Editing Joe Louis

{{short description|American boxer (1914–1981)}}
{{Redirect|Brown Bomber|other uses|Brown Bomber (disambiguation)|and|Joe Louis (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox boxer
| name = Joe Louis
| realname = Joseph Louis Barrow
| image = Joe Louis by van Vechten.jpg{{!}}border
| caption = Louis in 1941
| nickname = "The Brown Bomber"
| weight = [[Light Heavyweight]]
[[Heavyweight]]
| height = {{convert|6|ft|1.5|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Joe Louis|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/9027|access-date=6 May 2022|publisher=BoxRec}}</ref>
| reach = 76 in
| birth_date = {{birth date|1914|5|13}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|4|12|1914|5|12}}
| birth_place = [[LaFayette, Alabama]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Paradise, Nevada]], U.S.
| style = [[Orthodox stance|Orthodox]]
| total = 69
| wins = 66
| KO = 52
| losses = 3
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[amateur boxing]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Golden Gloves]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1934 Chicago | [[List of US national Golden Gloves light heavyweight champions|Light-heavyweight]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Chicago Golden Gloves]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1934 Chicago | Light-heavyweight}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[United States national amateur boxing championships|US National Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1934 St.Louis | [[List of United States national amateur boxing light heavyweight champions|Light-heavyweight]]}}
}}

'''Joseph Louis Barrow''' (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American [[professional boxer]] who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "'''the Brown Bomber'''", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his temporary retirement in 1949. He was victorious in 25 consecutive title defenses, a record for all weight classes.{{refn|group=nb|According to [[BoxRec]] and [[IBHOF]], Louis's fight against Johnny Davis in 1944, viewed by many as an exhibition fight, was for the NYSAC heavyweight title, which would lift Louis's title defenses to 26, overall title fight wins to 27, beaten opponents in title fights to 22, and title fights to 28.}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Louis |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joe-Louis |website=Britannica|date=August 11, 2023 }}</ref> Louis has the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history.

Louis's cultural impact was felt well outside the ring. He is widely regarded as the first African-American to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of [[anti-Nazi]] sentiment leading up to and during [[World War II]] because of his historic rematch with German boxer [[Max Schmeling]] in 1938.<ref name="matters">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kC4qYeafQzMC&pg=PA64 |title=Sports Matters: Race, Recreation, and Culture |publisher=New York University Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0814798829 |editor-last=John Bloom |location=New York |pages=46–47 |editor2-last=Michael Nevin Willard}}</ref>

==Early life==
Born on May 13, 1914, in rural [[Chambers County, Alabama]]—in a ramshackle dwelling on Bell Chapel Road, located about {{convert|1|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} off [[Alabama State Route 50|State Route 50]] and roughly {{convert|6|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} from [[LaFayette, Alabama|LaFayette]]—Louis was the seventh of eight children of Munroe Barrow and Lillie (Reese) Barrow.<ref name="Bakp6">[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 6.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bell Chapel Rd |date=January 1, 1970 |title=bell chapel road lafayette alaBAMA – Google Maps |url=http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&q=bell+chapel+road+lafayette+alaBAMA&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bell+Chapel+Rd,+La+Fayette,+Alabama+36862,+United+States&gl=ie&sqi=2&ll=32.860736,-85.33154&spn=0.028082,0.062699&t=h&z=15 |access-date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=Google Maps}}</ref> He weighed {{convert|11|lb|0}} at birth.<ref name=Bakp6/>  Both of his parents were children of former slaves, alternating between [[sharecropping]] and rental farming.<ref name="Bakp5">[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 5.</ref>

Louis suffered from a [[Speech disorder|speech impediment]] and spoke very little until about the age of six.<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], pp. 6–7.</ref> Munroe Barrow was committed to a mental institution in 1916 and, as a result, Joe knew very little of his biological father.<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 7.</ref> Around 1920, Louis's mother married Pat Brooks, a local construction contractor, having received word that Munroe Barrow had died while institutionalized (in reality, Munroe Barrow lived until 1938, unaware of his son's fame).<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], pp. 7–8.</ref>

In 1926, shaken by a gang of white men in the [[Ku Klux Klan]], Louis's family moved to [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], forming part of the post-[[World War I|World&nbsp;War&nbsp;I]] [[Great Migration (African American)|Great Migration]].<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 11.</ref><ref>[[#Erenberg|Erenberg]], p. 23.</ref> Joe's brother worked for [[Ford Motor Company]] (where Joe would himself work for a time at the [[River Rouge Plant]])<ref name=arlington/> and the family settled into a home at 2700 Catherine (now Madison) Street in Detroit's [[Black Bottom, Detroit|Black Bottom]] neighborhood.<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], pp. 13–14.</ref><ref name="Great Black Heroes">{{Cite web |date=August 24, 2020 |title=Joe Louis |url=https://www.greatblackheroes.com/sports/joe-louis/ |website=Great Black Heroes |publisher=Adscape International, LLC}}</ref>

Louis attended Bronson Vocational School for a time to learn cabinet-making.<ref name=arlington/><ref name="Great Black Heroes" />

==Amateur career==
The [[Great Depression]] severely affected the Barrow family, but Joe still made time to work out at a local youth recreation center at 637 Brewster Street in Detroit. His mother attempted to get him interested in playing the violin.<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 22.</ref> He is rumoured to have tried to hide his pugilistic ambitions from his mother by carrying his boxing gloves inside his violin case.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" />

Louis made his debut in early 1932 at the age of 17. Legend has it that before the fight, the barely literate Louis wrote his name so large that there was no room for his last name, and thus became known as "Joe Louis" for the remainder of his boxing career (more likely, Louis simply omitted his last name to keep his boxing a secret from his mother).  After this debut—a loss to future Olympian [[Johnny Miler]]—Louis compiled numerous amateur victories, eventually winning the club championship of his Brewster Street recreation center, the home of many aspiring [[Golden Gloves]] fighters.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" />

In 1933, Louis won the Detroit-area Golden Gloves Novice Division championship against Joe Biskey for the light heavyweight classification.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /> He later lost in the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions. The next year, competing in the Golden Gloves' Open Division, he won the light heavyweight classification, this time also winning the Chicago Tournament of Champions against Joe Bauer.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /><ref name="BoxRec">{{Cite web |date=August 3, 2020 |title=Joe Louis |url=https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Joe_Louis |website=BoxRec}}</ref> However, a hand injury forced Louis to miss the New York/Chicago Champions' cross-town bout for the ultimate Golden Gloves championship. In April 1934, he followed up his [[Chicago]] performance by winning the light heavyweight [[United States national amateur boxing championships|United States Amateur Champion National AAU tournament]] in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]].<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /><ref name="BoxRec" />

By the end of his amateur career, Louis's record was 50–4, with 43 knockouts.<ref name="History Channel">{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2020 |title=Joe Louis |url=https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/joe-louis# |website=History Channel |publisher=A&E Television Networks}}</ref><ref name="Great Black Heroes" />{{refn|group=nb|BoxRec lists Louis's amateur record as 53 wins in 56 bouts; various sources disagree as to his amateur record.}}

==Professional career==
Joe Louis had only three losses in his 69 professional fights. He tallied 52 knockouts and held the championship from 1937 to 1949, the longest span of any heavyweight titleholder. After returning from retirement, Louis failed to regain the championship in 1950, and his career ended after he was knocked out by [[Rocky Marciano]] in 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagler |first=Barney |title=Joe Louis The Brown Bomber |url=http://www.thesportgallery.com/blog/sport-articles/the-brown-bomber-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028161153/http://www.thesportgallery.com/blog/sport-articles/the-brown-bomber-2/ |archive-date=October 28, 2011 |access-date=December 5, 2011 |website=Sport Magazine Article}}</ref>

===Early years===
Louis's amateur performances attracted the interest of professional promoters, and he was soon represented by a black Detroit-area bookmaker named [[John Roxborough (boxing manager)|John Roxborough]]. As Louis explained in his autobiography, Roxborough convinced the young fighter that white managers would have no real interest in seeing a black boxer work his way up to title contention:

<blockquote>[Roxborough] told me about the fate of most black fighters, ones with white managers, who wound up burned-out and broke before they reached their prime. The white managers were not interested in the men they were handling but in the money they could make from them. They didn't take the proper time to see that their fighters had a proper training, that they lived comfortably, or ate well, or had some pocket change. Mr. Roxborough was talking about Black Power before it became popular.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /><ref name="pbsrox">{{Cite web |title=American Experience: John Roxborough and Julian Black |website=[[PBS]] |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/p_managers.html |access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref></blockquote>

Roxborough knew a Chicago area boxing promoter named Julian Black who already had a stable of mediocre boxers against which Louis could hone his craft, this time in the heavyweight division. After becoming part of the management team, Black hired fellow Chicago native Jack "Chappy" Blackburn as Louis's trainer. Louis's initial professional fights were all in the Chicago area, his professional debut coming on July 4, 1934, against [[Jack Kracken]] in the Bacon Casino on Chicago's south side.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /> Louis earned $59 for knocking out Kracken in the first round. $59 in 1934 is equivalent to $1,148.60 in 2020 dollars.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /> Louis won all 12 of his professional fights that year, 10 by knockout.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" />

In September 1934, while promoting a Detroit-area "coming home" bout for Louis against Canadian Alex Borchuk, Roxborough was pressured by members of the Michigan State Boxing Commission to have Louis sign with white management. Roxborough refused and continued advancing Louis's career with bouts against heavyweight contenders Art Sykes and Stanley Poreda.

While training for a fight against Lee Ramage, Louis noticed a young female secretary for the black newspaper at the gym. After Ramage was defeated, the secretary, Marva Trotter, was invited to the celebration party at Chicago's Grand Hotel. Trotter later became Louis's first wife in 1935.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" />

During this time, Louis also met [[Truman Gibson]], the man who would become his personal lawyer.<ref name="Great Black Heroes" /> As a young associate at a law firm hired by Julian Black, Gibson was charged with personally entertaining Louis during the pendency of business deals.

====Title contention====
Although Louis's management was finding him bouts against legitimate heavyweight contenders, no path to the title was forthcoming. While professional boxing was not officially segregated, many white Americans did not like the prospect of a black champion.<ref name="deardorff">{{Cite news |last=Deardorff, II |first=Don |date=October 1, 1995 |title=Joe Louis became both a black hero and a national symbol to whites after overcoming racism in the media |work=St. Louis Journalism Review |url=http://www.articlearchives.com/society-social-assistance-lifestyle/ethnicity-race-racism/1285818-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226224232/http://www.articlearchives.com/society-social-assistance-lifestyle/ethnicity-race-racism/1285818-1.html |archive-date=February 26, 2016}}</ref> In 1908, during an era of severe anti-black repression, [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] became the first black heavyweight champion. Johnson's flamboyant lifestyle and marriage to a white woman engendered an enormous backlash that greatly limited opportunities of black fighters in the heavyweight division. Black boxers were denied championship bouts, and there were few heavyweight black contenders at the time, though there were African Americans who fought for titles in other weight divisions, and a few notable black champions, such as [[Tiger Flowers]]. Louis and his handlers would counter the legacy of Johnson by emphasizing the Brown Bomber's modesty and sportsmanship.<ref name=deardorff/><ref>[[#Erenberg|Erenberg]], p. 33.</ref> Biographer Gerald Astor stated that "Joe Louis' early boxing career was stalked by the specter of Jack Johnson".<ref name=deardorff/><ref>[[#Astor|Astor]], p. 47.</ref>

If Louis were to rise to national prominence among such cultural attitudes, a change in management would be necessary. In 1935, boxing promoter [[Mike Jacobs (boxing)|Mike Jacobs]] sought out Louis's handlers. After Louis's narrow defeat of Natie Brown on March 29, 1935, Jacobs and the Louis team met at the Frog Club, a black nightclub, and negotiated a three-year exclusive boxing promotion deal.<ref>[[#Vitale|Vitale]], pp. 91–92.</ref> The contract, however, did not keep Roxborough and Black from attempting to cash in as Louis's managers; when Louis turned 21 on May 13, 1935, Roxborough and Black each signed Louis to an onerous long-term contract that collectively dedicated half of Louis's future income to the pair.<ref name="pbsrox" />

Black and Roxborough continued to carefully and deliberately shape Louis's media image. Mindful of the tremendous public backlash Johnson had suffered for his unapologetic attitude and flamboyant lifestyle, they drafted "Seven Commandments" for Louis's personal conduct. These included:

<blockquote>
* Never have his picture taken with a white woman
* Never gloat over a fallen opponent
* Never engage in fixed fights
* Live and fight clean<ref name="espn">{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |title='Brown Bomber' was a hero to all |url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016109.html |access-date=April 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Edmonds |first=Anthony O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8iSImJVDkb8C&q=%22joe+louis%22+biography&pg=PA8 |title=Muhammed Ali: A Biography |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated |year=2005 |isbn=978-0313330926 |location=Westport, Connecticut |pages=8–9}}</ref>
</blockquote>

As a result, Louis was generally portrayed in the white media as a modest, clean-living person, which facilitated his burgeoning celebrity status.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Edmonds |first=Anthony O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8iSImJVDkb8C&q=%22joe+louis%22+biography&pg=PA8 |title=Muhammed Ali: A Biography |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated |year=2005 |isbn=978-0313330926 |location=Westport, Connecticut |page=9}}</ref>

