By John F McKenna (McJack): In 1941 Joe Louis defended his title 7 times, including his classic match against the great Light Heavyweight Champion Billy Conn (Joe Louis vs Billy Conn – You Tube). The “Pittsburgh Kid” was as slick a boxer as their ever was and was ahead of the judges scorecards going into the 13th round. He rocked Louis in the 12th round and told his handlers he was going to knock the champ out in the next round. He foolishly started mixing it up with Louis and Joe was able to save his title with a 13 round KO.
Joe Louis
Flashback: Joe Louis Profiled – Pt 1
By John F McKenna (McJack): Joseph Louis was born in Lafayette, Alabama, the 7th of 8 children to a dirt poor sharecropper. When Joe was 12 years old his family moved to Detroit in search of opportunity. Joe became interested in boxing at a young age. He would use the money that his mother gave him for violin lessons to buy a locker at a local gym where fighters hung out. Joe quickly became fascinated with boxing and would soon launch his boxing career as an amateur. Louis would soon become an amateur fighter where he would win fifty of fifty-four fights, 43 by knockout.