Existing comment:
Joe Louis, 1914-1981
Arturo Godoy, 1912-1986
After launching his professional boxing career in 1934, Joe Lous made short work of a string of opponents. On his way to wining the heavyweight title in 1937, the heavily favored Louis was stunned by his 1936 defeat at the hands of German boxer Max Schmeling. When the two fighters met in a historic rematch in 1938, the outcome was dramatically different. Buoyed by an outpouring of support form blacks and whites alike, the "Brown Bomber" KO'd the myth of Aryan supremacy by pummeling Adolph Hitler's champion to retain the world heavyweight crown. A hero to millions, Louis successfully defended his title for twelve years to become one of the longest-reigning champions in the history of heavyweight boxing. In the 1940 photograph, Louis fights Chilean-born boxer Arturo Godoy.
Charles Hoff, 1940 |