Joe Louis

Joe Louis (Joseph Louis Barrow) , 1914-81, American boxer, b. Lafayette, Ala. His father, a sharecropper, died when Louis was four years old, and in 1926 his stepfather took the family to Detroit, where Louis became interested in boxing. At 18 he began an amateur career in the ring. After winning (1934) the National Amateur Athletic Union light heavyweight title, Louis turned professional. In a meteoric rise, Louis—with magnificent physique, lightning punches, and stolid calmness—fought his way from the ranks of beginners to become (1937) the world heavyweight champion by knocking out James J. Braddock in the eighth round at Chicago. In 1938 he knocked out Max Schmeling —who had been the only man ever to defeat Louis (by a 12-round knockout in 1936) in professional boxing—in the first round in New York City. By the time he announced his retirement from the ring in 1949, Louis, often called the "Brown Bomber" by his admirers, had won 60 bouts, 51 by knockouts, and defended his title a record 25 times, scoring 21 knockouts. Louis came out of retirement in 1950, lost a decision to Ezzard Charles, and was knocked out (1951) by Rocky Marciano , after which he retired. In 71 professional bouts Louis was defeated only three times.

Bibliography: See his autobiographies (1947, 1978); biographies by C. Mead (1985) and R. Bak (1996); L. A. Erenberg, The Greatest Fight of Our Generation: Louis vs. Schmeling (2005); D. Margolick, Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink (2005).

Louis, Joe (1914–1983), boxer and heavyweight champion.Born near LaFayette, Alabama, Joe Louis moved to Detroit with his mother at the age of ten. He became an amateur boxer in 1932 and two years later turned professional. Under the guidance of his trainer and confidant Jack “Chappie” Blackburn and managers John Roxborough and Julian Black, Louis quickly established a reputation as a devastating puncher and skilled fighter. He captured the heavyweight championship from James Braddock in 1937 and went on to defend his title a record twenty‐five times. Among his many legendary fights was a first‐round knockout of the German fighter Max Schmeling in a return match in 1938, a final‐round knockout of Billy Conn in 1941, and a highly controversial defeat of Jersey Joe Walcott in 1947. His defeat of Schmeling took on symbolic importance, as many Americans viewed it as a triumph of American democracy over Nazi racism and totalitarianism. Louis retired as heavyweight champion in 1949, only to be thwarted in comeback attempts against Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano over the next two years. As with many former boxers, Louis's postretirement years were troubled. He married four times (twice to Marva Trotter), failed in the fast‐food business, at one time owed over a million dollars in federal taxes, and spent five months in a mental hospital. Louis spent his last years as a greeter at Caesar's Palace Casino in Las Vegas. In 1990, he was posthumously honored by election to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. An American hero, Joe Louis was especially revered in the African‐American community.
See also Boxing; Sports: Professional Sports.

Bibliography

Anthony O. Edmonds , Joe Louis, 1973.
Chris Mead , Joe Louis: Black Hero in White America, 1985.

David K. Wiggins

Louis, Joe (1914–81) US boxer, b. Joseph Louis Barrow. He was nicknamed the ‘Brown Bomber’. In 1937, Louis won the world heavyweight title from James J. Braddock. He retired undefeated in 1949. Louis fought 25 successful defences and scored 21 knockouts, including the historic 1938 defeat of Max Schmeling. He returned to the ring, lost on points to Ezzard Charles (1950), and was knocked out by Rocky Marciano (1951). Louis held the title longer than any other heavyweight.