With the backing of a major promotion, Louis fought thirteen times in 1935. The bout that helped put him in the media spotlight occurred on June 25, when Louis knocked out 6'6", 265-pound former world heavyweight champion [[Primo Carnera]] in six rounds. Foreshadowing the Louis–Schmeling rivalry to come, the Carnera bout featured a political dimension. Louis's victory over Carnera, who symbolized [[Benito Mussolini]]'s regime in the popular eye, was seen as a victory for the international community, particularly among African Americans, who were sympathetic to [[Ethiopia]], which was attempting to maintain its independence by [[Abyssinia Crisis|fending off an invasion by fascist Italy]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KrWDw-_devcC&q=%22joe+louis%22&pg=PA680 |title=The Reader's Companion to American History |publisher=Houghton-Mifflin |year=1991 |isbn=978-0395513729 |editor-last=Eric Foner |location=Boston |page=680 |editor2-last=John A. Garraty }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 60.</ref> America's white press began promoting Louis's image in the context of the era's racism; nicknames they created included the "Mahogany Mauler", "Chocolate Chopper", "Coffee-Colored KO King", "Safari Sandman", and one that stuck: "The Brown Bomber".<ref>, which is variously attributed to either Detroit boxing manager Scotty Monteith or to ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' writer Charles Ward. [[#Bak|Bak]], pp. 81–82.</ref>

Helping the white press to overcome its reluctance to feature a black contender was that in the mid-1930s boxing desperately needed a marketable hero. Since the retirement of [[Jack Dempsey]] in 1929, the sport had devolved into a sordid mixture of poor athletes, gambling, fixed fights, thrown matches, and control of the sport by organized crime.<ref name=deardorff/> ''[[New York Times]]'' Columnist Edward Van Ness wrote, "Louis ... is a boon to boxing. Just as Dempsey led the sport out of the doldrums ... so is Louis leading the boxing game out of a slump".<ref name=deardorff/> Likewise, biographer [[Bill Libby]] asserted that "The sports world was hungry for a great champion when Louis arrived in New York in 1935".<ref name=deardorff/><ref name="Libbyp61">[[#Libby|Libby]], p. 61.</ref>

While the mainstream press was beginning to embrace Louis, many still opposed the prospect of another black heavyweight champion. In September 1935, on the eve of Louis's fight with former titleholder [[Max Baer (boxer)|Max Baer]], [[The Washington Post|''Washington Post'']] sportswriter [[Shirley Povich]] wrote about some Americans' hopes for the white contender, "They say Baer will surpass himself in the knowledge that he is the lone white hope for the defense of Nordic superiority in the prize ring".<ref name="deardorff" /> However, the hopes of white supremacists would soon be dashed.

Although Baer had been knocked down only once before in his professional career (by [[Frankie Campbell]]), Louis dominated the former champion, knocking him out in the fourth round. Unknowingly, Baer suffered from a unique disadvantage in the fight: earlier that evening, Louis had married Marva Trotter at a friend's apartment and was eager to end the fight in order to consummate the relationship.<ref>[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 94.</ref> Later that year, Louis also knocked out [[Paulino Uzcudun]], who had never been knocked down before.

====Louis vs. Schmeling====
{{Main|Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling}}
[[File:Joe Louis - Max Schmeling - 1936.jpg|thumb|[[Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling]] in 1936]]
By this time, Louis was ranked as the No. 1 contender in the heavyweight division<ref>{{Cite web |last=MacIntosh |first=Stoker |title=Joe Louis Barrow: Boxing Day Tribute |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/96920-joe-louis-barrow-boxing-day-tribute |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612022722/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/96920-joe-louis-barrow-boxing-day-tribute |archive-date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=January 5, 2009}}</ref> and had won the [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year|Associated Press' "Athlete of the Year"]] award for 1935.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/7a3c4f3cebd563cd25f1da21d4503485 |publisher=Associated Press |date=December 27, 2018 |title=AP Male Athlete of the Year}}</ref> What was considered to be a final tune-up bout before an eventual title shot was scheduled for June 1936 against [[Max Schmeling]]. Although a former world heavyweight champion, Schmeling, who had been knocked out by [[Max Baer (boxer)|Max Baer]], Louis had handily beaten, was not considered a threat to Louis, then with a professional record of 27–0.<ref name=hbo/> Schmeling had won his title on a technicality when [[Jack Sharkey]] was disqualified after giving Schmeling a low blow in 1930. Schmeling was also 30 years old at the time of the Louis bout and allegedly past his prime.<ref name=hbo/> Louis's training retreat was located at [[Lakewood, New Jersey]], where he was first able to practice the game of [[golf]], later to become a lifelong passion.<ref>[[#Myler|Myler]], p. 89.</ref> Noted entertainer [[Ed Sullivan]] had initially sparked Louis's interest in the sport by giving an instructional book to Joe's wife Marva.<ref name="golf">{{Cite web |last=Lerner, Rich |date=November 12, 2007 |title=The Brown Bomber's Green Legacy |url=http://www.thegolfchannel.com/15100/24372/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117071252/http://www.thegolfchannel.com/15100/24372/ |archive-date=November 17, 2007 |publisher=The Golf Channel}}</ref> Louis spent significant time on the golf course rather than training for the match.<ref name=pbsrox/><ref>[[#Vitale|Vitale]], p. 16.</ref>

Conversely, Schmeling prepared intently for the bout. He had thoroughly studied Louis's style and believed he had found a weakness.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The American Experience |website=[[PBS]] |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/e_fights.html |access-date=April 23, 2009}}</ref> By exploiting Louis's habit of dropping his left hand after a jab, Schmeling handed Louis his first professional loss by knocking him out in round 12 at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] on June 19, 1936.<ref>[[#Vitale|Vitale]], p. 14.</ref>  The event would lead to the [[#Louis vs. Schmeling II|historic rematch of the two]], in one of the world's most famous sporting events.

===World championship===
After defeating Louis, Schmeling expected a title shot against [[James J. Braddock]], who had unexpectedly defeated [[Max Baer (boxer)|Max Baer]] for the heavyweight title the previous June. [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] (MSG) had a contract with Braddock for the title defense and also sought a Braddock–Schmeling title bout. But Jacobs and Braddock's manager [[Joe Gould (manager)|Joe Gould]] had been planning a Braddock–Louis matchup for months.<ref name="Schaap">Schaap, p. 271.</ref>
[[File:Joe Louis cph.3b09981.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Louis in 1937]]
Schmeling's victory gave Gould tremendous leverage, however.  If he were to offer Schmeling the title chance instead of Louis, there was a very real possibility that Nazi authorities would never allow Louis a shot at the title.<ref name=Schaap/> Gould's demands were therefore onerous: Jacobs would have to pay 10% of all future boxing promotion profits (including any future profits from Louis's future bouts) for ten years.<ref name=Bakp127/> Braddock and Gould would eventually receive more than $150,000 from this arrangement.<ref name=Bakp127/> Well before the actual fight, Jacobs and Gould publicly announced that their fighters would fight for the heavyweight title on June 22, 1937.<ref name="Bakp127">[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 127.</ref> Figuring that the [[New York State Athletic Commission]] would not sanction the fight in deference to MSG and Schmeling, Jacobs scheduled the fight for Chicago.<ref name=Bakp127/>

Each of the parties involved worked to facilitate the controversial Braddock–Louis matchup. Louis did his part by knocking out former champion [[Jack Sharkey]] on August 18, 1936. Meanwhile, Gould trumped up anti-Nazi sentiment against Schmeling,<ref name="Bakp128">[[#Bak|Bak]], p. 128.</ref> and Jacobs defended a lawsuit by MSG to halt the Braddock–Louis fight. A federal court in [[Newark, New Jersey]], eventually ruled that Braddock's contractual obligation to stage his title defense at MSG was unenforceable for lack of mutual consideration.<ref name=Bakp128/>

The stage was set for Louis's title shot. On the night of the fight, June 22, 1937, Braddock was able to knock Louis down in round one, but afterward could accomplish little. After inflicting constant punishment, Louis defeated Braddock in round eight, knocking him out cold with a strong right hand that busted James' teeth through his gum shield and lip and sent him to the ground for a few minutes. It was the first and only time that Braddock was knocked out (the one other stoppage of Braddock's career was a [[Technical knockout|TKO]] due to a cut). Louis's ascent to the world heavyweight championship was complete.

Louis's victory was a seminal moment in African American history. Thousands of African Americans stayed up all night across the country in celebration.<ref name=matters/> Noted author and member of the [[Harlem Renaissance]] [[Langston Hughes]] described Louis's effect in these terms:

<blockquote>Each time Joe Louis won a fight in those depression years, even before he became champion, thousands of black Americans on relief or [[Works Progress Administration|W.P.A.]], and poor, would throng out into the streets all across the land to march and cheer and yell and cry because of Joe's one-man triumphs. No one else in the United States has ever had such an effect on Negro emotions—or on mine. I marched and cheered and yelled and cried, too.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hughes |first=Langston |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3m1hM1JrpV8C&pg=PA307 |title=Autobiography: The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, Vol. 14 |publisher=University of Missouri Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0826214348 |editor-last=Joseph McLaren |location=Columbia, Missouri |page=307}}</ref></blockquote>

====Initial title defenses====
Despite his championship, Louis was haunted by the earlier defeat to Schmeling. Shortly after winning the title, he was quoted as saying, "I don't want to be called champ until I whip Max Schmeling".<ref name=hbo/> Louis's manager Mike Jacobs attempted to arrange a rematch in 1937, but negotiations broke down when Schmeling demanded 30% of the gate.<ref>[[#Myler|Myler]], p. 113.</ref> When Schmeling instead attempted to arrange for a fight against British Empire champion [[Tommy Farr]], known as the "Tonypandy Terror"—ostensibly for a world championship to rival the claims of American boxing authorities—Jacobs outmaneuvered him, offering Farr a guaranteed $60,000 to fight Louis instead. The offer was too lucrative for Farr to turn down.<ref>[[#Myler|Myler]], pp. 113–114.</ref>

On August 30, 1937, after a postponement of four days due to rain, Louis and Farr finally touched gloves at New York's [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]] before a crowd of approximately 32,000.<ref>[[#Myler|Myler]], p. 115.</ref> Louis fought one of the hardest battles of his life. The bout was closely contested and went the entire 15 rounds, with Louis being unable to knock Farr down. Referee Arthur Donovan was even seen shaking Farr's hand after the bout, in apparent congratulation.<ref name="Mylerp116">[[#Myler|Myler]], p. 116.</ref> Nevertheless, after the score was announced, Louis had won a controversial unanimous decision.<ref name=Mylerp116/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bennison |first=Bill |date=August 31, 1937 |title=Joe Louis vs Tommy Farr |work=Evening Standard (N.Y.) |url=http://www.boxinggyms.com/news/louis_farr1937/standard_louis1937rounds.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118183350/http://www.boxinggyms.com/news/louis_farr1937/standard_louis1937rounds.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' described the scene thus: "After collecting the judges' votes, referee Arthur Donovan announced that Louis had won the fight on points. The crowd of 50,000 ... amazed that Farr had not been knocked out or even knocked down, booed the decision".

It seems the crowd believed that referee Arthur Donovan Sr. had raised Farr's glove in victory. Seven years later, in his published account of the fight, Donovan spoke of the "mistake" that may have led to this confusion. He wrote:

<blockquote>As Tommy walked back to his corner after shaking Louis' hand, I followed him and seized his glove. "Tommy, a wonderful perform—" I began ... Then I dropped his hand like a red-hot coal! He had started to raise his arm. He thought I had given him the fight and the world championship! I literally ran away, shaking my head and shouting. "No! No! No!" realising how I had raised his hopes for a few seconds only to dash them to the ground ... That's the last time my emotions will get the better of me in a prize fight! There was much booing at the announced result, but, as I say it, it was all emotional. I gave Tommy two rounds and one even—and both his winning rounds were close.<ref name="donovan">[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55865524 Donovan's Worst Mistake As a Referee] ''The Mail'', Adelaide, at Trove digitised newspapers, National Library of Australia.</ref></blockquote>

Speaking over the radio after the fight, Louis admitted that he had been hurt twice.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 6, 1937 |title=Louis v. Farr |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758172,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125032433/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758172,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 25, 2012}}{{Registration required}}</ref>

In preparation for the inevitable rematch with Schmeling, Louis tuned up with bouts against Nathan Mann and [[Henry Thomas (boxer)|Harry Thomas]].

