessly beaten in those exciting two minutes, sat on the bottom rope of the ring in a neutral corner, and appealed to Norman McGarrity to stop the battle. "Don't let him hit me again. I am through," Levinsky pleaded through chalk-like lips. Louis, fighting savagely from the start, stood immobile in midring, waiting for Levinsky to get up as he gazed into the far recesses of Comiskey Park, home of the White Sox, that held 40,000 bewildered spectators. Referee McGarrity took the beaten Levinsky by the arm and helped him to his corner and into the arms of his stunned handlers. Thus the battle, scheduled to go ten rounds, ended."

Burlington Free Press, August 8, 1935, p. 15.

(10) For more information into the Baer-Braddock match, watch the brilliant "Cinderella man" which depicts Braddock's phoenix like return to the sport.

(11) The hands of Baer left Earnie Schaaf in a coma he'd never wake up from, and Frankie Campbell's injuries, added to the fact that Frankie fought on, caused the end of him.

(12) Young Stribling was at the time 239-13-15 and Schmellings only successful title defense. Young retired with a ledger of 239-13-15-3 (128 KO wins) and was only stopped once in his entire career (by none other than Schmelling).

(13) Steve Ketchel should not be confused with the great Stanley Ketchel

(14) Many reasons for facing Louis, though the key ones, that MUST be remembered, are that Louis was American (even if he was black, they'd rather a fighter of their own nationality held the title than "A Nazi". Despite the fact that black citizens were still seen as lower class, and that Schmelling wasn't a Nazi.)

A second reason, is that Braddock's manager had managed to get a clause in to the contract saying that if Louis won, Braddock would be entitled to a percentage of all Louis' future purses, something that Braddock could make a nice little earner out of.

(15) This lead to the great quote by the Irish man
"What's the use of being Irish if you can't be thick?"
And even better quote by Louis, who coined the term: "He can run, but he can't hide."

During the research for this, I found some funny boxers names that I thought I'd share with you:

Unknown Winston (beat Louis victim Eddie Simms)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=21873&cat=boxer

Johnny Paychek (a "Bum of the month")
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=12127&cat=boxer

Battling Gates (A fighter beaten by Jersey Joe Walcott)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=294916&cat=boxer

Young Jack Johnson (A fighter Blackburn fought) Funny because the original Jack Johnson was a megastar of the ring, this guy...well...wasn't. Also funny because Jack Johnson and Jack Blackburn couldn't stand each other.
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=68178&cat=boxer

Kid Norfolk (A fighter Blackburn fought)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=11318&cat=boxer

Smiling Kid Nolan (A fighter Blackburn fought) (Even funnier, he was KO'd 10 times in his 10 fights...still smiling now mate?)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=38012&cat=boxer

Willie Langford (A fighter Blackburn fought) (Proving a great name, doesn't make you great)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=11288&cat=boxer

KO Samson (A fighter Blackburn fought)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=28690&cat=boxer

One Round Sylvester (A fighter Blackburn fought)
http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=58809&cat=boxer

Sorry for the lists, but hope you enjoyed the overall thing.