By John F McKenna (McJack): In 1941 Joe Louis defended his title 7 times, including his classic match against the great Light Heavyweight Champion Billy Conn (Joe Louis vs Billy Conn – You Tube). The “Pittsburgh Kid” was as slick a boxer as their ever was and was ahead of the judges scorecards going into the 13th round. He rocked Louis in the 12th round and told his handlers he was going to knock the champ out in the next round. He foolishly started mixing it up with Louis and Joe was able to save his title with a 13 round KO. Billy and Joe would become great friends and he once asked Joe why he did not let him have the title for a year or two. Louis responded jokingly that he had loaned the title to him for 12 rounds and he could not handle it.

So often was Louis disposing of challengers that boxing writers dubbed it “The bum of the month club”. Joe would clean up the division in a way that no other champion in any weight division has done before or since. Joe would be accused of taking on “light” opposition, much as the Klitschko brothers are accused of today. The fact of the matter is that Louis fought everyone out there and was far superior to his opposition, making them appear to be inept. Abe Simon at 6’5” and 260 pounds was totally outclassed by Louis, yet he had a KO win over Jersey Joe Walcott, a future heavyweight champion.

Louis held the title for 12 years before retiring in 1949 with a 60 and 1 record. Being a world champion for 12 years is a record not only for the heavyweight division, but for any division in the history of boxing. Louis defended his title 25 times, also a record for any division. Joe defended his title more times than the 8 heavyweight champions prior to him combined, going all the way back to Jack Johnson, truly an amazing feat.

It is highly probable that neither of these records will ever be broken and helps to justify the claims of many boxing historians that Joe Louis was the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. Being a great fighter is about consistency over a long period of time. Louis understood this and was on a mission to prove his greatness as a fighter to the world.

When World War II came along Louis would volunteer to serve his country. He would box in over 100 exhibitions all over the world while entertaining the troops. In early 1942 Joe would also donate his entire purse for two fights, one to the Army Relief Society against ring giant Buddy Baer, who stood 6’6” and weighed 250 lbs and the other to the Naval Relief Society, in which he fought Abe Simon, who had a KO victory over Jersey Joe Walcott. Joe would easily KO both opponents. At a Navy Relief Society fundraiser Louis would make his famous inspirational and heartfelt quote when asked to step up to the dais for a few words. First he thanked Walter Winchell who was hosting the fundraiser and all the other high ranking dignitaries and celebrities in attendance and he closed his brief statement by saying “We just can’t lose because we’re on God’s side!” It must be remembered that early 1942 was a bleak time for American prospects in World War II. Pearl Harbor had just been bombed after which Germany declared war on the US and things were going very poorly on all fronts.

German subs were seen lurking off the east coast. Not too much to cheer about. A lot of the “wise guys” in boxing thought Louis was donating to a lost cause. Joe Louis on the other hand thought he was doing what any red blooded American should do and that is to get behind the American cause. When offered the opportunity to go into the service as an officer, Louis refused saying he just wanted to be one of the guys. Time and again when fighting exhibitions Joe would use his considerable influence to break down racial barriers which would allow African Americans to attend his exhibition fights. He would befriend future baseball great Jackie Robinson and assist him in getting into Officer Candidate School because of his contacts with high ranking officers. When asked by boxing writers why he was so pro American despite the blatant racism that existed in the United States, Louis responded by saying “A lot of things are wrong in America. Hitler is not going to fix them.”

Boxing fans would have to wait until the war was over to see the much anticipated rematch between Joe Louis and Billy Conn. Louis would make another one of his famous quotes after being needled by boxing writers about the “Pittsburgh Kid’s” speed and the difficulty in catching up with him. Louis always quick with the wit responded by saying “He can run but he can’t hide.” As it turned out, both fighters were but a shell of their formers selves. The fight took place on June 19th, 1946 at Yankee Stadium. It would be the first fight ever televised. 146,000 people, mostly in bars, would watch Louis score an 8th round KO. A year later over one million people would be watching Joe fight on nationwide television.

It was clear to Louis and his fans that he had lost much of what made him the great fighter he was. Joe would be back in the ring on September 18, 1946 to take on number one contender Tami Mauriello (The Bronx Barkeep). Tami had a tremendous right hand and amassed 60 KO’s during his career. He came into the fight with Louis with 11 straight KO’s. Louis vs Mauriello (You Tube) was an action packed one round thriller. Tami came right after Louis and caught him with a TNT loaded right hand that sent Joe staggering into the ropes. Mauriello, anxious to deliver the coup de grace, moved in for the kill and a brief firefight ensued. Tami perhaps a little over anxious left himself open for a devastating left hook by the “Brown Bomber”. A punch so fast and powerful, that still photos show that both of Mauriello’s feet left the canvas at the moment of impact. Tami went crashing to the canvas. The fact that he got up from the canvas showed his heart and courage. From that point on it was all Louis and he demonstrated once again what a great fighter he was. In my view this was Louis’s last great fight. Now it was Louis moving in for the kill. He did not want to risk another power shot from Mauriello and when he knocked him down again Tami did not beat the count. Mauriello would appear in the 1954 movie classic “On The Waterfront” starring Marlon Brando. Abe Simon and Tony Galento, two of Joe Louis’s other KO victims would also appear in the movie. It was thought by the director that Mauriello, Simon and Galento would add realism to the flick. Apparently he was right, “On The Waterfront” won best picture and best actor as well as numerous other awards at the Academy Awards for 1954.