====Louis vs. Schmeling II====
{{Main|Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling}}
The rematch between Louis and Schmeling would become one of the most famous boxing matches of all time and is remembered as one of the major sports events of the 20th century.<ref name=hbo/> Following his defeat of Louis in 1936, Schmeling had become a national hero in Germany. Schmeling's victory over an African American was touted by Nazi officials as proof of their doctrine of [[Aryan race|Aryan superiority]]. When the rematch was scheduled, Louis retreated to his boxing camp in New Jersey and trained incessantly for the fight. A few weeks before the bout, Louis visited the White House, where President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] told him, "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany".<ref name="hbo">{{Cite web |last=Dettloff |first=William |title=The Louis-Schmeling Fights: Prelude to War |url=http://www.hbo.com/boxing/features/history/joe_louis.html |access-date=April 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529151439/http://www.hbo.com:80/boxing/features/history/joe_louis.html |archive-date=2009-05-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Louis later admitted: "I knew I had to get Schmeling good. I had my own personal reasons and the whole damned country was depending on me".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Book Review: ''Beyond Glory'' by David Margolick |url=http://www.fsmitha.com/review/lewis.htm |access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref>

When Schmeling arrived in [[New York City]] in June 1938 for the rematch, he was accompanied by a Nazi party publicist who issued statements that a black man could not defeat Schmeling and that when Schmeling won, his prize money would be used to build tanks in Germany. Schmeling's hotel was picketed by anti-Nazi protesters in the days before the fight.<ref name=hbo/>

On the night of June 22, 1938, Louis and Schmeling met for the second time in the boxing ring. The fight was held in Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 70,043. It was broadcast by radio to millions of listeners throughout the world (including 58% of radio-equipped U.S. households<ref name="sports_and_radio_2003_comm_research_trends">Beck, Daniel and Louis Bosshart ([[University of Fribourg]], [[Freiburg, Switzerland]]): [http://cscc.scu.edu/trends/v22/v22_4.pdf "Sports and Media,"]- chapter 4. "Sports and Radio," in ''Communication Research Trends'' Vol.22 (2003) No.4, {{ISSN|0144-4646}}, retrieved November 22, 2020</ref>), with radio announcers reporting on the fight in English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. Before the bout, Schmeling weighed in at 193&nbsp;pounds; Louis weighed in at 198¾&nbsp;pounds.<ref name=hbo/>

The fight lasted two minutes and four seconds.<ref name=ring/> Louis battered Schmeling with a series of swift attacks, forcing him against the ropes and giving him a paralyzing body blow (Schmeling afterward claimed it was an illegal kidney punch). Schmeling was knocked down three times and only managed to throw two punches in the entire bout. On the third knockdown, Schmeling's trainer threw in the towel and referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight.<ref name=hbo/>

Well-established as one of the most significant boxing matches in history,
<ref name="a_look_back_2020_06_22_usatoday_com">Rosenthal, Michael: [https://boxingjunkie.usatoday.com/gallery/photos-a-look-back-at-the-historic-joe-louis-max-schmeling-rematch "Photos: A look back at the historic Joe Louis-Max Schmeling rematch,"] June 22, 2020 "Boxing Junkie," ''[[USA Today]]'' retrieved November 22, 2020:  (''"The second fight between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling arguably was the most important in boxing history".'')</ref><ref name="foreman_ranks_2020_02_15_boxing_scene">[[George Foreman|Foreman, George]], quoted: [https://www.boxingscene.com/foreman-ranks-wilder-fury-top-three-rematches-all-time--146773 "Foreman Ranks Wilder-Fury in Top Three Rematches of All Time,"] February 15, 2020, ''Boxing Scene,'' retrieved November 22, 2020:  "'There were three important rematches in boxing history,' Foreman told ''BoxingScene'' ... of the heavyweight division. 'The most important was Max Schmeling and Joe Louis when the whole world was watching. That was the most important rematch of all time.'"</ref><ref name="the_greatest_fight_2005_oup_com">Erenberg, Lewis A.: ''The greatest fight of our generation: Louis vs. Schmeling,'' 2005–2008, as summarized at [[Oxford University Press]] [https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-greatest-fight-of-our-generation-9780195319996?cc=us&lang=en&#], with  [https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195177749.001.0001/acprof-9780195177749 online copy] (subscription required): "... the second Louis-Schmeling fight sparked excitement around the globe. For all its length–the fight lasted but two minutes–it remains one of the most memorable events in boxing history and, indeed, one of the most significant sporting events ever".</ref> the fight has been widely regarded as among the most important or historic sports events of all time.<ref name="powerful_moments_in_sports">Gitlin, Martin: ''Powerful Moments in Sports: The Most Significant Events in American History.'' Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017</ref><ref name="review_powerful_moments_2019_08_10_ussporthistory_com">Iber, Jorge: [https://ussporthistory.com/2019/08/10/review-of-powerful-moments-in-sports/ "Review of ''Powerful Moments in Sports'',"] August 10, 2019, ''Sport in American History,'' retrieved November 22, 2020</ref><ref name="ten_most_important_2015_09_04_politicususa_com">Tack, Travis, [https://sports.politicususa.com/2015/09/04/10-most-important-moments-in-sports-history.html "10 Most Important Moments in Sports History,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923150234/https://sports.politicususa.com/2015/09/04/10-most-important-moments-in-sports-history.html |date=September 23, 2021 }} ''"#1 – Joe Louis versus Max Schmeling"''; September 4, 2015, ''[[Politicus]] Sports,'' retrieved November 22, 2020</ref><ref name="the_greatest_fight_2005_oup_com" /><ref name="top_10_boxers_2020_05_16_el_paso_times">Aguilar, Matthew: [https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2020/05/16/top-10-heavyweight-boxers-all-time-picked-matthew-aguilar/5204432002/ "Matthew Aguilar: One guy's top 10 heavyweights of all time,"], May 16, 2020, ''[[El Paso Times]],'' retrieved November 22, 2020</ref> It was the first time that many white Americans openly cheered for a black man against a white opponent.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Thomas |title=The Brown Bomber is destroyed in his last ever fight |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jan/07/boxing.features1 |access-date=5 June 2021 |work=The Observer |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=2007-01-07 |language=en}}</ref>

===="Bum of the Month Club"====
In the 29 months from January 1939 through May 1941, Louis defended his title thirteen times, a frequency unmatched by any heavyweight champion since the end of the bare-knuckle era. The pace of his title defenses, combined with his convincing wins, earned Louis's opponents from this era the collective nickname "Bum of the Month Club".<ref name=espn/> Notables of this lambasted pantheon include:
* World light heavyweight champion [[John Henry Lewis]] who, attempting to move up a weight class, was knocked out in the first round by Louis on January 25, 1939.<ref name=eastside/>
* "Two Ton" [[Tony Galento]], who was able to knock Louis to the canvas with a left hook in the third round of their bout on June 28, 1939, before letting his guard down and being knocked out in the fourth.<ref name=eastside/>
* Chilean [[Arturo Godoy]], whom Louis fought twice in 1940, on February 9 and June 20. Louis won the first bout by a [[split-decision]], and the rematch by a knockout in the eighth round.<ref name=eastside/>
* Al McCoy, putative [[New England]] heavyweight champion, whose fight against Louis is probably best known for being the first heavyweight title bout held in [[Boston]], Massachusetts, (at the [[Boston Garden]] on December 16, 1940). The popular local challenger dodged his way around Louis before being unable to respond to the sixth-round bell.<ref name="eastside">{{Cite web |title=EastSideBoxing.com |url=http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=12459&more=1 |access-date=April 27, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Red Burman|Clarence "Red" Burman]], who pressed Louis for nearly five rounds at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 1941, before succumbing to a series of body blows.<ref name=eastside/>
* Gus Dorazio, of whom Louis remarked, "At least he tried", after being leveled by a short right hand in the second round at [[Philadelphia]]'s Convention Hall on February 17.<ref name=eastside/>
* [[Abe Simon]], who endured thirteen rounds of punishment before 18,908 at [[Olympia Stadium]] in Detroit on March 21 before referee Sam Hennessy declared a TKO.
* Tony Musto, who, at 5'7½" and 198&nbsp;pounds, was known as "Baby Tank". Despite a unique crouching style, Musto was slowly worn down over eight and a half rounds in St. Louis on April 8, and the fight was called a TKO because of a severe cut over Musto's eye.<ref name=eastside/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tony Musto |url=http://boxrec.com/boxer/12130 |access-date=December 25, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Buddy Baer]] (brother of former champion [[Max Baer (boxer)|Max]]), who was leading the May 23, 1941, bout in Washington, D.C., until an eventual barrage by Louis, capped by a hit at the sixth round bell. Referee Arthur Donovan disqualified Baer before the beginning of the seventh round as a result of stalling by Baer's manager.<ref name=eastside/>

Despite its derogatory nickname, most of the group were top-ten heavyweights. Of the 12 fighters Louis faced during this period, five were rated by ''The Ring'' as top-10 heavyweights in the year they fought Louis: Galento (overall #2 heavyweight in 1939), Bob Pastor (#3, 1939), Godoy (#3, 1940), Simon (#6, 1941) and Baer (#8, 1941). Four others (Musto, Dorazio, Burman and [[Johnny Paychek]]) were ranked in the top 10 in a different year.<ref>See BoxRec.com's record of ''The Ring'' magazine's ratings for [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1938 1938], [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1939 1939], [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1940 1940], [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1941 1941], [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1942 1942], and [http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_1943 1943].</ref>

====Louis vs. Conn====
Louis's string of lightly regarded competition ended with his bout against [[Billy Conn]], the light heavyweight champion and a highly regarded contender. The fighters met on June 18, 1941, in front of a crowd of 54,487 fans at the [[Polo Grounds]] in New York City.<ref name="eastside2">{{Cite web |title=EastSideBoxing.com: Billy Conn – Joe Louis Fight |url=http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=10504&more=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615103825/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=10504&more=1 |archive-date=June 15, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2009}}</ref> The fight turned out to be what is commonly considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxing fights of all time.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.si.com/boxing/2015/02/13/si-60-billy-conn-joe-louis-boxer-blonde|title = The Boxer and the Blonde: Billy Conn won the girl but lost the best fight ever| newspaper=Sports Illustrated }}</ref>

Conn would not gain weight for the challenge against Louis, saying instead that he would rely on a "hit and run" strategy. This prompted Louis's famous response: "He can run, but he can't hide".<ref name=arlington/><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ayto |first1=John |title=Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable |last2=Ian Crofton |year=2006}}</ref>

However, Louis had clearly underestimated Conn's threat. In his autobiography, Joe Louis said:

<blockquote>I made a mistake going into that fight. I knew Conn was kinda small and I didn't want them to say in the papers that I beat up on some little guy so the day before the fight I did a little roadwork to break a sweat and drank as little water as possible so I could weigh in under 200&nbsp;pounds. Chappie was as mad as hell. But Conn was a clever fighter, he was like a mosquito, he'd sting and move.<ref name=eastside2/>
</blockquote>

Conn had the better of the fight through 12 rounds, although Louis was able to stun Conn with a left hook in the fifth, cutting his eye and nose. By the eighth round, Louis began suffering from dehydration. By the twelfth round, Louis was exhausted, with Conn ahead on two of three boxing scorecards. But against the advice of his corner, Conn continued to closely engage Louis in the later stages of the fight. Louis made the most of the opportunity, knocking Conn out with two seconds left in the thirteenth round.<ref name=eastside2/>

The contest created an instant rivalry that Louis's career had lacked since the Schmeling era, and a rematch with Conn was planned for late 1942. The rematch had to be abruptly canceled, however, after Conn broke his hand in a much-publicized fight with his father-in-law, Major League ballplayer [[Jimmy Smith (baseball, born 1895)|Jimmy "Greenfield" Smith]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BillyConn.net |url=http://billyconn.net/aPhotos/biography.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105161157/http://www.billyconn.net./aPhotos/biography.htm |archive-date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2009}}</ref> By the time Conn was ready for the rematch, the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] had taken place.

==World War II==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Poster-Joe-Louis.jpg|thumb|left|upright|World War II recruiting poster featuring Louis]] -->

Louis fought a charity bout for the Navy Relief Society against his former opponent Buddy Baer on January 9, 1942, which raised $47,000 for the fund.<ref name=arlington/> The next day, he volunteered to enlist as a private in the [[United States Army]] at [[Camp Upton]], [[Long Island]].<ref name=Gibsonp234/><ref name="afmuseum">{{Cite web |title=National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |url=http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=1604&page=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114222152/http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=1604&page=2 |archive-date=January 14, 2012 |access-date=April 28, 2009}}</ref> Newsreel cameras recorded his induction, including a staged scene in which a soldier-clerk asked, "What's your occupation?", to which Louis replied, "Fighting and let us at them Japs".<ref name="si1985">{{Cite magazine |last=Mead |first=Chris |date=September 23, 1985 |title=Triumphs and Trials |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119926/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005055351/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119926/index.htm |archive-date=October 5, 2008}}</ref>

Another military charity bout on March 27, 1942, (against another former opponent, Abe Simon) netted $36,146.<ref name=arlington/> Before the fight, Louis had spoken at a Relief Fund dinner, saying of the war effort, "We'll win, 'cause we're on God's side".<ref name=deardorff/> The media widely reported the comment, instigating a surge of popularity for Louis. Slowly, the press began to eliminate its stereotypical racial references when covering Louis and instead treated him as a sports hero.<ref name=deardorff/> Despite the public relations boon, Louis's charitable fights proved financially costly. Although he saw none of the roughly $90,000 raised by these and other charitable fights, the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] later credited these amounts as taxable income paid to Louis.<ref>[[#Gibson|Gibson]], pp. 234–235.</ref> After the war, the IRS pursued the issue.

