There is a generation of boxing fans who are adamant that Joe Louis was the greatest boxer there ever was pound for pound. He would have to feature on every top ten list of boxers of all time. For me is in the top three best heavyweights of all time including Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali.

He was almost without a weakness and won more world heavyweight title fights than any other man, at the time of writing, that is a 120 year all time record since the sport became gloved and governed by the Marquis of Queensberry Rules in 1892. Believe me, there are not many boxers that have (or ever will) touch the same heights as Joe Louis.

For such a giant sporting figure he came from a humble background, born in Lafayette, Alabama, USA on 13 May 1914. His ancestors included black slaves and Cherokee Indians (Native Americans). As a youngster his family moved to the ‘Motor City’ of Detroit and it was here that the true legend began to take shape. His mother gave him money for violin lessons in the belief that a musician would always be able to earn. What became music’s loss was boxing’s game when instead of using the money on violin lessons Louis spent the money learning to box in a local gym.

He had a decent amateur career, losing here and there but generally prevailing. He turned professional in 1934. A local businessman, John Roxborough, looked after him and advised him to change his name from Joseph Louis Barrow to Joe Louis. It did not take long for that name to make the headlines. Roxborough was an intimidating man to most, convicted for a triple homicide, with a scar dominating one side of his face. He was also an alcoholic with a fierce temper, yet he and Louis enjoyed a good partnership.

Louis soon rattled up an impressive number of inside the distance wins, attracting the attention of promoter Mike Jacobs who eventually took over the running of Louis’s career and would enjoy a monopoly on the heavyweight division in the 1930s and 40s promoting some great contests the main bulk of them involving Louis.

Louis improved under trainer and former boxer Jack Blackburn who had fought the great lightweight boxer Joe Gans at the beginning of the 20th century. With a wealth of ring experience which he passed on to his young charge Louis developed a deceptive shuffling forward style, always behind a ramrod left jab, looking for openings with both hands. When he did unleash his fists they were often in blindingly fast combinations with devastating consequences for his opponents.

That Louis also possessed an amazingly calm and stoic temperament and intelligent ring brain enabled him to deal with most crises and problems put in front of him. Yet he was so good that he was rarely troubled. The knockout victories and victims piled up and it was not long before he earned the nickname ‘The Brown Bomber.’

Jack Blackburn was a superb trainer with an analytical brain, able to spot faults and to improve boxers by carefully building their confidence and skills. Louis was the perfect pupil, he was patient, he listened and he executed what he was taught. They both referred to each other as ‘Chappie’ and often spoke to each other in affected upper crust English accents. This shared special bond proved to be one of the most if not the most successful partnerships in ring history. Their relationship transcended boxing and they were almost like father and son.

Louis calmness and cool demeanour helped immensely in letting White America accept him as a top contender and eventual world champion. There were still terrible problems for black Americans and racism was rife in the 1930s, 40s and 50s in the States. That Louis was not only accepted but eventually adored by millions of people of all races, ages and genders is a testament to his greatness and cross-over appeal. He was true box office and many of his contests were electrifying in their intensity, excitement and cold and clinical in their conclusion (usually another spectacularly chilling knockout win for Louis).

Louis’s management team were very wary of the ‘race’ issue. They knew they had someone very special indeed, a ‘once in a lifetime’ boxer and they did everything they could to ensure his success. To avoid the notoriety of former world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson they set certain ground rules. Louis would never drink or smoke in public, he would never smile, he would never gloat at opponents, he would never be seen in public or photographed with women, especially white women and he would be well mannered at all times. This all seems crazy and patronising to modern readers but at that time it really could mean hatred and exile to the boxing wilderness. The publicity campaign worked a treat and early in his career Louis lived like a monk, sleeping, eating and training boxing. There were no distractions and no scandals.

