Joe Louis

:For the dessert cake, see Jos. Louis

Ascendency

In 1935, he boxed 13 more times, and started touring the United States and Canada. He won each of his fights, and he began to face better opposition, beating former world Heavyweight champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer, and former Carnera world title challenger Paolino Uzcudun. His last four bouts that year were exhibitions in Canada, as one fight versus Isodoro Castagana, supposed to take place December 29 at Havana, Cuba, was suspended.

Related Topics:
1935 - United States - Canada - Primo Carnera - Max Baer - Paolino Uzcudun - Isodoro Castagana - December 29 - Havana - Cuba

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He began 1936 knocking out Charlie Retzlaff in the first round. In his next fight, however, he was matched with former world Heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, who was thought to be fading when he upset Louis by a knockout in 12 at New York. The German had studied Louis and found a gap in his coverage, which enabled him to hit Louis hard in the early rounds, which led to a KO in round 12. Louis and his supporters were devastated.

Related Topics:
1936 - Charlie Retzlaff - Max Schmeling - New York - German - KO

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Schmeling now deserved a fight for the title, but was denied a chance to challenge the world champion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That year Louis had four more bouts, winning all of them, and three exhibitions. Among the boxers he defeated were former Heavyweight champ Jack Sharkey and Eddie Simms, who turned and asked the referee to take a walk on the roof with him after a hit from Louis. The referee stopped the fight right away.

Related Topics:
Boxer - Jack Sharkey - Eddie Simms

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1937 came by, and after a ten round decision win over Bob Pastor, Louis was matched with world champion James J. Braddock in Chicago for the World Heavyweight title. Louis was dropped in round one, but he got up and became the world champion by knocking Braddock out in round eight. He said after the fight, however, that he would not feel like a world champion until he beat one man: Schmeling. Louis retained the title three times, outpointing the capable Welshman Tommy Farr and knocking out Nathan Mann in three and Harry Thomas in five.

Related Topics:
1937 - Bob Pastor - James J. Braddock - Welshman - Tommy Farr - Nathan Mann - Harry Thomas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The rematch with Schmeling finally took place, on June 22, 1938. This time the fight was hype on both sides of the Atlantic, and many fans around the world saw this fight as a symbol: Louis representing the American interests and Schmeling, who was wrongly seen as a Nazi, fighting for Germany and white supremacy.

Related Topics:
June 22 - 1938 - Nazi - Germany

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The fight itself ended quickly. With his superior speed, Louis retained his title by a knockout in the first round, avenging his only loss up until that time and achieving something not too many African-Americans of the era imagined anyone could do: becoming a national hero both for the white and the black population. Louis was black, so when he won the title, he had become an example to his fellow black Americans. But by beating a German boxer, Louis won over whites too, something very hard to do during the 1930s and 1940s in the United States.

Related Topics:
African-American - 1930s - 1940s - United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~