For basic training, Louis was assigned to a segregated cavalry unit based in [[Fort Riley]], [[Kansas]]. The assignment was at the suggestion of his friend and lawyer [[Truman Gibson]], who knew of Louis's love for horsemanship.<ref name="Gibsonp234">[[#Gibons|Gibson]], p. 234</ref> Gibson had previously become a civilian advisor to the War Department, in charge of investigating claims of harassment against black soldiers. Accordingly, Louis used this personal connection to help the cause of various black soldiers with whom he came into contact. In one noted episode, Louis contacted Gibson in order to facilitate the [[Officer Candidate School]] (OCS) applications of a group of black recruits at Fort Riley, which had been inexplicably delayed for several months.<ref name=gale/><ref name="Gibson, p. 12">[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 12.</ref> Among the OCS applications Louis facilitated was that of young UCLA athletic legend [[Jackie Robinson]], later to break the [[baseball color barrier]].<ref name="gale">{{Cite web |title=Black History Biographies Jackie Robinson |url=http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/robinson_j.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115020111/http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/robinson_j.htm |archive-date=January 15, 2009 |access-date=November 24, 2008 |publisher=[[Gale (Cengage)|Gale Cengage Learning]]}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |date=January 2, 2006 |title=Truman Gibson, Who Fought Army Segregation, Is Dead at 93 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/02/national/02gibson.html?_r=1 |access-date=May 6, 2010}}</ref> The episode spawned a personal friendship between the two men.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Patrick |first=Denise L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QeNqS4g7AcQC&q=jackie+robinson+officer+training+school&pg=PT20 |title=Jackie Robinson: Strong Inside and Out |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |year=2005 |isbn=0060576014 |location=New York}}</ref>

Realizing Louis's potential for raising ''esprit de corps'' among the troops, the Army placed him in its Special Services Division rather than sending him into combat.<ref name=afmuseum/> Louis went on a celebrity tour with other notables, including fellow boxer [[Sugar Ray Robinson]].<ref name=si1985/> He traveled more than {{convert|35,000|km|mi|abbr=on}} and staged 96 boxing exhibitions before two million soldiers.<ref name=arlington/> In England during 1944, he was reported to have signed as a player for [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool Football Club]] as a publicity stunt.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rollin |first=Jack |title=Soccer At War: 1935–45 |publisher=Headline |year=2005 |isbn=075531431X |location=London |page=184}}</ref>

[[File:Joe louis barrow.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Louis in the Army]]

In addition to his travels, Louis was the focus of a media recruitment campaign encouraging African-American men to enlist in the Armed Services, despite the military's racial segregation. When he was asked about his decision to enter the racially segregated U.S. Army, he said: "Lots of things wrong with America, but Hitler ain't going to fix them". In 1943, Louis made an appearance in the wartime Hollywood musical ''[[This Is the Army]]'', directed by [[Michael Curtiz]]. He appeared as himself in a musical number, "The Well-Dressed Man in Harlem", which emphasized the importance of African-American soldiers and promoted their enlistment.

Louis's celebrity power was not directed solely toward African Americans. In a famous wartime recruitment slogan, he echoed his prior comments of 1942: "We'll win, because we're on God's side". The publicity of the campaign made Louis widely popular stateside, even outside the world of sports.<ref name=matters/> Never before had white Americans embraced a black man as their representative to the world.<ref name=matters/>

Although Louis never saw combat, his military service saw challenges of its own. During his travels, he often experienced blatant racism. On one occasion, a military policeman (MP) ordered Louis and Ray Robinson to move to a bench in the rear of an Alabama Army camp bus depot. "We ain't moving", said Louis. The MP tried to arrest them, but Louis forcefully argued the pair out of the situation.<ref>[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 238</ref> In another incident, Louis exerted his influence to persuade a commanding officer to drop charges against now Lt. Jackie Robinson, who had resisted being told to move his seat on a southern bus, and retaliated against a Captain who had called Robinson a "nigger".<ref>[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 13.</ref>

Louis was eventually promoted to the rank of [[technical sergeant]] on April 9, 1945. On September 23 of the same year, he was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]] (a military decoration rarely awarded to enlisted soldiers) for "incalculable contribution to the general morale".<ref name=afmuseum/><ref name=answers/> Receipt of the honor qualified him for immediate release from military service on October 1, 1945.<ref name=arlington/><ref>[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 239.</ref>

==Later career and retirement==
Louis emerged from his wartime service significantly in debt. In addition to his looming tax bill—which had not been finally determined at the time, but was estimated at greater than $100,000<ref name=si1985/>—Jacobs claimed that Louis owed him $250,000.<ref>[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 236.</ref>

Despite the financial pressure on Louis to resume boxing, his long-awaited rematch against Billy Conn had to be postponed to the summer of 1946, when weather conditions could accommodate a large outdoor audience. On June 19, a disappointing 40,000 saw the rematch at Yankee Stadium,<ref name=si1985/> in which Louis was not seriously tested. Conn, whose skills had deteriorated during the long layoff, largely avoided contact until being dispatched by knockout in the eighth round. Although the attendance did not meet expectations, the fight was still the most profitable of Louis's career to date. His share of the purse was $600,000, of which Louis's managers got $140,000, his ex-wife $66,000 and the U.S. state of New York $30,000.<ref name=si1985/>

After trouble finding another suitable opponent, on December 5, 1947, Louis met [[Jersey Joe Walcott]], a 33-year-old veteran with a 44–11–2 record. Walcott entered the fight as a 10-to-1 underdog. Nevertheless, Walcott knocked down Louis twice in the first four rounds. Most observers in Madison Square Garden felt Walcott dominated the 15-round fight. When Louis was declared the winner in a split decision, the crowd booed.<ref name=si1985/>

Louis was under no illusion about the state of his boxing skills, yet he was too embarrassed to quit after the Walcott fight. Determined to win and retire with his title intact, Louis signed on for a rematch. On June 25, 1948, about 42,000 people came to Yankee Stadium to see the aging champion, who weighed 213½ pounds, the heaviest of his career to date. Walcott knocked Louis down in the third round, but Louis survived to knock out Walcott in the eleventh.<ref name=si1985/>

Louis would not defend his title again before announcing his retirement from boxing on March 1, 1949.<ref name=cyber/> In his bouts with Conn and Walcott, it had become apparent that Louis was no longer the fighter he had once been. As he had done earlier in his career, however, Louis would continue to appear in numerous exhibition matches worldwide.<ref name=arlington/><ref name="cyber">{{Cite web |title=CyberBoxingZone.com:Joe Louis' Professional and exhibition/sparring records |url=http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jlouis.htm |access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> In August 1949 [[Cab Calloway]] rendered homage to the "king of the ring" with his song ''Ol' Joe Louis''.<ref>Cab Calloway in Chronology, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe80N5Snxmo&list=OLAK5uy_nb5sgXFO6MktnBBkpadhGVAL8InutwBPE&index=4&t=0s ''Ol' Joe Louis (08-18-49)''].</ref>

===Comeback===
[[File:Joe Louis 1950.jpg|thumb|Louis, circa 1950]]
At the time of Louis's initial retirement, the IRS was still completing its investigation of his prior tax returns, which had always been handled by Mike Jacobs's personal accountant.<ref>Gibson, p. 243.</ref> In May 1950, the IRS finished a full audit of Louis's past returns and announced that, with interest and penalties, he owed the government more than $500,000.<ref name=si1985/> Louis had no choice but to return to the ring.

After asking Gibson to take over his personal finances and switching his management from Jacobs and Roxborough to Marshall Miles,<ref name=ring/><ref>[[#Roberts|Roberts]], p. 488.</ref> the Louis camp negotiated a deal with the IRS under which Louis would come out of retirement, with all Louis's net proceeds going to the IRS. A match with [[Ezzard Charles]]—who had acquired the vacant heavyweight title in June 1949 by outpointing Walcott—was set for September 27, 1950. By then, Louis was 36 years old and had been away from competitive boxing for two years. Weighing in at 218 pounds, Louis was still strong, but his reflexes were gone and Charles repeatedly beat him to the punch. By the end of the fight, Louis was cut above both eyes, one of which was shut tight by swelling.<ref name=ring/> He knew he had lost even before Charles was declared the winner. The result was not the only disappointing aspect of the fight for Louis; only 22,357 spectators paid to witness the event at Yankee Stadium, and his share of the purse was a mere $100,458.<ref name="ring">{{Cite journal |date=November 1980 |title=Joe Louis – The man who reigned as champion longer than any boxer in modern history |url=http://www.fightersfactory.com/story_detail.php?i=33 |journal=The Ring}}{{dead link|date=September 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Louis had to continue fighting.

After facing several club-level opponents and scoring a knockout victory over EBU heavyweight champion [[Lee Savold]], the International Boxing Club guaranteed Louis $300,000 to face undefeated heavyweight contender [[Rocky Marciano]] on October 26, 1951.<ref name=si1985/> Despite his being a 6-to-5 favorite, few boxing insiders believed Louis had a chance.<ref>[http://www.eastsideboxing.com/boxing-news/mccoy2404.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809070332/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/boxing-news/mccoy2404.php|date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> Marciano himself was reluctant to participate in the bout, but was understanding of Louis's position: "This is the last guy on earth I want to fight".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Ben |date=October 23, 2008 |title=Over the ropes |url=http://www.muhlenbergweekly.com/media/storage/paper300/news/2008/10/23/Sports/Over-The.Ropes-3506639.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411100138/http://www.muhlenbergweekly.com/media/storage/paper300/news/2008/10/23/Sports/Over-The.Ropes-3506639.shtml |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |website=The Muehlenberg (College) Weekly}}</ref> It was feared, particularly among those who had witnessed Marciano's punching power first-hand, that Louis's unwillingness to quit would result in serious injury. Fighting back tears, [[Ferdie Pacheco]] said in the ''[[SportsCentury]]'' documentary about Louis's bout with Marciano, "He [Louis] wasn't just going to lose. He was going to take a vicious, savage beating. Before the eyes of the nation, Joe Louis, an American hero if ever there was one, was going to get beaten up".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportbible.com/|title=SPORTbible – The Latest Sports News, Videos, Rumours & Pictures|website=SPORTbible}}</ref> Louis was dropped in the eighth round by a Marciano left and knocked through the ropes and out of the ring less than thirty seconds later.

In the dressing room after the fight, Louis's Army touring companion, Sugar Ray Robinson, wept. Marciano also attempted to console Louis, saying, "I'm sorry, Joe".<ref name=si1985/> "What's the use of crying?" Louis said. "The better man won. I guess everything happens for the best".<ref name=si1985/>

After facing Marciano, with the prospect of another significant payday all but gone, Louis retired for good from professional boxing. He would, as before, continue to tour on the exhibition circuit, with his last contest taking place on December 16, 1951, in [[Taipei]], Taiwan, against Corporal Buford J. deCordova.<ref name=arlington/><ref name=cyber/>

==Taxes and financial troubles==
Despite Louis's lucrative purses over the years, most of the proceeds went to his handlers. Of the over $4.6 million earned during his boxing career, Louis himself received only about $800,000.<ref name="arlington">{{Cite web |title=Arlington National Cemetery Biography of Joe Louis |url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/joelouis.htm |access-date=April 28, 2009}}</ref> Louis was nevertheless extremely generous to his family, paying for homes, cars and education for his parents and siblings,<ref name=pbs2/> often with money fronted by Jacobs.<ref name="Gibsonp236">[[#Gibson|Gibson]], p. 236</ref> He invested in a number of businesses, all of which eventually failed,<ref name=pbs2/> including the Joe Louis Restaurant, the Joe Louis Insurance Company, a softball team called the Brown Bombers, the Joe Louis Milk Company, Joe Louis pomade (hair product), Joe Louis Punch (a drink), the Louis-Rower P.R. firm, a horse farm and the [[Rhumboogie Café]] in Chicago.<ref name="clemson">{{Cite web|url=http://campber.people.clemson.edu/rsrf.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403002017/http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/rsrf.html|url-status=dead|title=The Red Saunders Research Foundation|archive-date=April 3, 2013|website=campber.people.clemson.edu}}</ref> He gave liberally to the government as well, paying back the city of Detroit for any welfare money his family had received.<ref name=pbs2/>

[[File:Louis-schmeling-1971.jpg|thumb|left|Louis and [[Max Schmeling]], 1971. The former rivals became close friends in later life.]]

A combination of this largesse and government intervention eventually put Louis in severe financial straits. His entrusting of his finances to former manager Mike Jacobs haunted him. After the $500,000 IRS tax bill was assessed, with interest accumulating every year, the need for cash precipitated Louis's post-retirement comeback.<ref name=si1985/><ref name=folsom/> Even though his comeback earned him significant purses, the incremental tax rate in place at the time (90%) meant that these boxing proceeds did not even keep pace with interest on Louis's tax debt. As a result, by the end of the 1950s, he owed over $1 million in taxes and interest.<ref name="folsom">{{Cite web |last=Folsom |first=Burton W. |date=June 6, 2005 |title=Schmeling K.O.'d by Louis! Louis K.O.'d by the U.S. Government! |url=http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=7128}}</ref> In 1953, when Louis's mother died, the IRS appropriated the $667 she had willed to Louis.<ref name=si1985/> To bring in money, Louis engaged in numerous activities outside the ring. He appeared on various [[Game show|quiz shows]],<ref name=folsom/> and an old Army friend, Ash Resnick, gave Louis a job greeting tourists to the [[Caesars Palace]] hotel in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], where Resnick was an executive.<ref name=folsom/> For income, Louis even became a [[professional wrestler]]. He made his professional wrestling debut on March 16, 1956, in Washington, D.C. at the [[Uline Arena]], defeating Cowboy Rocky Lee. After defeating Lee in a few matches, Louis discovered he had a heart ailment and retired from wrestling competition. However, he continued as a wrestling referee until 1972.<ref name=si1985/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |date=March 27, 2008 |title=Boxers in wrestling a rich tradition |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=dm-boxers032608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns}}</ref>

Louis remained a popular celebrity in his twilight years. His friends included former rival Max Schmeling, who provided Louis with financial assistance during his retirement<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 4, 2005 |title=Max Schmeling, Joe Louis's Friend and Foe, Dies at 99 |url=http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/?en/press/max-schmeling-joe-louis-s.2157.htm}}</ref>—and mobster [[Frank Lucas (drug dealer)|Frank Lucas]], who, disgusted with the government's treatment of Louis, once paid off a $50,000 tax lien held against him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Mark |date=August 14, 2000 |title=The Return of Superfly |url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/3649/ |website=New York Magazine Services}}</ref> These payments, along with an eventual agreement in the early 1960s by the IRS to limit its collections to an amount based on Louis's current income,<ref name=si1985/> allowed Louis to live comfortably toward the end of his life.<ref name=pbs2/>

