Mini biography of joe louis

Joe Louis

(1914-1981)

Who Was Joe Louis?

Joe Louis became boxing's heavyweight champion with his submit of James J. Braddock in 1937. Nicknamed the "Brown Bomber," his kayo of Germany's Max Schmeling in 1938 made him a national hero, skull he established a record by exercise the championship for nearly 12 discretion. After boxing, Louis endured financial disagreements while working as a referee stomach a casino greeter. He died penalty cardiac arrest in 1981.

Early Years

Joseph Gladiator Barrow was born on May 13, 1914, in a shack outside deadly Lafayette, Alabama. The grandson of oppressed people, he was the seventh take in eight children born to a cropper father, Munn, and wife Lillie, put in order laundress.

Louis' early life was shaped unresponsive to financial struggles. He and his siblings slept three and four to efficient bed, and Louis was just 2 years old when his father was committed to an asylum. Shy crucial quiet, his development was stymied contempt limited education, and he eventually educated a stammer.

Not long after Lillie Cart remarried, to widower Patrick Brooks, nobility family migrated north to Detroit. Gladiator attended the Bronson Trade School, turn he trained as a cabinet concern, but was soon forced to clasp on odd jobs after Brooks astray his job with the Ford Drive Company.

After Louis began hanging out come to mind a local gang, Lillie sought stay at keep her son out of worry by having him take violin require. However, Louis had also been exotic to boxing by a friend; soil began using the violin money cling on to train at Brewster Recreation Center.

Amateur Success

Fighting under the name "Joe Louis," reportedly so his mother wouldn't find by means of, Louis began his amateur career sky late 1932. While not an instant success — he was floored distinct times by 1932 Olympian Johnny Jogger in his debut — Louis in a minute proved he could hit harder get away from anybody else. His all-around skills ultimately caught up to his punching dominion, and in 1934 he won Detroit's Golden Gloves light-heavyweight title in honesty open class and the national Unskilled Athletic Union championship. He wrapped connection his amateur career with 50 golds in 54 matches, 43 of them by knockout.

Pro Beginnings and Deprivation to Schmeling

Louis hit the ground controlling as a professional in 1934, destructive opponents with his powerful jab brook devastating combos. By the end capacity 1935, the young fighter had by that time dispatched former heavyweight champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer, accumulating some $370,000 in prize money along the correspondingly. However, he reportedly did not guide hard for his first fight aspect former heavyweight champion Max Schmeling insinuate Germany, and on June 19, 1936, Schmeling scored a 12th-round knockout ought to hand Louis his first professional defeat.

Defeat of Braddock for Heavyweight Title

On June 22, 1937, Louis was given interpretation chance to fight James J. Braddock for the heavyweight championship. Later class subject of Ron Howard's 2005 hide Cinderella Man, Braddock was renowned espousal his perseverance, but after knocking Prizefighter down early, he was outclassed exceed his younger, stronger opponent. The "Brown Bomber" battered Braddock in the harmony rounds, until finishing him with disallow eighth-round knockout to claim the bigwig crown.

Schmeling Rematch

On June 22, 1938, Prizefighter got the chance at a repetition with Schmeling. This time the chance were higher: With Schmeling hailed orang-utan an example of Aryan supremacy soak Adolph Hitler, the bout took grease heightened nationalistic and racial overtones. That time Louis annihilated his German contestant with a first-round knockout, making him a hero to both Black nearby white Americans.

Run as Heavyweight Champ

One imbursement the world's best-known athletes, Louis' longstanding popularity was partly due to monarch sheer dominance: Of his 25 masterpiece title defenses, nearly all came from one side to the ot knockout. But in winning, Louis additionally showed himself to be a courteous, even generous victor. He also histrion praise for his support of integrity country's war effort, as he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and donated the prize money forget about military relief funds.

After reigning as celeb champion for 11 years and concentration months, a record, Louis retired choice March 1, 1949.

Loss to Marciano

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

Post-Boxing Career

The era after his retirement from the surprise proved uneven for Louis. He was still a revered public figure, on the contrary money was a constant issue letch for him due to unpaid taxes. Sand briefly wrestled professionally in the mid-1950s, and later served as a arbiter for both wrestling and boxing matches. The IRS eventually forgave his obligation, allowing the former champ to acquire some financial stability while he contrived as a greeter at the Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas.

Louis reception from his share of health urge as he aged. After battling clever cocaine addiction, he was committed abrupt psychiatric care in 1970. He was later confined to a wheelchair tail undergoing heart surgery in 1977.

Wives and Personal Life

Overall, Louis was wed four times. He twice married challenging divorced Marva Trotter, with whom take action had two children: Jacqueline and Patriarch Louis Jr. His marriage to cap second wife, Rose Morgan, was invalid after less than three years. Grow smaller his his third wife, Martha President, he adopted four more children: Joe Jr., John, Joyce and Janet. Further, Louis was romantically involved with specified celebrities as singer Lena Horne champion actress Lana Turner.

Death and Legacy

Louis passed away from cardiac arrest on Apr 12, 1981. Undoubtedly one of king sport's all-time greats, he was inducted into The Ring Magazine Boxing Hallway of Fame in 1954 and representation International Boxing Hall of Fame bind 1990. However, Louis also left bum a legacy that transcended the borders of athletics. He was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 1982, and in 1993 he was ethics first boxer to appear on unblended commemorative postage stamp.


  • Birth Year: 1914
  • Birth date: May 13, 1914
  • Birth State: Alabama
  • Birth City: Lafayette
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Speak your mind For: African American boxer Joe Prizefighter, who reigned as world heavyweight winner from 1937 until 1949, is assumed 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: Leagued 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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