In no time at all he was making short work of the best heavyweights out there including two former world champions: the giant Italian Primo Carnera who was demolished in six easy rounds and Max Baer who had only lost his crown three months earlier. Writer Paul Gallico said after the Carnera contest ‘Louis transformed a brawny, courageous man into a bubbling, goggle-eyed jelly.’ The dynamite punching and intimidating Baer was floored several times being despatched with total ease in four rounds. Afterwards Baer observed ‘Joe Louis’s left jab is like a bomb bursting in your face.’ Louis looked unbeatable that night and there was already a clamour for a world title shot.

The old saying ‘After pride comes a fall’ could not have been more apt for the coming situation. When a third former world heavyweight champion was brought over from Germany as a sacrificial offering to the rising American star, Louis received the shock of his life. Max Schmeling was a decent boxer who facially resembled old champion Jack Dempsey. He was a crafty, correct boxer with a decent punch but of late his career had gone off the boil. On arrival in the States Schmeling quietly smiled and ignored the inane questions reporters fired at him. When asked how he thought he could cope with Louis he just smiled and said enigmatically ‘I think I see something.’

That ‘something’ was an Achilles heel that Louis and his handlers had failed to spot. The experienced former champion noticed when reviewing the fight films of his younger opponent that Louis had a habit of dropping his left after throwing a jab. A simple, almost unnoticeable flaw which no one else had yet exploited, it was all Schmeling needed. He worked on a strategy where every time Louis dropped that left he would explode over the dropped left arm with a powerful right cross counter, Schmeling’s best punch.

Behind the scenes the usually humble and thoroughly professional Louis was beginning to believe his own hype and cut corners in training believing that all he had to do was show up to win. He skipped training runs, did not spar as often as he normally did and to be frank he spent more time on the golf course larking about than train for a dangerous and experienced foe. He would ultimately pay the price.

In June 1936 at Yankee Stadium the young twenty two year old discovered that Schmeling would not go down like his previous opponents did and alarmingly he kept getting caught with that right hand counter over his left. In the fourth round the unthinkable happened and a stunned Louis was floored for a count. He managed to get up but fought in a daze for the rest of the contest. He lacked the sharpness and the stamina required to recover and handle the German and despite showing enormous courage he was worn down and eventually knocked out in the twelfth round. The unthinkable had happened the old so called washed up veteran had just knocked out the up and coming ‘unbeatable’ prospect.

It was a particularly traumatic loss for Louis who conceded that he should have prepared properly and shown Schmeling more respect. He would never cut corners in training again, ensuring that he was always 100 percent prepared. On the comeback road he knocked out another ex world champion in Jack Sharkey who said that he ‘would never lose to a negro’ before being comprehensively blasted out in three rounds (oops!) With his world title ambitions back on track Louis desperately wanted a return contest against his conqueror Schmeling but this proved elusive.

Schmeling wanted a shot at world champion ‘The Cinderella Man’ James J Braddock. Promoter Mike Jacobs pulled a masterstroke by persuading Braddock to defend against Louis instead. The deal offered was probably the best ever to a defending world champion before or since: should Braddock lose he would receive ten percent of profits from the next ten years of heavyweight title fights. In hindsight it was an amazing deal and Braddock must have retired a very happy wealthy man. It should be pointed out that he had absolutely no intention of surrendering the title being a very tough, principled and determined man.

The world title fight took place in Chicago on 22 June 1937. Braddock proved his determination to hold onto the title and his self belief by dropping Louis onto his trunks for a flash knockdown in the first round. Louis got straight back up and then proceeded to systematically wear the brave Braddock down before knocking out the proud champion in the eighth round. Louis became only the second black heavyweight champion of the world (Johnson was the last over 22 years earlier) and a new magic era in boxing began.

An amazing, unprecedented and to date unequalled run began. Between August 1937 and March 1942 Louis defended his title no less than 21 times against a mixture of top contenders and less able boxers which the press perhaps unkindly dubbed ‘the Bum of the Month’ campaign. Of the 21 defeated challengers only Wales’ Tommy Farr and Chilean Arturo Godoy lasted until the final bell, testament to Louis’s devastating knockout power.

