By Adam Kidd
Joe Louis was one of the greatest of all heavyweight fighters.
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Joe Louis was born in Lafayette, AL on May
13, 1914. He was born Joseph Louis Barrow.
He was the son of an Alabama sharecropper.
He grew up poor. He even had to share a
bed with two siblings. His father died when
Joe was very young. His mother remarried,
and they moved to Detroit in 1924.

Joe was not very good in school. His
mother gave him money to take violin
lessons, but he used that money to take
boxing lessons. He shortened his name
from Joseph Louis Barrow to Joe Louis. He
entered his first boxing tournament when
he was 16.
Joe won 50 of 54 amateur fights. In 1934, at age 19, he became a National Light
Heavyweight Champion. He also turned professional in 1934.
After winning 27 straight professional fights, Louis lost to Max
Schmeling in June 1936. He was knocked out by Schmeling in the 12th
round. A year later, Louis won the Heavyweight crown at 23 years
old when he won a fight against James Braddock by knockout. He
held the Heavyweight Champion title until 1949.
Louis was nicknamed the Brown Bomber for his right punch and
the color of his skin.
Louis and Schmeling
On June 22, 1938, there was a rematch between Joe Louis and
Max Schmeling. Louis had become popular among whites and
blacks. Both blacks and whites were pulling for Louis to win this
fight.
Joe Louis was an American. Max Schmeling was from Germany. In this
rematch fight, Louis symbolized American Democracy, and Schmeling
symbolized a Nazi Germany. Louis defeated Schmeling in the first
round by knockout. Louis became a national hero. Everyone liked him
because he was a good fighter and also because he was very
sportsmanlike. Because of Louis, more blacks became involved in
sports.
Joe Louis defended his Heavyweight Champion title many times
before going into the army for World War II.
Louis retired an undefeated champion on March 1, 1949. He came out of
retirement in 1950 to fight Charles Ezzard. Louis lost this fight in 15
rounds.
Louis won 67 professional fights and 53 of them were by knockouts. He
lost 3 professional fights.
Louis died on April 12, 1981 at the age of 66 from heart failure.
Louis was the first boxer
honored on a postage stamp.
Joe Louis Monument in Detroit.
Information and photos from the following websites:
www.maxwellmusze.wordpress.com
www.johndenugent.com
www.armchairgm.wikia.com
www.sportslifer.wordpress.com
www.cyberboxingzone.com
www.upi.com
www.cmgww.com
www.notablebiographies.com
www.imdb.com
www.boxrec.com
www.americanhistory.si.edu/archives.htm