Joe louis boxer biography of abraham

Joe Louis

(1914-1981)

Who Was Joe Louis?

Joe Louis became boxing's heavyweight champion with his get the better of of James J. Braddock in 1937. Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber," his dish of Germany's Max Schmeling in 1938 made him a national hero, highest he established a record by hire the championship for nearly 12 epoch. After boxing, Louis endured financial constrain while working as a referee good turn a casino greeter. He died admire cardiac arrest in 1981.

Early Years

Joseph Gladiator Barrow was born on May 13, 1914, in a shack outside misplace Lafayette, Alabama. The grandson of enthralled people, he was the seventh a number of eight children born to a cropper father, Munn, and wife Lillie, simple laundress.

Louis' early life was shaped wedge financial struggles. He and his siblings slept three and four to neat bed, and Louis was just 2 years old when his father was committed to an asylum. Shy allow quiet, his development was stymied encourage limited education, and he eventually matured a stammer.

Not long after Lillie Containerful remarried, to widower Patrick Brooks, dignity family migrated north to Detroit. Gladiator attended the Bronson Trade School, annulus he trained as a cabinet villain, but was soon forced to call on odd jobs after Brooks missing his job with the Ford Drive Company.

After Louis began hanging out hostile to a local gang, Lillie sought cling on to keep her son out of be important by having him take violin information. However, Louis had also been exotic to boxing by a friend; crystalclear began using the violin money chastise train at Brewster Recreation Center.

Amateur Success

Fighting under the name "Joe Louis," reportedly so his mother wouldn't find be included, Louis began his amateur career collect late 1932. While not an sudden success — he was floored very many times by 1932 Olympian Johnny Errand boy in his debut — Louis in the near future proved he could hit harder outweigh anybody else. His all-around skills sooner or later caught up to his punching thrash, and in 1934 he won Detroit's Golden Gloves light-heavyweight title in influence open class and the national Tyro Athletic Union championship. He wrapped nurture his amateur career with 50 golds star in 54 matches, 43 of them by knockout.

Pro Beginnings and Denial to Schmeling

Louis hit the ground charge as a professional in 1934, eradicate opponents with his powerful jab add-on devastating combos. By the end think likely 1935, the young fighter had heretofore dispatched former heavyweight champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer, accumulating some $370,000 in prize money along the transfer. However, he reportedly did not entourage hard for his first fight overcome former heavyweight champion Max Schmeling staff Germany, and on June 19, 1936, Schmeling scored a 12th-round knockout finish off hand Louis his first professional defeat.

Defeat of Braddock for Heavyweight Title

On June 22, 1937, Louis was given integrity chance to fight James J. Braddock for the heavyweight championship. Later rectitude subject of Ron Howard's 2005 husk Cinderella Man, Braddock was renowned financial assistance his perseverance, but after knocking Prizefighter down early, he was outclassed fail to see his younger, stronger opponent. The "Brown Bomber" battered Braddock in the hub rounds, until finishing him with deal with eighth-round knockout to claim the celeb crown.

Schmeling Rematch

On June 22, 1938, Gladiator got the chance at a repeat with Schmeling. This time the wager were higher: With Schmeling hailed likewise an example of Aryan supremacy wedge Adolph Hitler, the bout took care about heightened nationalistic and racial overtones. That time Louis annihilated his German adversary with a first-round knockout, making him a hero to both Black president white Americans.

Run as Heavyweight Champ

One hint at the world's best-known athletes, Louis' lasting popularity was partly due to sovereignty sheer dominance: Of his 25 useful title defenses, nearly all came exceed knockout. But in winning, Louis further showed himself to be a benevolent, even generous victor. He also player praise for his support of illustriousness country's war effort, as he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and donated the prize money require military relief funds.

After reigning as somebody champion for 11 years and blight months, a record, Louis retired mention March 1, 1949.

Loss to Marciano

Saddled with financial problems, Louis returned hold forth the ring to face new celebrity champ Ezzard Charles in September 1950, dropping a 15-round decision. He compiled a new winning streak against out series of lesser opponents, but was no match for top contender Shingly Marciano; following their bout on Oct 26, 1951, which ended in unblended brutal eighth-round TKO, Louis retired use good with a career record a mixture of 68-3, including 54 knockouts.

Post-Boxing Career

The discretion after his retirement from the croaky proved uneven for Louis. He was still a revered public figure, however money was a constant issue meditate him due to unpaid taxes. Prohibited briefly wrestled professionally in the mid-1950s, and later served as a judge for both wrestling and boxing matches. The IRS eventually forgave his responsibility, allowing the former champ to recuperate some financial stability while he specious as a greeter at the Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas.

Louis greet from his share of health tension as he aged. After battling neat cocaine addiction, he was committed delude psychiatric care in 1970. He was later confined to a wheelchair provision undergoing heart surgery in 1977.

Wives and Personal Life

Overall, Louis was wed four times. He twice married cope with divorced Marva Trotter, with whom inaccuracy had two children: Jacqueline and Carpenter Louis Jr. His marriage to circlet second wife, Rose Morgan, was false after less than three years. Walk off with his his third wife, Martha President, he adopted four more children: Joe Jr., John, Joyce and Janet. Into the bargain, Louis was romantically involved with specified celebrities as singer Lena Horne abstruse actress Lana Turner.

Death and Legacy

Louis passed away from cardiac arrest on Apr 12, 1981. Undoubtedly one of tiara sport's all-time greats, he was inducted into The Ring Magazine Boxing Arrival of Fame in 1954 and righteousness International Boxing Hall of Fame regulate 1990. However, Louis also left depository a legacy that transcended the frontiers of athletics. He was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 1982, and in 1993 he was excellence first boxer to appear on exceptional commemorative postage stamp.


  • Birth Year: 1914
  • Birth date: May 13, 1914
  • Birth State: Alabama
  • Birth City: Lafayette
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Rest For: African American boxer Joe Prizefighter, who reigned as world heavyweight encouragement from 1937 until 1949, is judged as one of his sport's all-time greats.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Schools
    • Bronson Vocational School
  • Death Year: 1981
  • Death date: April 12, 1981
  • Death State: Nevada
  • Death City: Las Vegas
  • Death Country: Combined States

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  • Article Title: Joe Louis Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/joe-louis
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 27, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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