After the [[Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling|Louis-Schmeling fight]], [[Jack Dempsey]] expressed the opinion that he was glad he never had to face Joe Louis in the ring. When Louis fell on hard financial times, Dempsey served as honorary chairman of a fund to assist Louis.<ref name="PBSDempsey">{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2004 |title=Jack Dempsey (1895–1983) |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/p_dempsey.html |access-date=June 24, 2012 |website=[[The American Experience]] The Fight |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting System]]}}</ref>

==Professional wrestling career==
In an effort to improve his financial situation, Joe Louis got involved with [[professional wrestling]] in 1954.  His first recorded match was on August 6, 1954, in a victory over Bobby Nelson.
<ref name=WrestlingData>{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=32638&bild=0&details=11|title=Wrestlingdata.com - The World's Largest Wrestling Database|first=Axel|last=Saalbach}}</ref>

In 1956, Louis went on a short-lived wrestling tour arranged by promoter Ray Fabiani.<ref name=Gilbert>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2607983-desperation-debt-led-joe-louis-to-follow-boxing-career-with-pro-wrestling-stint |title=Desperation, Debt Led Joe Louis to Follow Boxing Career with Pro Wrestling Stint |first=Ryan|last=Dilbert |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=May 13, 2016}}</ref>  This was cut short after a match against Cowboy Rocky Lee on May 31, 1956, when Louis' ribs were cracked, and he subsequently lost his wrestling license.<ref name="Gilbert" />

Louis returned to the wrestling ring on March 15, 1959, where he lost to [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]] in Columbus, Ohio.<ref name="WrestlingData" /> This led to a hiatus until the late 1960s and early 1970s, when he engaged in several wrestling matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cagematch.net/en?id=2&nr=22468&page=20|title=Cagematch.net}}</ref> His last match was in 1973 but he continued as a referee.<ref name="WrestlingData" />

==Professional golf==
[[File:Joe Louis golfing 1945.jpg|thumb|left|Louis golfing in 1945]]
One of Louis' other passions was the game of golf, in which he also played a historic role. He was a long-time devotee of the sport since being introduced to the game before the first Schmeling fight in 1936. In 1952, Louis was invited to play as an [[amateur]] in the [[Farmers Insurance Open|San Diego Open]] on a sponsor's exemption, which was announced at the time as the first instance of an African-American to play in a [[PGA Tour]] event<ref name=golf/><ref name="pclrway">{{Cite news |date=January 16, 1952 |title=PGA clears way for Joe Louis to compete in San Diego Open meet |page=6 |work=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |agency=Associated Press |location=Florida |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AgEiAAAAIBAJ&pg=2773%2C2090551}}</ref> (in fact, professional Howard Wheeler was one of seven African-Americans to compete in the Tam O'Shanter Open in Niles, Illinois in 1942, and Wheeler appeared in subsequent PGA-sanctioned events in Philadelphia in the 1940s, qualifying for the 1950 and 1951 U.S. Open).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full access to the PGA Tour for Black golfers was a 28-year odyssey! |url=https://trenhamgolfhistory.org/2023/02/18/full-access-to-the-pga-tour-for-black-golfers-was-a-28-year-odyssey/ |access-date=February 25, 2023 |last=Trenham |first=Pete |date=February 18, 2023 |publisher=trenhamgolfhistory.org/}}</ref>

Initially, the [[Professional Golfers' Association of America|PGA of America]] was reluctant to allow Louis to enter the event, having a bylaw at the time limiting PGA membership to [[white Americans]]. Louis's celebrity status eventually pushed the PGA toward removing the bylaw, although the "Caucasian only" clause in the PGA of America's constitution was not formally amended until November 1961.<ref name="podfldrs">{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1961 |title=PGA opens its doors to Negroes, world golfers |page=4, section 2 |work=Florence Times |agency=Associated Press |location=Alabama |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QP0rAAAAIBAJ&pg=612%2C1259647}}</ref><ref name="pgashtr">{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1961 |title=PGA group abolishes 'Caucasian' |page=22 |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |agency=Associated Press |location=Florida |url=https://news.google.com.org/newspapers?id=qbcqAAAAIBAJ&pg=7100%2C1775561 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The change, however, paved the way for the first generation of African-American professional golfers such as [[Calvin Peete]].{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Two weeks after the 1952 San Diego Open, Louis was invited to play in the 1952 Tucson Open. Louis shot a 69 in the opening round and a 72 in the 2nd round.  His 2-round total of 141 enabled him to make the cut. Joe Louis is the only champion athlete from another sport ever to make the cut in a PGA event.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://lenferman.substack.com/p/1952-joe-louis-belts-an-uppercut-cb5 | title=1952 - Joe Louis Belts an Uppercut on the PGA | date=February 3, 2024 }}</ref>

Louis himself financially supported the careers of several other early black professional golfers, such as [[Bill Spiller]], [[Ted Rhodes]], Howard Wheeler, James Black, Clyde Martin and [[Charlie Sifford]].<ref name=golf/> His son, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., would become a national spokesman for diversity in golf and retired in 2017 after serving 18 years as CEO of [[First Tee|The First Tee]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://firsttee.org/2017/11/13/ceo-joe-louis-barrow-jr-reitres/ |title=Celebrating 18 Years of Visionary Leadership to Our Retiring CEO Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. |date=November 13, 2017 |publisher=The First Tee |access-date=February 25, 2023}}</ref>

In 2009, the [[PGA of America]] granted posthumous membership to [[Ted Rhodes]], [[John Shippen]] and [[Bill Spiller]], who were denied the opportunity to become PGA members during their professional careers. The PGA also has granted posthumous honorary membership to Louis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pga.com/2009/news/pga/08/04/golf_pioneers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907135327/http://www.pga.com/2009/news/pga/08/04/golf_pioneers/|url-status=dead|title=PGA of America bestows membership upon late African-American pioneers|archive-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref> A public golf course in [[Riverdale, Illinois]], just south of Chicago, is named for him.

==Personal life==
{{blockquote|I did the best I could with what I had.|Joe Louis (cited by [[Philip Roth]])<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Remnick |first=David |author-link=David Remnick |date=November 9, 2012 |title=Philip Roth Says Enough |url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/philip-roth-says-enough |access-date=January 1, 2021 |magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref>}}

[[File:Jean stovall anderson and joe louis.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Joe Louis with Jean Anderson, [[Chicago]], 1947]]

Louis had two children by wife Marva Trotter (daughter Jacqueline in 1943 and son Joseph Louis Barrow Jr. in 1947). They divorced in March 1945 only to remarry a year later, but were again divorced in February 1949.<ref name=si1985/><ref name=nytobit/> Marva moved on to an acting and modeling career.<ref name="answers">{{Cite web |title= Joe Louis Biography |website=[[Answers.com]] |url=http://www.answers.com/topic/joe-louis |access-date=April 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Encyclopedia of Alabama: Marva Louis |url=http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Multimedia.jsp?id=m-5035 |access-date=April 27, 2009 |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726032821/http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Multimedia.jsp?id=m-5035 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On Christmas Day 1955, Louis married [[Rose Morgan]], a successful Harlem businesswoman; their marriage was annulled in 1958.<ref name=nytobit/> Louis's final marriage—to Martha Jefferson, a lawyer from Los Angeles, on [[St. Patrick's Day]] 1959—lasted until his death. They had four children: another son named Joseph Louis Barrow Jr, John Louis Barrow, Joyce Louis Barrow, and Janet Louis Barrow. The younger Joe Louis Barrow Jr. lives in New York City and is involved in boxing.<ref name="pbs2">{{Cite web |title=Joe Louis |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/p_louis.html |access-date=April 27, 2009 |publisher=PBS.org}}</ref><ref name=nytobit/> Though married four times, Louis discreetly enjoyed the company of other women like [[Lena Horne]] and [[Edna Mae Harris]].

[[File:Joe Louis and Adlai Stevenson.jpg|thumb|Louis showing Illinois governor and Democratic presidential candidate [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] how to throw a [[right hook]] punch, October 22, 1952.]]

Joe and Marva Louis endorsed and campaigned for liberal, anti-segregation [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate [[Wendell Willkie]] in the [[1940 United States presidential election]].<ref name="Stebenne 2016">{{cite web | last=Stebenne | first=David | title=The last time an outsider like Trump crashed the GOP? 1940 | website=The Conversation | date=2016-03-15 | url=http://theconversation.com/the-last-time-an-outsider-like-trump-crashed-the-gop-1940-55742 | access-date=2021-09-14}}</ref><ref name="Goldberg 2020">{{cite web | last=Goldberg | first=Dan C. | title=During World War II, the black press campaigned for a double victory – over tyranny abroad and segregation at home | website=[[Andscape]] | date=2020-05-25 | url=https://andscape.com/features/during-world-war-ii-the-black-press-campaigned-for-a-double-victory-over-tyranny-abroad-and-segregation-at-home/ | access-date=2021-09-14}}</ref> Louis said:

<blockquote>This country has been good to me. It gave me everything I have. I have never come out for any candidate before but I think Wendell L. Willkie will give us a square deal. So I am for Willkie because I think he will help my people, and I figure my people should be for him, too.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://retrocampaigns.tumblr.com/post/15728890400/joe-louis-endorses-wendell-willkie|title=Joe Louis Endorses Wendell Willkie in 1940}}</ref></blockquote>

Drugs took a toll on Louis in his later years. In 1969, he was hospitalized after collapsing on a New York City street. While the incident was at first credited to "physical breakdown",<ref name="nytobit">{{Cite news |last=McGowen |first=Deane |date=April 13, 1981 |title=Joe Louis, 66, Heavyweight King Who Reigned 12 Years, Is Dead |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0513.html |access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> underlying problems would soon surface. In 1970, he spent five months at the Colorado Psychiatric Hospital and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Denver, hospitalized by his wife, Martha, and his son, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., for paranoia.<ref name=nytobit/> In a 1971 book, ''Brown Bomber'', by [[Barney Nagler]], Louis disclosed the truth about these incidents, stating that his collapse in 1969 had been caused by cocaine, and that his subsequent hospitalization had been prompted by his fear of a plot to destroy him.<ref name=nytobit/> Strokes and heart ailments caused Louis's condition to deteriorate further later in the decade. He had surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm in 1977 and thereafter used a POV/scooter for a mobility aid.<ref name=arlington/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Holidays 2000 – Real Lives: The Gift of Mobility |url=http://www.enabledonline.com/BackIssues/Holidays2000/real3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309054952/http://www.enabledonline.com/BackIssues/Holidays2000/real3.html |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |access-date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=EnabledOnline.com}}</ref>

==Death==
[[File:Joe louis headstone.jpg|left|upright|thumb|Joe Louis' headstone in [[Arlington National Cemetery]], Virginia]]
Louis died of [[cardiac arrest]] in Desert Springs Hospital near [[Las Vegas]] on April 12, 1981, just hours after his last public appearance viewing the [[Larry Holmes]]–[[Trevor Berbick]] heavyweight championship fight. [[President Ronald Reagan]] waived the eligibility rules for burial at [[Arlington National Cemetery]] and Louis was buried there with full military honors on April 21, 1981.<ref name="ANC">{{Cite web |last=Peters, James Edward |year=2000 |title=Joe Louis (Barrow), "The Brown Bomber", Heavyweight Champion of the World |url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/visitor_information/joe_louis.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607172531/http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/visitor_information/joe_louis.html |archive-date=June 7, 2007 |access-date=July 4, 2007 |website=Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America's Heroes |publisher=Woodbine House}} Published on the Official website of Arlington National Cemetery</ref> His funeral was paid for in part by former competitor and friend, [[Max Schmeling]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Experience – The Fight – People & Events |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/p_schmeling.html |publisher=PBS}}</ref> who also acted as a pallbearer.

==Film and television==
{{expand section|date=March 2019}}
Louis appeared in six full-length films and two short films.

Louis had a starring role in the 1938 [[race film]] ''[[Spirit of Youth]]'', in which he played a boxer with many similarities to himself.

In 1943, he was featured in the full-length movie ''[[This is the Army]]'', which starred Ronald Reagan, with appearances by Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Irving Berlin, and which was directed by Michael Curtiz.

In 1946 he played himself in ''[[Joe Palooka, Champ]]'', a movie based on the comic strip ''[[Joe Palooka]]'' created by [[Ham Fisher]].

Louis once again played himself in the short film ''Johnny At The Fair'' in 1947. The short film takes place at the [[Canadian National Exhibition]] (CNE) where a boy becomes separated from his parents and meets a host of celebrities including former Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|William Lyon MacKenzie King]] and champion figure skater [[Barbara Ann Scott]].

In 1948 Louis starred as himself in Joseph Lerner's ''[[The Fight Never Ends]]''.

In 1955 Louis was once again cast as himself in a small role in [[The Square Jungle]] written by [[George Zuckerman]] and starring [[Tony Curtis]].

Louis's last feature-length movie role took place in the 1970 comedy ''[[The Phynx]]'' in which a rock band goes on tour in Albania in order to save Americans being held hostage.

He was a guest on the television show ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'' in 1955. In 1977, Louis made a small cameo appearance on the TV series ''[[Quincy M.E.]]''

In 1953, Robert Gordon directed a movie about Louis's life, ''[[The Joe Louis Story]]''. Filmed in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood]], it starred Golden Gloves fighter and Louis lookalike [[Coley Wallace]] in the title role.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Niemi |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WVFhcBcv_X8C&q=%22joe+louis%22&pg=PA195 |title=History in the Media: film and television |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2005 |isbn=978-1576079522 |location=Santa Barbara |pages=195–196}}</ref> The film suffered from low budget and production values, sluggishly intercutting clips from Louis's actual bouts with indifferent audio sync.