In June of 1938 Louis finally got the much desired return contest against his only conqueror Max Schmeling. The background to this contest was nothing less than phenomenal. Both men found themselves in the uncomfortable position of becoming symbols. For the affable Schmeling the ruling German Nazi party used him as a symbol for propaganda stating that he represented Aryan ‘purity’ and ‘superiority.’ This horrified the liberal minded and mild mannered Schmeling who in private despised the Nazi party and all it stood for. Later during the war he would save many Jews lives from execution at the risk of his own, it should also be noted that his manager Joe Jacobs was Jewish. But the press as usual had their own agenda and they played their part in whipping up the hysteria that surrounded the fight.

For the American press Louis he represented all that was good in the world. The President once famously grabbed Louis’s bicep on a visit to the White House and said ‘Joe, we need muscles like these to beat Germany.’ Louis was the ambassador for the oppressed and represented freedom.

This all sat uneasily with him as he was well aware that despite all the false smiles of the whites and the condescending newspaper articles saying things like he ‘was a credit to his race’ knew that he lived in a country where blacks had to eat separately to whites, drink from different water fountains and in some places would not even get served. Louis knew and understood the hypocrisy all too well and instead of becoming part of the media circus just quietly went about the training and preparation needed to defeat his opponent. This was personal for him, he had a score to settle and come fight time he had never looked so sharp and focussed.

It has been widely reported that on that hot summer night at Yankee Stadium in front of thousands of fans, with radio broadcasting the contest worldwide Louis Stoically turned to Jack Blackburn and said ‘Don’t forget this Chappie.’

It was the biggest fight of his life and Louis met Schmeling in the centre of the ring and then proceeded to dismantle and destroy his former conqueror. In that first round Schmeling was down no fewer than three times. At one point his shrieks could be heard as he was hit in the kidneys. At this point the broadcast in Nazi Germany was cut off…so much for being the master race.

One punch dramatically turned and wobbled Schmeling’s head so violently it was frightening to watch. Louis had his revenge and served notice that he was the best heavyweight out there, maybe the best ever. After all the hype and build up he just walked right through a tough experienced professional and destroyed him with almost contemptuous ease. Even as the dramatic victory was announced and thousands cheered and people all over America rejoiced in some unprecedented scenes of jubilation Louis did not smile. He just walked back to Blackburn and winked. This was his own private battle, his own demon to conquer and he had done so emphatically.

Over the next three years Louis walked through the opposition knocking anyone brave enough to stand in front of him out. ‘Two Ton’ Tony Galento managed to floor him briefly only to be flattened in the fourth round. Big men like Abe Simon and Buddy Baer (younger brother of Max Baer) were also easily dismissed inside the distance. It was not until June 1941 at the Polo Grounds in New York that Louis was given a stern test in the form of light-heavyweight world champion Billy Conn. The Irish American was a canny slickster with a good punch but more importantly excellent boxing skill and speed of hand and foot. Many boxing pundits felt he may have a chance only for Louis to famously remark ‘He can run, but he can’t hide.’

For the first time since the first Schmeling fight it looked like Louis could lose as the faster Conn piled up the points by moving and jabbing. It was not until the thirteenth round where a cocky Conn decided to mix it with the 25 pound heavier Louis. All he had to do was stay out of trouble and he would have won an amazing points victory. But the hot-headed Conn went for the knockout and paid the price: Louis knocked him clean out!

The Conn fight was a close call but served notice that Louis could cope with the flashy fancy Dan’s as well as the tough guys. You just did not mix it with Joe Louis if you wanted to remain standing upright! With America’s involvement in the Second World War Louis donated his purses to the navy and army relief a tremendously magnanimous and patriotic gesture. He then served as a sergeant instructor in the war. From 1942 to 1946 he was inactive. The title was put on ice until the war was over.

