Max Schmeling, a German native, was born in 1905 and achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first Heavyweight Champion to win by disqualification against Jack Sharkey in 1930. Just a year later, Schmeling solidified his position as champion by delivering a powerful knockout to William “Young” Stribling in a grueling fifteen-round battle. However, in 1932, Schmeling suffered a highly controversial loss to Jack Sharkey, resulting in the forfeiture of his Heavyweight Title. Following this defeat, Schmeling’s manager, Joe Jacobs, famously exclaimed into the microphone, “We were unjustly deprived!” Despite the outcry, the decision stood, and Schmeling’s reign as champion came to an end.
Interestingly, Schmeling’s loss to Sharkey garnered him immense sympathy from the boxing community, as many believed he had actually won the fight. This turn of events transformed Max Schmeling into a beloved figure among American boxing enthusiasts, who widely regarded him as a superior fighter compared to the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Jack Sharkey.
Meanwhile in Detroit, Michigan, there was a young African American boxing prodigy who was swiftly defeating his opponents. Even experienced boxing veterans believed that the twenty two year old Louis would ultimately become a remarkable champion. There was no one on the horizon who possessed his combination of boxing skill, devastating punching power, and lightning-fast speed.
During the mid 1930s, the heavyweight title changed hands multiple times. Jack Sharkey quickly lost his title to Primo Carnera. It was widely speculated at the time that Carnera, also known as “Da Preem,” had assistance from the Mob in winning many of his fights.
Carnera then lost the title to Max Baer, a power puncher who was affectionately called the “Clown Prince of Boxing” due to his eccentric behavior in the ring. Baer had immense talent but did not always take his training seriously. He lost the title in a fifteen-round decision to Jimmy Braddock, known as “The Cinderella Man.”
On his path to a title shot, Louis effortlessly defeated the overmatched Carnera. Boxing fans were yearning for stability in the Heavyweight Championship, which was considered the pinnacle of the sport. It was widely believed by fans that Joe Louis would be the one to bring that stability.
However, Max Schmeling had different plans. “Herr Max,” a dedicated student of boxing, was the only man who did not fear Joe Louis. After Max Baer lost the title to Braddock, he faced Louis in 1935. Baer, reluctantly dragged into the ring by his disgruntled trainer Jack Dempsey, was defeated by Louis in four rounds. After being knocked down in the fourth round, Baer made no attempt to get up and famously remarked to reporters, “I signed up for a boxing match, not a murder!”
With victories over the two former champions, Carnera and Baer, Joe Louis began to believe his own hype. He saw himself as invincible, convinced that no man could withstand his power. A match was arranged for Louis to fight another former champion, Max Schmeling. Schmeling, now thirty-one years old, was believed by boxing fans to be in decline and no match for Louis. Joe shared the same sentiment. He had taken up golf, which quickly became an obsession. To the disappointment of his trainer Jack Blackburn, Louis started neglecting his training. On the other hand, Schmeling saw the fight with Louis as an opportunity to revive and showcase his illustrious boxing career. He trained diligently and studied films of Louis’ fights. Max noticed a flaw in the “Brown Bomber’s” technique – after throwing his left jab, Louis would lower his left hand, leaving himself vulnerable to a counter with a straight right hand.
Schmeling understood that he would need to undergo rigorous training and be prepared to endure numerous blows from Louis’ left jabs in order for his strategy to succeed. Schmeling was a skilled fighter in his own right, and his right hand came in a direct manner and packed a powerful punch.
The match was scheduled to take place on June 19, 1936 at Yankee Stadium. The fight carried political implications. As Max Schmeling hailed from Germany, Adolph Hitler used him as a symbol of Aryan superiority. However, Schmeling never bought into the Nazi propaganda. In fact, his manager, Joe Jacobs, was Jewish. In 1938, Schmeling even risked his own life to rescue two Jewish children and prevent them from being sent to concentration camps.
Once the fight commenced, Louis immediately began landing powerful left jabs and delivered a couple of devastating left hooks to Schmeling’s midsection. Schmeling’s eyes quickly swelled up and closed. Despite this, it was evident that Max was in exceptional physical condition as the body shots seemed to have no impact on him. Max possessed an unwavering determination. In the second and third rounds, Joe Louis continued to connect with his left jabs almost effortlessly. Upon reviewing the fight footage, it appears that Schmeling was timing Louis’ jabs.
The fourth round began with Louis persistently scoring with his left jab, and it seemed only a matter of time before he unleashed his powerful attacks. Fear arose in Max’s corner that his eyes would soon shut, preventing him from seeing Louis and sealing his fate. Suddenly, after Louis withdrew his left hand following yet another jab, Schmeling unleashed a tremendous right hand over the top of Louis’ left. The punch carried immense force and sent Louis staggering across the ring. Max followed up with several more powerful right hand punches, causing Louis to collapse to the canvas for the first time in his twenty-eight fights. Joe later admitted that he had no recollection of the events following the knockdown. The initial damaging punch landed in the temple area, after which Louis’ legs appeared weakened. The power behind his left jab had vanished. For the remainder of the fight, Louis relied solely on instinct. Schmeling continued to connect with his right hand round after round. One thing was certain: Louis was determined. He was unable to adjust his fighting style to evade Schmeling’s powerful overhand punches. Brief moments in the middle rounds hinted that Joe might be turning the tide, but by the eighth round, it was evident that the punishment would persist, and the only question was whether Louis would survive.
The thrashing became so severe that Joe’s mother, who was present, was escorted out of Yankee Stadium to spare her from witnessing any more of her son’s brutal beating by Schmeling. By the 10th round, Max was nearly jumping off his stool, realizing that he had Louis right where he wanted him. It is estimated that Louis endured at least fifty-seven of Schmeling’s powerful right-hand blows before finally being knocked out in the 12th round. This was the only time Louis was knocked out during his prime, as his loss to Schmeling in 1951, fifteen years later, was due to the IRS constantly harassing Louis for unpaid taxes, a debt that could never be fully repaid.
In the opinion of this writer, Joe Louis would go on to become the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. Despite the painful defeat at the hands of Max Schmeling, it made “The Brown Bomber” a stronger fighter. He no longer neglected his training, and golf took a backseat to his boxing career. Louis would avenge his loss to Schmeling in June 1938 with a remarkable knockout in the first round, at precisely 2:04. In the two years since their initial encounter, Louis had become an even more formidable fighter, while Schmeling’s skills had diminished. Years later, Max would tell Louis’s son, “No one could have defeated your father that night.”
Over the years, Max Schmeling and Joe Louis, as is often the case with boxing rivals, developed a deep friendship. Max rose from poverty after the war and made an unwise comeback, using his earnings from those fights to purchase a Coca Cola distribution business in Germany. He proved to be a savvy businessman and accumulated great wealth.
Max would fly to visit Joe every year. He once privately admitted to friends that he “adored that man!” He was also quoted as saying, “I fought the great man twice. We are even.”
Schmeling discreetly sent money to Louis during his later years, without drawing attention to it. He also covered the expenses for Louis’s funeral and served as a pallbearer.
Max Schmeling and Joe Louis were two colossal figures in the boxing ring who transcended their sport. The bond they formed with each other was heartwarming and unbreakable, even in the face of a world war.
According to the Source boxingnews24.com