==Legacy==
[[File:Monument to Joe Louis--.jpg|thumb|''[[Monument to Joe Louis]]'', erected in October 1986 in [[Detroit]]]]
Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, during which he participated in 26 championship fights, defeated 21 fighters,<ref name=louis-21-fighters>{{Cite web|url=https://footballua.tv/sport/75041-ne-sobirayus-lomat-chelyust-vladimir-klichko-zagovoril-o-vozvrashchenii-v-ring|title=Не собираюсь ломать челюсть: Владимир Кличко заговорил о возвращении в ринг|access-date=20 March 2021|language=ru}}</ref><ref name=sobytia-v-bokse>{{Cite web|url=https://isport.ua/boxing/2589695-glavnye-sobytiya-desyatiletiya-boks|title=Главные события десятилетия: бокс|date=December 27, 2020|access-date=20 March 2021|language=ru}}</ref> made 25 defenses and was a world champion for 11 years and 10 months. The latter two are still records in the heavyweight division, the former in any division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=East Side Boxing: IBRO's 25 Greatest Fighters of All Time |url=http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=8921&more=1 |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> Louis has won the most world heavyweight title fights in history, at 26.<ref name=louis-record-26>{{Cite web|url=https://sport.ua/news/536279-vladimiru-klichko-nuzhno-provesti-odin-chempionskiy-boy-dlya-povtoreniya-rekorda|title=Владимиру Кличко нужно провести один чемпионский бой для повторения рекорда|access-date=23 May 2021|language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=louis-record-26-2>{{Cite web|url=https://focus.ua/sport/481879-vperedi-taysona-i-ali-vladimir-klichko-vtoroy-v-mire-po-kolichestvu-vyigrannyh-chempionskih-boev|title=Впереди Тайсона и Али: Владимир Кличко – второй в мире по количеству выигранных чемпионских боев |date=May 6, 2021 |access-date=23 May 2021|language=Russian}}</ref><ref name=louis-record-26-3>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-sports/3240341-volodimir-klicko-drugij-v-istorii-boksu-za-kilkistu-vigranih-cempionskih-boiv.html|title=Володимир Кличко другий в історії боксу за кількістю виграних чемпіонських боїв|date=May 5, 2021 |access-date=23 May 2021|language=uk}}</ref>  In addition to his accomplishments inside the ring, Louis uttered two of boxing's most famous observations: "He can run, but he can't hide" and "Everyone has a plan until they've been hit".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sugar |first=Bert Randolph |title=Boxing's Greatest Fighters: Joe Louis |url=https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2449309 |access-date=April 29, 2009 |website=ESPN|date=May 17, 2006 }}</ref><ref name=arlington/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 10 Greatest Boxers of All Time |date=September 12, 2006 |url=http://techblogbiz.blogspot.com/2006/09/top-10-greatest-boxers-of-all-time.html |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref>

Louis was named fighter of the year four times by ''[[The Ring (magazine)|The Ring]]'' magazine in 1936, 1938, 1939, and 1941. His fights with Max Baer, Max Schmeling, Tommy Farr, Bob Pastor and Billy Conn were named fight of the year by that same magazine. Louis won the [[Sugar Ray Robinson Award]] in 1941. In 2005, Louis was ranked as the best heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization,<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Time Rankings <!-- he has 19 gold medals, 8 silver, and 3 bronze (commented out 2/27/22) --> |url=http://www.ibroresearch.com/All+Time+Rankings.htm |date=March 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707114512/http://www.ibroresearch.com/All%20Time%20Rankings.htm |archive-date=July 7, 2007 |website=International Boxing Research Organization |access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> and was ranked number one on ''[[The Ring (magazine)|The Ring]]'' magazine's list of the "100 greatest punchers of all time".<ref name="PBS1">{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2004 |title=Joe Louis (1914–1981) |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/fight/peopleevents/p_louis.html |access-date=June 24, 2012 |website=The American Experience The Fight |publisher=Public Broadcasting System}}</ref><ref name="boxrec-hw-annuals">{{Cite web |title=BoxRec's Annual Ratings: Heavyweight Annuals |url=https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/BoxRec%27s_Annual_Ratings:_Heavyweight_Annuals |access-date=December 25, 2020 |publisher=BoxRec}}</ref><ref name="louis-record">{{Cite web |title=Professional boxing record: Joe Louis |url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/9027 |access-date=March 14, 2020}}</ref> In a 1978 poll conducted by [[HBO]], the [[Boxing Writers Association of America|Boxing Writers of America]] voted Louis the greatest heavyweight of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fresno Bee 11 May 1978, page 54 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/704088186/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en |quote="On Tuesday, the Boxing Writers of America voted Sugar Ray not only the best boxer of all time, but also the best middleweight and best welterweight. Joe Louis beat out Muhammad Ali as the best heavyweight, Archie Moore was named the best light heavyweight and Roberto Duran, the current champ, was voted the best lightweight in the balloting, conducted by Home Box Office."}}</ref> [[Hank Kaplan]], [[Bert Sugar]], [[Teddy Atlas]], [[George Foreman]], [[Joe Frazier]], and [[Sugar Ray Robinson]] named Louis as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=139046|title=Bert Sugar's top 10 Greatest Heavyweights: BoxRec|website=boxrec.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.silive.com/sports/2016/06/teddy_atlas_speaks_of_the_geni.html|title=Teddy Atlas speaks of the 'genius' of Muhammad Ali|first=Stephen|last=Hart|date=June 6, 2016|website=silive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-there-s-never-been-a-boxer-better-than-joe-louis-you-d-take-one-shot-from-him-and-you-george-foreman-61-66-71.jpg|title=AZ quotes – George Foreman about Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://quotefancy.com/quote/1017087/Joe-Frazier-Joe-Louis-is-the-greatest-heavyweight-champion-of-all-time-Rocky-Marciano-is|title=Joe Frazier Quote: "Joe Louis is the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. Rocky Marciano is second only to Louis. Where do I rate Ali?..."|website=quotefancy.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bright Lights Gone for Boxing's 'Sugar Man'. The Fresno Bee 11 May 1978, page 54 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/704088186/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en |quote="...if you ask me who I think was the greatest ever, two fellows come to my mind — Henry Armstrong and Joe Louis. What a little fighting guy Henry was! And Joe had the fastest hands I ever saw!"}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=March 1978 |title=Who is the greatest heavyweight champion of all time? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oACqry5GZ-sC&dq=ebony+magazine+joe+louis+muhammad+ali+greatest+of+all+time+black+sportswriters&pg=PA125 |journal=Ebony Magazine |pages=132 |access-date=August 31, 2023 |quote="Joe Louis was the greatest heavyweight I ever seen!" Robinson says. "Everybody knows he could hit, but, in my opinion, he had the fastest hands of anyone—including Ali!" |via=Google books}}</ref>

Louis is also remembered in sports outside of boxing. A former indoor sports venue was named after him in Detroit, the [[Joe Louis Arena]], where the [[Detroit Red Wings]] played their [[National Hockey League|NHL]] games from 1979 to 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Louis Arena: Official Site |url=http://www.olympiaentertainment.com/venues/joelouisarena.jsp?dispPos=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522111716/http://www.olympiaentertainment.com/venues/joelouisarena.jsp?dispPos=1 |archive-date=May 22, 2009 |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> In 1936, [[Vince Leah]], then a writer for ''[[The Winnipeg Tribune]]'' used Joe Louis's nickname to refer to the Winnipeg Football Club after a game. From that point, the team became known popularly as the [[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winnipeg Blue Bombers Official Site |url=http://www.bluebombers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=166&Itemid=94 |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jim Coleman|last=Coleman|first=Jim|author-link=Jim Coleman (journalist)|date=May 9, 1980|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=34|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94042698/leah-1980/}}{{free access}}</ref>

His recognition also transcends the sporting world. In 2002, scholar [[Molefi Kete Asante]] listed Joe Louis on his list of [[100 Greatest African Americans]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Asante |first=Molefi Kete |title=100 Greatest African Americans: A Biographical Encyclopedia |publisher=Prometheus |year=2002 |isbn=978-1573929639 |location=Amherst, New York |pages=207–209}}</ref> On August 26, 1982, Louis was posthumously approved for the [[Congressional Gold Medal]], the highest award given to civilians by the U.S. legislative branch.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives: Recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal |url=http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/goldMedal.html |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> Congress stated that he "did so much to bolster the spirit of the American people during one of the most crucial times in American history and which have endured throughout the years as a symbol of strength for the nation".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Y2u.co.uk Biography of Joe Louis |url=http://famous.y2u.co.uk/F_Joe_Louis_Boxer_Champ_A1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226124951/http://famous.y2u.co.uk/F_Joe_Louis_Boxer_Champ_A1.htm |archive-date=December 26, 2008 |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> Following Louis's death, President [[Ronald Reagan]] said, "Joe Louis was more than a sports legend—his career was an indictment of racial bigotry and a source of pride and inspiration to millions of white and black people around the world".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statement By President Ronald Reagan on the Death of Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Louis April 13, 1981 |url=http://www.congressionalgoldmedal.com/JoeLouis.htm |access-date=August 1, 2007 |archive-date=August 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825153113/http://www.congressionalgoldmedal.com/JoeLouis.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On October 16, 1986, a [[Monument to Joe Louis|memorial to Louis]] was dedicated at Jefferson Avenue and Woodward in [[Detroit]]. The sculpture, commissioned by [[Time Warner|Time, Inc.]] and executed by [[Robert Graham (sculptor)|Robert Graham]], is a {{convert|24|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} arm with a fisted hand suspended by a {{convert|24|ft|m|adj=mid|-high}} pyramidal framework. It represents the power of his punch both inside and outside the ring.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fist of a Champion – Detroit's Monument to Joe Louis |date=November 26, 2007 |url=http://michpics.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/fist-of-a-champion-detroits-monument-to-joe-louis/ |access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref>

In an interview with [[Arsenio Hall]] in the late 1980s, former heavyweight champion [[Muhammad Ali]] stated that his two biggest influences in boxing were [[Sugar Ray Robinson]] and Joe Louis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2008 |title=Muhammad Ali @ Arsenio Hall, Part 1 of 3 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhBmoGV2FTw | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316020932/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhBmoGV2FTw| archive-date=2012-03-16|access-date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> After Joe Louis died, Ali stated, "Whatever I said before, I don't mean it, 'cause Joe Louis was the greatest."<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Kindred |first=Dave |date=1981-04-18 |title=A Sad Funeral for 'Poor Joe' Ends as Celebration of a Hero |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1981/04/18/a-sad-funeral-for-poor-joe-ends-as-celebration-of-a-hero/3b1f0170-bf0b-4533-853a-997bacb99eef/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Ali then told the [[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]:  <blockquote>

<small>Look at Joe's life. Everybody loved Joe. He would have been marked as evil if he was evil, but everybody loved Joe. From black folks to red-neck Mississippi crackers, they loved him. They're all crying. That shows you. Howard Hughes dies, with all his billions, not a tear. Joe Louis, everybody cried.</small><ref name=":0" />  </blockquote>On February 27, 2010, an {{convert|8|ft|m|adj=on}} bronze statue of Louis was unveiled in his Alabama hometown. The statue, by sculptor Casey Downing Jr., sits on a base of red granite outside the Chambers County Courthouse.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statue of Joe Louis unveiled in Alabama hometown |date=February 28, 2010 |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/02/statue_of_joe_louis_unveiled_i.html |access-date=March 3, 2010}}</ref>

In 1993, he became the first boxer to be honored on a postage stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joe Louis Stamp, 1993 |url=http://www.sites.si.edu/images/exhibits/Art%20of%20the%20Stamp/pages/Joe-Louis_jpg.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412054157/http://www.sites.si.edu/images/exhibits/Art%20of%20the%20Stamp/pages/Joe-Louis_jpg.htm |archive-date=April 12, 2009 |access-date=April 28, 2009}}</ref>

Various other facilities have been named after Joe Louis. In 1984, the four streets surrounding [[Madison Square Garden]] were named Joe Louis Plaza in his honor. The former Pipe O' Peace Golf Course in [[Riverdale, Illinois]] (a Chicago suburb), was in 1986 renamed "Joe Louis The Champ Golf Course".<ref>{{Cite web |title=TheGolfCourses.net |url=http://www.thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/IL/9664.htm |access-date=April 29, 2009}}</ref> [[American Legion]] Post 375 in Detroit is also named after Joe Louis. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $4 million, Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe, was a hockey arena located in downtown Detroit. It was the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League from 1979 until 2017. The planned demolition of the Arena prompted the City of Detroit in 2017 to rename the Inner Circle Greenway as the [[Joe Louis Greenway]]. The {{convert|39|mi|km|0|adj=on}} biking and walking trail  passes through the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Dearborn.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Goodbye, Inner Circle Greenway. Hello, Joe Louis Greenway. |url=http://detroitgreenways.org/goodbye-inner-circle-greenway-hello-joe-louis-greenway/ |access-date=May 14, 2018 |website=Detroit Greenways Coalition|date=October 30, 2017 }}</ref>

In one of the most widely quoted tributes to Louis, ''[[New York Post]]'' sportswriter [[Jimmy Cannon]], when responding to another person's characterization of Louis as "a credit to his race", stated, "Yes, Joe Louis is a credit to his race—the human race".<ref>[[#Roberts|Roberts]], p. 491.</ref>
[[File:SGT. JOE LOUIS - CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS - NARA - 535687.jpg|thumb|Illustration of Joe Louis by Charles Henry Alston]]
Joe Louis trained at the site of the [[Pompton Lakes]] (NJ) Elks Club.  When he won one of his fights, he donated the first ambulance to the Pompton Lakes First Aid Squad.

