Jim Braddock makes his first title defense and Joe Louis gets his first World Heavyweight title shot. The Cinderella Man vs The Brown Bomber, an all time classic. More info below...
Joe Louis had only turned pro in 1934 but he was already one of the fastest rising boxers in the sport. He could box technically or slug it out if he wanted and he possessed instant knockout power. He started fighting experienced boxers from the word go, with his first fight against Jack Kraken who held a 28-7-3 record! Louis went on to beat other experienced boxers such as future Canada Heavyweight Champion Al Delaney, Stanley Poreda, former USA California State Heavyweight Champion Lee Ravage, King Levinsky, former European Heavyweight Champion Paulino Uzcudun, USA Minnesota State Heavyweight champion Charley Retzlaff and former USA New York State Heavyweight Champion Bob Paster among many other experienced fighters. His biggest wins however came against former World Heavyweight Champions, Primo Carnera, Max Baer and Jack Sharkey stopping all of them by KO. Only Max Schmeling, a former European Light Heavyweight and World Heavyweight Champion was able to figure out a way to beat the aptly named "Brown Bomber". Louis' record heading in against Braddock was 31-1.
James J. Braddock was a 10 year veteran by this point in time. For the first 3 years of his career he boxed as a light heavyweight and had decent success building a solid 30-3-3 record before getting his first shot at a title against World Light Heavyweight Champion, Tommy Loughran. Braddock would lose the decision to Loughran and quickly turned his attention to the heavyweight ranks, however ongoing hand injuries and financial strains hindered the remainder of his career and for almost 4 years Braddock lost more than he won. In fact, from July 1929 - May 1933 Braddock only won 9 fights and suffered 20 losses with 1 draw and 1 NC... In 1933 Braddock suffered a serious broken right hand and took 9 months out of the sport to recover, the longest break he had taken since turning pro in 1926. Upon returning to the ring Braddock found immediate success and picked up impressive wins against John "Corn" Griffin (sparring partner for then reigning World Heavyweight Champion Primo Carnera), future World Light Heavyweight Champion John Henry Lewis and heavy hitting Art Lasky. When Braddock got his title shot against Max Baer in 1935, many felt his recent run of success was a fluke and his career was coming to an end, which made the Champion Max Baer a 10-1 betting favorite. Baer took the fight far to casually and let Braddock establish a decent lead and was unable to claw his way back in front. Braddock also showed the boxing world he had a decent chin, standing up to some of Baer's best shots without ever being dropped. Braddock’s earnest overachieving had trumped Baer’s puzzling carelessness to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. His record following the win stood at 45-23-4, one of the worst and yet deceiving records of any reigning heavyweight champion ever.
Braddock was actually meant to fight Max Schmeling in 1936 for his first title defense but had to pull out because another hand injury. Instead, Braddock signed to face Joe Louis in 1937, meaning he had been inactive for 2 years once he stepped back into the ring. Braddock once again shocked the boxing world when in round 1 he got the best of Joe Louis during an early exchange and dropped Louis with a short right uppercut for a 2 count. That would be the only real success Braddock would have during the fight, although Braddock put up a gutsy effort Louis was making the Champion pay for it by landing the bigger, harder blows. In Rd 8 Braddock's iron chin finally gave out. Louis threw a left hook to knock Braddock's hand out of the way clearing a path for a devastating straight right which dropped Braddock for the 10 count. Joe Louis had become the new World Heavyweight Champion and the first black World Heavyweight Champion since 1915. Louis held the title for twelve years and defended it twenty-five times, both records for all weight divisions.
Braddock would only have 1 more fight left in him, a split decision win against BBBofC British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion, Tommy Farr, in 1938. Many felt Farr actually deserved the win, or at the very least a draw, and it was only sentiment from the judges which gave Braddock the decision after 10 rounds. With the win, Braddock had become the number 1 contender for the World Heavyweight title, however Braddock knew his 74 fight career had come to an end and he didn't fancy another beating from Joe Louis, so he smartly retired with a 46-24-4 record.