On December 5, 1947 Joe would win a controversial 15 round decision over Jersey Joe Walcott, a fight in which most boxing writers and fans thought Joe had lost. The sands of time were running out for the great “Brown Bomber”. He would fight Walcott again on June 25, 1948 before 42,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. In the return match, the crafty Walcott would do a forerunner of the Ali shuffle and elude Louis for 11 rounds before being KO’d by a devastating flurry of lefts and rights (Louis vs Walcott 2 – You Tube).

When watching the film of this fight, please note the after fight interview Joe gave to the media, where his manager would take credit for a left hook that Louis had landed in the flurry of punches leading to the KO. Joe, always quick with his wit thanked Manny for his help in knocking out Jersey Joe and said that the right he caught Walcott with was a good shot as well. Joe would state during post fight interview that this was his last fight.

He would announce his retirement on March 1, 1949.

Unfortunately for Joe, the IRS completed a tax audit shortly after he retired and because of mishandling of his funds by his managers and accountants, he owed the IRS in the neighborhood of $500,000. The only way he could ever hope to pay off this debt was to return to the ring. Ezzard Charles had won the vacant heavyweight title by defeating Jersey Joe Walcott with a 15 round decision. As is usually the case after a great champion leaves the scene, the boxing public was not keen on Ezzard Charles reign as heavyweight champion. Joe would make an ill fated comeback on September 27, 1950 and lose a one sided decision to Charles. Louis had been Ezzard’s idol and inspiration when he was starting his boxing career. He took it easy on Louis in the latter rounds, not wanting to knock him out and further humiliate him. Because of his financial status, Louis would have to continue his comeback. Finally after 7 straight victories against opposition that was not really very good, Joe would take on Rocky Marciano “The Brockton Blockbuster”. It was a tragic event for those who had watched the career of the once great “Brown Bomber”. Many in attendance wept at the spectacle of Joe Louis being draped through the ropes onto the ring apron. Sugar Ray Robinson, a long time friend of Joe’s wept openly. Rocky Marciano himself attempted to console his former idol. Joe would prophesy to Rocky that would be a great heavyweight champion in his own right. Louis would retire for good after his fight with Marciano.

Joe would continue to love the game of golf. Again he would use his considerable influence to help break down the walls of racial prejudice that existed in America. in 1952 he would participate in a PGA tournament, being the first African America to do so.

In an interview with columnist Walter Winchell, Louis would rebuke PGA officials for not allowing blacks to participate in the sport. The walls of racism began to tumble down in golf because of the affection the public had for Joe Louis.

The IRS would continue to hound Louis long after it became obvious that there was no way he could ever pay off his debt, which through penalties and high interest rates had climbed to over one million dollars. The man who had become a hero to millions of black and white Americans and had served his country so well in World War II was treated like a common criminal. In their zeal to extract their last pound of flesh from the once proud champion, the IRS would submit Louis to the ultimate humiliation by seizing $667.00 willed to Joe by his mother when she died. The IRS would finally come to an agreement in the early 1960’s when they would stop pursuing Joe for his back debt, but by that time the damage had been done. He was a defeated, broken man and his health had suffered, both mentally and physically. It has always been my fervent belief that the country that Joe Louis had served so well did not reciprocate. Someone with political clout and courage should have stepped up to the plate in the 1950’s to pay Joe back for what he had done for his country. After all, Louis single handedly destroyed the myth of Nazi invincibility in 1938. FDR who had summoned Joe to the White House for a pep talk prior to his fight with Max Schmeling was long gone. No politician or government official stepped forward during those dark years to intercede for Louis.

Joe would work periodically as a greeter at Ceasar’s Palace in Las Vegas in his final years. This gave Louis some semblance of dignity. Joe Louis passed away on April 12, 1981, just shy of his 67th birthday. His former foe Max Schmeling who had become a close friend of Joe’s and a very successful businessman paid for Joe’s funeral. Max would also serve as one of Joe’s pallbearer’s. President Reagan issued a proclamation allowing Joe to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Joe Louis Arena in Detroit was named after Louis. In 2005 the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) called Joe Louis the greatest heavyweight of all time. The Ring Magazine placed Louis at the top of the list of “The 100 Greatest Punchers of All Time” in 2003.

Another of Louis’s records that may never be broken is that he scored
five one round KO’s as heavyweight champion of the world. Another of Joe’s famous quotes when speaking of boxers Louis said: “Everybody has a plan until they get hit.”

Joe Louis has stood the test of time. His record of being heavyweight champion for 12 years and 25 title defenses as well as the record of 5 first round KO’s as champion have stood for over 60 years and in all probability will stand a while longer, perhaps forever.

No hype is needed. No ballyhoo by the press is needed when discussing Joe Louis. No trash talking or demeaning of his opponents was necessary. Everyone knew how good Joe Louis was. His reputation preceded him.

Modern fighters should emulate Joe’s example of never ducking an opponent and above all conducting himself with dignity and grace. Joe never acted like a thug inside or outside of the ring. He never dropped the “F” bomb for shock value during an interview. Joe Louis was for real and truly a champion of the ages.