==Cultural references==
* In his heyday, Louis was the subject of many musical tributes, including a number of blues songs.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Oliver |first1=Paul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=clFj0HqAlRkC&q=%22joe+louis%22&pg=PA274 |title=Blues Fell This Morning: Meaning in the Blues |last2=Richard Wright |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1990 |isbn=978-0521377935 |location=Cambridge & New York |pages=274–275}}</ref>
* [[Kurt Vonnegut]]'s short story "D.P." (originally published in ''[[Ladies Home Journal]]'' in August 1953) is about a black orphan boy living in post-World War II Germany who is nicknamed "Joe Louis" (after the boxer) by US soldiers stationed in the [[American occupation zone in Germany|American Zone of Occupation]]. "D.P." was included in Vonnegut's short story collection ''[[Welcome to the Monkey House]]'' (1968) and filmed as "[[Displaced Person (American Playhouse)|Displaced Person]]" for television's ''[[American Playhouse]]'' in 1985. 
* Louis was portrayed by actor Bari K. Willerford in the film [[American Gangster (film)|''American Gangster'']].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929780/ |title=Bari K. Willerford |publisher=imdb.com |access-date=February 25, 2023}}</ref>
* In 2009, the Brooklyn band [[Yeasayer]] debuted the single "Ambling Alp" from their forthcoming album ''Odd Blood'', which imagines what advice Joe Louis's father might have given him prior to becoming a prizefighter. The song makes reference to Louis's boxing career and his famous [[Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling|rivalry with Schmeling]] in the first person, with the lyrics such as "Oh, [[Max Schmeling]] was a formidable foe / The [[Primo Carnera|Ambling Alp]] was too, at least that's what I'm told / But if you learn one thing, you've learned it well / In June, you must give fascists hell".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiner |first=Jonah |date=November 5, 2009 |title=Track of the Week: Yeasayer's "Ambling Alp" |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/11/05/track-of-the-week-yeasayer-s-ambling-alp.aspx |access-date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=Slate.com |archive-date=January 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120141135/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/11/05/track-of-the-week-yeasayer-s-ambling-alp.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pitchfork.tv |url=http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/episode/2108-yeasayer/1 |access-date=December 31, 2013 |publisher=Pitchfork.com}}</ref>
* An [[opera]] based on his life, ''[[Shadowboxer (opera)|Shadowboxer]]'', premiered on April 17, 2010.<ref>Midegette, Anne, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041603030.html?hpid=moreheadlines "Inspired by Joe Louis, opera 'Shadowboxer' scores one for reality"], ''Washington Post'', April 17, 2010.</ref>
* The aforementioned sculpture of Louis's fist (see [[#Legacy|Legacy]] above) was one of several Detroit landmarks depicted in 'Imported from Detroit', a two-minute commercial for the [[Chrysler 200]] featuring [[Eminem]] that aired during [[Super Bowl XLV]] in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chryslers-imported-from-detroit-super-bowl-ad-inspires-political-debate/ |title=Chrysler's "Imported from Detroit" Super Bowl Ad Inspires Political Debate |last=Condon |first=Stephanie |website=[[CBS News]] |date=February 7, 2011}}</ref>
* Louis is the inspiration behind [[Jesse Jagz]]'s eponymous song from the album ''[[Jagz Nation, Vol. 2: Royal Niger Company]]'' (2014).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tayo, Ayomide |date=April 6, 2014 |title=Jagz Nation Vol. 2: The Royal Niger Company [Album Review] |url=https://thenet.ng/jagz-nation-vol-2-the-royal-niger-company-album-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409012624/http://thenet.ng/2014/04/jagz-nation-vol-2-the-royal-niger-company-album-review |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |access-date=April 9, 2014 |publisher=Nigerian Entertainment Today}}</ref>
* The first track from [[John Squire]]'s 2002 debut LP ''[[Time Changes Everything]]'' is titled "Joe Louis", and the lyrics include references to his boxing and army career.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/976728-John-Squire-Time-Changes-Everything |publisher=Discogs |access-date=February 25, 2023 |title=John Squire – Time Changes Everything|date=September 16, 2002 }}</ref>
* Louis' life is retold in the 1948 [[old-time radio]] drama "Little David", a presentation from ''[[Destination Freedom]]''.<ref>"[https://archive.org/details/DestinationFreedom/DF_48-10-10_ep016-Little_David.mp3 Little David]", written by [[Richard Durham]].</ref>

==Professional boxing record==
{{BoxingRecordSummary
|ko-wins=52
|ko-losses=2
|dec-wins=13
|dec-losses=1
|dq-win=|dq-wins=1}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round, time
!Date
!Age
!Location
!Notes
|-
|69
|{{no2}}Loss
|66–3
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Rocky Marciano]]
|TKO
|8 (10)
|Oct 26, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|10|26}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|68
|{{yes2}}Win
|66–2
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Jimmy Bivins]]
|UD
|10
|Aug 15, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|8|15}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]], [[Baltimore]], Maryland, U.S.}}
|
|-
|67
|{{yes2}}Win
|65–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Cesar Brion
|UD
|10
|Aug 1, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|8|1}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Cow Palace, Daly City, California, U.S.}}
|
|-
|66
|{{yes2}}Win
|64–2
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Lee Savold]]
|KO
|6 (15), {{small|2:29}}
|Jun 15, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|6|15}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|65
|{{yes2}}Win
|63–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Omelio Agramonte
|UD
|10
|May 2, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|5|2}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|
|-
|64
|{{yes2}}Win
|62–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Andy Walker
|TKO
|10 (10), {{small|1:49}}
|Feb 23, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|2|23}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Cow Palace]], [[Daly City, California]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|63
|{{yes2}}Win
|61–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Omelio Agramonte
|UD
|10
|Feb 7, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|2|7}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Miami Stadium]], [[Miami]], Florida, U.S.}}
|
|-
|62
|{{yes2}}Win
|60–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Freddie Beshore
|TKO
|4 (10), {{small|2:48}}
|Jan 3, 1951
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1951|1|3}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|
|-
|61
|{{yes2}}Win
|59–2
|style="text-align:left;"| Cesar Brion
|UD
|10
|Nov 29, 1950
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1950|11|29}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|60
|{{no2}}Loss
|58–2
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Ezzard Charles]]
|UD
|15
|Sep 27, 1950
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1950|9|27}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|For NBA, vacant NYSAC, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|59
|{{yes2}}Win
|58–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Jersey Joe Walcott]]
|KO
|11 (15)
|Jun 25, 1948
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1948|6|25}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|58
|{{yes2}}Win
|57–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Jersey Joe Walcott]]
|SD
|15
|Dec 5, 1947
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1947|12|5}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|57
|{{yes2}}Win
|56–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Tami Mauriello]]
|KO
|1 (15), {{small|2:09}}
|Sep 18, 1946
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1946|9|18}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|56
|{{yes2}}Win
|55–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Billy Conn]]
|KO
|8 (15), {{small|2:19}}
|Jun 19, 1946
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1946|6|19}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|55
|{{yes2}}Win
|54–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Johnny Davis
|TKO
|1 (4), {{small|0:53}}
|Nov 14, 1944
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1944|11|14}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left|{{small|Retained NYSAC and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|54
|{{yes2}}Win
|53–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Abe Simon]]
|TKO
|6 (15), {{small|0:16}}
|Mar 27, 1942
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1942|3|27}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|53
|{{yes2}}Win
|52–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Buddy Baer]]
|KO
|1 (15), {{small|2:56}}
|Jan 9, 1942
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1942|1|9}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|52
|{{yes2}}Win
|51–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Lou Nova]]
|TKO
|6 (15), {{small|2:59}}
|Sep 29, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|9|29}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|51
|{{yes2}}Win
|50–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Billy Conn]]
|KO
|13 (15), {{small|2:58}}
|Jun 18, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|6|18}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Polo Grounds IV|Polo Grounds]], New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|50
|{{yes2}}Win
|49–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Buddy Baer]]
|{{abbr|DQ|Disqualification}}
|7 (15), {{small|3:00}}
|May 23, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|5|23}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Griffith Stadium]], [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles;<br>Baer disqualified after his manager refused to leave the ring}}
|-
|49
|{{yes2}}Win
|48–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Tony Musto
|TKO
|9 (15), {{small|1:36}}
|Apr 8, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|4|8}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[St. Louis Arena]], [[St. Louis]], Missouri, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|48
|{{yes2}}Win
|47–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Abe Simon]]
|TKO
|13 (20), {{small|1:20}}
|Mar 21, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|3|21}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|47
|{{yes2}}Win
|46–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Gus Dorazio
|KO
|2 (15), {{small|1:30}}
|Feb 17, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|2|17}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Philadelphia Convention Hall|Convention Hall]], Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|46
|{{yes2}}Win
|45–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Red Burman]]
|KO
|5 (15), {{small|2:49}}
|Jan 31, 1941
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1941|1|31}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|45
|{{yes2}}Win
|44–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Al McCoy
|{{abbr|RTD|Corner retirement}}
|5 (15), {{small|3:00}}
|Dec 16, 1940
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1940|12|16}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Boston Garden]], [[Boston]], Massachusetts, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|44
|{{yes2}}Win
|43–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Arturo Godoy]]
|TKO
|8 (15), {{small|1:24}}
|Jun 20, 1940
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1940|6|20}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|43
|{{yes2}}Win
|42–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Johnny Paychek]]
|TKO
|2 (15), {{small|0:41}}
|Mar 29, 1940
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1940|3|29}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|42
|{{yes2}}Win
|41–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Arturo Godoy]]
|{{abbr|SD|Split decision}}
|15
|Feb 9, 1940
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1940|2|9}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|41
|{{yes2}}Win
|40–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Bob Pastor]]
|KO
|11 (20), {{small|0:38}}
|Sep 20, 1939
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1939|9|20}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Briggs Stadium]], Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|40
|{{yes2}}Win
|39–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Tony Galento]]
|TKO
|4 (15), {{small|2:29}}
|Jun 28, 1939
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1939|6|28}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|39
|{{yes2}}Win
|38–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Jack Roper
|KO
|1 (10), {{small|2:20}}
|Apr 17, 1939
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1939|4|17}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|38
|{{yes2}}Win
|37–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[John Henry Lewis]]
|KO
|1 (15), {{small|2:29}}
|Jan 25, 1939
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1939|1|25}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|37
|{{yes2}}Win
|36–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Max Schmeling]]
|TKO
|1 (15), {{small|2:04}}
|[[Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling|Jun 22, 1938]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1938|6|22}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|36
|{{yes2}}Win
|35–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Harry Thomas
|KO
|5 (15), {{small|2:50}}
|Apr 4, 1938
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1938|4|4}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NBA and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA World Heavyweight Title Fights |url=https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NBA_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights |access-date=February 2, 2021 |publisher=BoxRec}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NYSAC World Heavyweight Title Fights |url=https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NYSAC_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights |access-date=February 2, 2021 |publisher=BoxRec}}</ref>}}
|-
|35
|{{yes2}}Win
|34–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Nathan Mann
|KO
|3 (15), {{small|1:36}}
|Feb 23, 1938
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1938|3|23}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC, NBA, and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|34
|{{yes2}}Win
|33–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Tommy Farr]]
|UD
|15
|Aug 30, 1937
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1937|8|30}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Retained NYSAC and ''The Ring'' heavyweight titles}}
|-
|33
|{{yes2}}Win
|32–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[James J. Braddock]]
|KO
|8 (15)
|[[James Braddock vs. Joe Louis|Jun 22, 1937]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1937|6|22}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|Won [[New York State Athletic Commission|NYSAC]], [[list of WBA world champions#Heavyweight|NBA]], and [[list of The Ring world champions#Heavyweight|''The Ring'' heavyweight titles]]}}
|-
|32
|{{yes2}}Win
|31–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Natie Brown
|KO
|4 (10), {{small|0:52}}
|Feb 17, 1937
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1937|2|17}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City)|Municipal Auditorium]], [[Kansas City, Missouri]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|31
|{{yes2}}Win
|30–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Bob Pastor]]
|UD
|10
|Jan 29, 1937
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1937|1|29}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|30
|{{yes2}}Win
|29–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Steve Ketchel
|KO
|2 (4), {{small|0:31}}
|Jan 11, 1937
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1937|1|11}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Broadway Auditorium]], [[Buffalo, New York]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|29
|{{yes2}}Win
|28–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Eddie Simms
|TKO
|1 (10), {{small|0:26}}
|Dec 14, 1936
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|12|14}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Public Auditorium]], [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|28
|{{yes2}}Win
|27–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Jorge Brescia
|KO
|3 (10), {{small|2:12}}
|Oct 9, 1936
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|10|9}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Hippodrome Theatre, New York City|Hippodrome Theatre]], New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|27
|{{yes2}}Win
|26–1
|style="text-align:left;"| Al Ettore
|KO
|5 (15), {{small|1:28}}
|Sep 22, 1936
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|9|22}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Philadelphia Municipal Stadium|Municipal Stadium]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|26
|{{yes2}}Win
|25–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Jack Sharkey]]
|KO
|3 (10), {{small|1:02}}
|Aug 18, 1936
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|8|18}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|25
|{{no2}}Loss
|24–1
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Max Schmeling]]
|KO
|12 (15), {{small|2:29}}
|[[Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling|Jun 19, 1936]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|6|19}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|24
|{{yes2}}Win
|24–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Charley Retzlaff]]
|KO
|1 (15), {{small|1:25}}
|Jan 17, 1936
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1936|1|17}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|23
|{{yes2}}Win
|23–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Paulino Uzcudun]]
|TKO
|4 (15), {{small|2:32}}
|Dec 13, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|12|13}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]], New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|22
|{{yes2}}Win
|22–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Max Baer (boxer)|Max Baer]]
|KO
|4 (15), {{small|3:09}}
|Sep 24, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|9|24}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|21
|{{yes2}}Win
|21–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[King Levinsky]]
|TKO
|1 (10), {{small|2:21}}
|Aug 7, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|8|7}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Comiskey Park]], Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|20
|{{yes2}}Win
|20–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Primo Carnera]]
|TKO
|6 (15), {{small|2:32}}
|Jun 25, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|6|25}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], [[New York City]], New York, U.S.}}
|
|-
|19
|{{yes2}}Win
|19–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Biff Bennett
|KO
|1 (6), {{small|1:15}}
|Apr 22, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|4|22}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Dayton Memorial Hall|Memorial Hall]], [[Dayton, Ohio]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|18
|{{yes2}}Win
|18–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Roy Lazer
|KO
|3 (10), {{small|2:28}}
|Apr 12, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|4|12}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|17
|{{yes2}}Win
|17–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Natie Brown
|UD
|10
|Mar 29, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|3|29}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|
|-
|16
|{{yes2}}Win
|16–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Don "Red" Barry
|TKO
|3 (10), {{small|1:30}}
|Mar 8, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|3|8}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[New Dreamland Auditorium]], [[San Francisco]], California, U.S.}}
|
|-
|15
|{{yes2}}Win
|15–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Lee Ramage
|TKO
|2 (10), {{small|2:11}}
|Feb 21, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|2|21}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)|Wrigley Field]], [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.}}
|
|-
|14
|{{yes2}}Win
|14–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Hans Birkie
|TKO
|10 (10), {{small|1:47}}
|Jan 11, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|1|11}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Duquesne Gardens]], [[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania, U.S.}}
|
|-
|13
|{{yes2}}Win
|13–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Patsy Perroni
|PTS
|10
|Jan 4, 1935
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1935|1|4}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Detroit Olympia|Olympia]], Detroit, Michigan, U.S.}}
|
|-
|12
|{{yes2}}Win
|12–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Lee Ramage
|TKO
|8 (10), {{small|2:51}}
|Dec 14, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|12|14}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Chicago Stadium]], Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|11
|{{yes2}}Win
|11–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Charley Massera
|KO
|3 (10), {{small|2:41}}
|Nov 30, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|11|30}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Chicago Coliseum#The third Coliseum|Coliseum]], Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|10
|{{yes2}}Win
|10–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Stanley Poreda]]
|KO
|1 (10), {{small|2:40}}
|Nov 14, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|11|14}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Arcadia Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|9
|{{yes2}}Win
|9–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Jack O'Dowd
|KO
|2 (10)
|Oct 31, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|10|31}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Arcadia Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|8
|{{yes2}}Win
|8–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Art Sykes]]
|KO
|8 (10)
|Oct 24, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|10|24}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Arcadia Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|7
|{{yes2}}Win
|7–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Adolph Wiater
|{{abbr|PTS|Points decision}}
|10
|Sep 26, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|9|26}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Arcadia Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|6
|{{yes2}}Win
|6–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Al Delaney
|TKO
|4 (10)
|Sep 11, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|9|11}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|[[Detroit Naval Armory|Naval Armory]], [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], U.S.}}
|
|-
|5
|{{yes2}}Win
|5–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Buck Everett
|KO
|2 (8)
|Aug 27, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|8|27}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Marigold Gardens Outdoor Arena, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|4
|{{yes2}}Win
|4–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Jack Kranz
|{{abbr|UD|Unanimous decision}}
|8
|Aug 13, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|8|13}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Marigold Gardens Outdoor Arena, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|3
|{{yes2}}Win
|3–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Larry Udell
|TKO
|2 (8)
|Jul 30, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|7|30}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Marigold Gardens Outdoor Arena, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|2
|{{yes2}}Win
|2–0
|style="text-align:left;"| Willie Davies
|{{abbr|TKO|Technical knockout}}
|3 (6)
|Jul 12, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|7|12}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Bacon's Arena, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|-
|1
|{{yes2}}Win
|1–0
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Jack Kracken]]
|{{abbr|KO|Knockout}}
|1 (6)
|Jul 4, 1934
|style="text-align:left;"|{{age in years and days|1914|5|13|1934|7|7}}
|style="text-align:left;"| {{small|Bacon's Arena, [[Chicago]], Illinois, U.S.}}
|
|}