When Louis came back it was clear that although he was still great he was not the same as he was pre-war. He defended successfully against old foe Conn, who frankly looked terrible being knocked out in eight one-sided rounds. He beat Tami Mauriello then came the contest against Jersey Joe Walcott on 5 December 1947 at Madison Square Garden, New York. This was interesting as Walcott would go on to be one of the top heavyweights of the late 1940s and early 1950s, enjoying a spell as world champion. But at the time he was seen as just another contender. At 33 he was even a few months older than the champion. Louis looked pretty average and was even dropped for a count in the first and fourth rounds.

Walcott’s flashy footwork and sharp punching troubled Louis all night. Despite fighting back into it and making it close, Louis did not stay in the ring after the bell to end the contest to hear the decision believing that he had lost the title on points. Fortunately the judges awarded the close unpopular decision to Louis and the title stayed in his hands.

After a lot of soul searching Louis decided that he had to resolve matters with Walcott and a return contest was held at Yankee Stadium, New York in June 1948. Louis was down again in the third round but he got back up to rally. He eventually ended twenty five and a half rounds of frustration by clinically knocking out Walcott in the eleventh round of an exciting contest. On 1 June 1949 after 11 years and twenty five successful title defences Louis retired as a hugely popular and beloved undefeated champion. That should have been the beginning of a fairytale happy and deserved retirement but the Inland Revenue Service had other ideas. Louis greatest fight against Uncle Sam was about to begin…

The US Government in its wisdom decided that despite all the generous donations, meritorious service to his country and outstanding contribution in public life that Citizen Joe Louis owed them back taxes. These demands were so severe and the burden so much that Louis had to return to the ring, a sad and desperate state of affairs. When he should have been out carousing with his friends on the golf course or with his family he was back in the most dangerous place: The boxing ring and he was not a young prospect anymore.

On 27 September 1950 Louis challenged champion Ezzard Charles in a bid to become the first man to regain the world heavyweight title. It was clear he was not the Louis of old and lost on a unanimous point’s decision over fifteen rounds. His money woes were far from over and he sadly continued to box trying to pay off the tax bill.

He won eight more contests but on 26 October he found himself in the position of old ex former champion facing the young up and coming prospect, a situation that should never have happened. In the opposite corner was the young tough Italian American contender ‘The Brockton Blockbuster’ Rocky Marciano. Louis was 37 years old and despite flashes of his old brilliance he could not hold off the marauding Marciano. Both men showed the marks of battle going into the eighth but in this round a powerhouse right (Marciano’s best punch nicknamed ‘Suzy Q’) did the unthinkable and knocked the old former champion out.

As the referee counted Louis out, Sugar Ray Robinson cradled his idols head which was draped over the bottom rope and onto the ring apron. It was a terribly sad ending for such a great career. Many ringsiders openly wept at the conclusion of the contest seeing their hero defeated in such a fashion too much to bear. In a bizarre situation Marciano himself had to be consoled by Louis in the dressing room later. He had knocked out his boyhood idol.

Louis showed a lot of dignity and announced his retirement. Only reckless youth and father time had defeated this magnificent boxer in an outstanding career. Sadly he had to earn money as a wrestler through much of the 1950s even appearing on a television quiz to try to win some money. Finally the US Government showed mercy and relented, writing off the crippling bill. It was a sorry state of affairs but finally Louis was free. He spent the rest of his days living in Las Vegas where he worked as a ‘greeter’ and host at a casino. He died aged 67 on 12 April 1981.

Highly regarded boxing writer and historian Bert Randolph Sugar summed up Louis perhaps best: ‘Louis’ss incurious eyes always bore straight into – and through – his opponents, causing them to shake like aspens and begin lining up on the side of the undertaker.’

Muhammad Ali who many consider to be the greatest of all time said of Louis: ‘I only paid lip service to him, he was the greatest.’`

World Title Fights: 27 World Title Wins: 26 Lost: 1

Career Record

Fights: 69 Wins: 66 Lost: 3 KO’s: 52