Born in Mississippi in 1914, this person didn’t have an easy childhood. His father died when he was just a young boy, and his mother soon remarried and had more children. This person dropped out of school in the fifth grade to start working and help support his family. He worked a variety of jobs, from being a sharecropper to a bootlegger, before finally finding his calling in boxing.
This Person’s Family
This person was born into a boxing family. His father was a professional boxer and his mother was a boxer’s daughter. He started boxing at an early age and quickly developed into a promising amateur.
This Person’s Childhood
This person was born in rural Mississippi in a family of eleven children. His parents were sharecroppers, and the family often had to live off the land. This person later said that his childhood was full of “poverty, hunger, and desperation.” He left school after the sixth grade to work in the fields. When he was thirteen, he ran away from home and began living on the streets of Detroit. He started fighting other boys for
money, and eventually began competing in amateur boxing matches. He turned professional when he was nineteen, and quickly rose to the top of the sport. He became the world heavyweight champion in 1937, and held onto the title for twelve years. He retired from boxing in 1949, but remained a popular figure in the sport.
This Person’s Boxing Career
After this person retired from boxing, he said “I could’ve gone on fighting for another ten years. I had that much left in me. But what for? For more money? I had all the money I needed.”
This Person’s Early Boxing Matches
This person’s early boxing matches were not well-known, but they helped to establish his reputation as a powerful fighter. He won his first professional bout in 1935, and by 1937 he had become the world heavyweight boxing champion. He held this title for an unprecedented 12 years, until 1949. During his reign as champion, he defended his title against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Ezzard Charles. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
This Person was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion From 1937-1949
Joe Louis was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937-1949. During his reign, he defended his title 25 times, a record that stood for over 50 years. Below is a list of Louis’ world heavyweight championship matches:
-Joe Louis vs. James J. Braddock (1937)
-Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling (1938)
-Joe Louis vs. John Henry Lewis (1938)
-Joe Louis vs. Tony Galento (1939)
-Joe Louis vs. Bob Pastor (1939)
-Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn (1941)
-Joe Louis vs. Buddy Baer (1941)
-Joe Louis vs. Red Burman (1941)
-Joe Louis vs. Abe Simon (1942)
-Joe Louis vs. Max Baer (1942)
– Joe Louis vs. Lee Savold (1942)
– Joe Louis vs. Gus Dorazio (1943)
This Person’s Later Life
After this person’s retirement from boxing, he became an ordained Christian minister and a successful author.
This Person’s Post-Boxing Career
After this person retired from boxing, they tried their hand at a number of different things. They dabbled in acting, appearing in a handful of films. They also wrote an autobiography and opened a successful chain of restaurants. In their later years, this person became a vocal advocate for social justice, using their platform to speak out against racism and inequality. They died in 1981, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest boxers of all time.
This Person’s LaterYears
In his later years, this person became increasingly reclusive, rarely giving interviews and only appearing in public on occasion. He died in 1981 at the age of 67.