==Titles in boxing==
===Major world titles===
* [[New York State Athletic Commission|NYSAC]] [[heavyweight]] champion (200+&nbsp;lbs)
* [[list of WBA world champions#Heavyweight|NBA (WBA) heavyweight champion]] (200+&nbsp;lbs)

===''The Ring'' magazine titles===
* [[list of The Ring world champions#Heavyweight|''The Ring'' heavyweight champion]] (200+&nbsp;lbs)

===Undisputed titles===
* [[list of undisputed world boxing champions#Heavyweight|Undisputed heavyweight champion]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Sports}}
* [[List of world heavyweight boxing champions]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|1|group=nb}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|24em}}

==References==
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book |last=Astor |first=Gerald |url=https://archive.org/details/andcredittohis00asto |title="...&nbsp;And a Credit to His Race": The Hard Life and Times of Joseph Louis Barrow, a.k.a. Joe Louis |publisher=Saturday Review Press |year=1974 |isbn=978-0841503472 |location=New York |ref=Astor }}
* {{Cite book |last=Bak |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EcnyAHpBNDsC&q=%22joe+louis%22+biography&pg=PT1 |title=Joe Louis: The Great Black Hope |publisher=Perseus Publishing |year=1998 |isbn=978-0306808791 |location=New York |ref=Bak }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* Drake, Robert, "Joe Louis, the Southern Press, and the 'Fight of the Century,'" ''Sport History Review'', 43 (May 2012), 1–17.
* {{Cite book |last=Erenberg |first=Lewis A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttON5R181YIC&q=%22joe+louis%22+biography&pg=RA1-PA240 |title=The Greatest Fight of Our Generation: Louis v. Schmeling |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0195177749 |location=New York |ref=Erenberg }}
* {{Cite book |last1=Gibson |first1=Truman K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZfUzDSUo3mIC&q=%22truman+K.+gibson,+Jr.%22+%22knocking+down+barriers%22&pg=PP4 |title=Knocking Down Barriers: My Fight for Black America |last2=Steve Huntley |publisher=Northwestern University Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0810122925 |location=Chicago |ref=Gibson }}
* {{Cite book |last=Libby |first=Bill |url=https://archive.org/details/joelouisbrownbom00libb |title=Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber |publisher=Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books |year=1980 |isbn=978-0688419684 |location=New York |ref=Libby }}
* {{Cite book |last=Louis |first=Joe |title=My Life |publisher=Angus & Robertson |year=1978 |isbn=978-0207958342 |location=Brighton |ref=Louis}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Louis |first1=Joe |url=https://archive.org/details/joelouis50yearsa00barr |title=Joe Louis: 50 Years an American Hero |last2=Barbara Munder |publisher=McGraw-Hill |year=1988 |isbn=978-0070039551 |location=New York |ref=Louis2 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Margolick |first=David |title=Beyond Glory: Joe Louis Vs. Max Schmeling, and a World on the Brink |publisher=Vintage Books |year=2005 |isbn=978-0375726194 |location=New York |ref=Margolick}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mead |first=Chris |url=https://archive.org/details/championjoelouis00mead |title=Champion – Joe Louis, Black Hero in White America |publisher=Scribner |year=1985 |isbn=978-0684184623 |location=New York |ref=Mead }}
* {{Cite book |last=Myler |first=Patrick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ExgnPewr_2QC |title=Ring of Hate: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling: The Fight of the Century |publisher=Arcade Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=978-1559707893 |location=New York |ref=Myler }}
* {{Cite book |last=Nagler |first=Barney |url=https://archive.org/details/brownbomber0000nagl |title=Brown Bomber |publisher=World |year=1972 |isbn=978-0529045225 |location=New York |ref=Nagler |url-access=registration }}
* {{Cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=James B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aA2LO_DGdu4C&q=the+boxing+register |title=The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall of Fame Official Record Book (4th ed.) |last2=Alexander B. Skutt |publisher=McBooks Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-1590131213 |location=Ithaca |ref=Roberts }}
* {{Cite book |last=Schaap |first=Jeremy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XRYtQ_K9sfYC&pg=PA267 |title=Cinderella Man |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=2005 |isbn=978-0618551170 |location=Boston |ref=Schaap |author-link=Jeremy Schaap }}
* {{Cite book |last=Vitale |first=Rugio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bs_S3aJW6UC&q=%22joe+louis%22 |title=Joe Louis: Boxing Champion |publisher=Holloway House Publishing Company |year=1991 |isbn=978-0870675706 |location=Los Angeles |ref=Vitale }}
{{Refend}}
{{citizendium}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{Boxrec|id=009027}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC5wJ__tqC8 The Joe Louis Story (1953) - Biographical movie about boxing champion of the world - Full Movie] YouTube
* [https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NBA_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights  NBA World Heavyweight Title Fights]
* [https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NYSAC_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights  NYSAC World Heavyweight Title Fights]
* [http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/modern/louis.html Boxing Hall of Fame]
* [https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016109.html ESPN.com]
* [http://www.espn.com/classic/s/louisjoeadd.html ESPN.com -- additional information]
* [http://vault.fbi.gov/joe-louis FBI file on Joe Louis]
* [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/jlouis.htm Joe Louis profile] at Cyber Boxing Zone
* [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6515548 The Fight of the Century] NPR special on the selection of the radio broadcast to the [[National Recording Registry]]
* {{IMDb name|id=0521876|name=Joe Louis}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180916151627/http://www.wtvm.com/Global/story.asp?S=4700959 "Remembering Joe Louis"], WTVM
* [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=897&dat=19380330&id=BjcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LVADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6394,4280484 Louis to train in Thomas bout] old newspaper clipping

{{S-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=Amateur boxing titles}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Max Marek}}
{{s-title| title=Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions light heavyweight champion|years=1934}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=Joe Bauer}}
|-
{{s-title|title=[[United States national amateur boxing championships|National AAU Boxing Championships]] light heavyweight champion | years=1934}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-text|style=background:#C1D8FF; font-weight: bold;|text=Major world boxing titles}}
{{s-bef|rows=4|before=[[James J. Braddock]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=NYSAC heavyweight champion
|years=June 22, 1937 – March 1, 1949<br>Retired}}
{{s-vac|rows=4|next=[[Ezzard Charles]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of WBA world champions#Heavyweight|NBA heavyweight champion]]
|years=June 22, 1937 – March 1, 1949<br>Retired}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of The Ring world champions#Heavyweight|''The Ring'' heavyweight champion]]
|years=June 22, 1937 – March 1, 1949<br>Retired}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of undisputed world boxing champions#Heavyweight|Undisputed heavyweight champion]]
|years=June 22, 1937 – March 1, 1949<br>Retired}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{s-bef | before=[[Jack Dempsey]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[List of heavyweight boxing champions|Youngest Heavyweight Champion]]|
 years=June 22, 1937 – November 30, 1956 }}
{{s-aft | after=[[Floyd Patterson]]}}
{{s-break}}
{{succession box | title=Most opponents beaten<br />for the world heavyweight championship<br />{{small|22<br>12th opponent beaten on December 16, 1940}} | before=[[Tommy Burns (Canadian boxer)|Tommy Burns]]<br>11 | after=[[Wladimir Klitschko]] | years=5 December 1947 – 25 April 2015 }}
{{succession box | title=Most wins in<br />world heavyweight championship fights<br />{{small|27<br>14th win on January 31, 1941}} | before=[[Tommy Burns (Canadian boxer)|Tommy Burns]]<br>13 | after=Incumbent | years=June 25, 1948 – present }}
{{succession box | title=Longest cumulative world heavyweight<br />championship reign<br />{{small|4 270 days (11 years, 8 months, 8 days)<br>2 639 days on September 12, 1944}} | before=[[Jack Dempsey]]<br>2 638 days | after=[[Wladimir Klitschko]] | years=1 March 1949 – 14 August 2015 }}
{{succession box | title=Longest individual world heavyweight<br />championship reign<br />{{small|11 years, 8 months, 8 days<br>7 years, 2 months, 20 days on September 12, 1944}} | before=[[Jack Dempsey]]<br>7 years, 2 months, 19 days | after=Incumbent | years=March 1, 1949 – present }}
{{s-end}}

{{Ring magazine Fighter of the Year}}
{{Sugar Ray Robinson Award}}
{{APAthleteOTY}}
{{African American topics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Louis, Joe}}
[[Category:Joe Louis| ]]
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:African-American boxers]]
[[Category:African-American professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:American male boxers]]
[[Category:American male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Boxers from Alabama]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients]]
[[Category:Culture of Detroit]]
[[Category:Greeters]]
[[Category:International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Michigan Republicans]]
[[Category:People from LaFayette, Alabama]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from Alabama]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Boxers from Detroit]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers]]
[[Category:World Boxing Association champions]]
[[Category:World heavyweight boxing champions]]
[[Category:African Americans in World War II]]
[[Category:African-American United States Army personnel]]