Joe Louis left behind a legacy as one of boxing’s greatest heavyweights with a record of 66-3.
Joe Louis was beaten just three times in nearly 70 fights. Louis was retired in 1951 by Rocky Marciano. His only other losses came at the hands of Ezzard Charles, and Max Schmeling (a loss which Louis did avenge).
But it was not the losses that stained Louis’ record nearly as much as one of his wins, which came after Louis was guilty of committing a foul.
Buddy Baer was disqualified after Joe Louis struck him after the bell
In 1941, Louis faced 60-5 Buddy Baer. The Americans faced off in the Griffith Stadium in Washington in Louis’ 17th defense of the heavyweight title.
Louis was knocked down in the very first round, something most fighters were unable to do to him. Louis was dropped by ‘The Cinderella Man’, and Tony Galento, who fought an octopus, too.
He got up and fought on, dropping Baer in the sixth round. He beat the count but was knocked down again, and after getting up for a second time the bell sounded.
Louis, who apparently hadn’t heard the bell, rushed over and knocked Baer down again.
The bell rang to begin the seventh round and Baer’s team refused to leave the ring, suggesting Louis should be disqualified for his antics.
The referee did not take the side of Baer’s team and disqualified Baer for his team’s behavior. Louis won the fight by a controversial DQ.
Joe Louis and Buddy Baer rematched one year later in Baer’s final fight
In 1942, Baer and Louis, who avoided ‘Kid Violent’, rematched.
Baer had been in a car accident in 1941, but doctors reportedly assured him his injuries would not interfere with the bout as they were so slight. Baer claimed after the fight that this impacted his performance.
The fight ended far more conclusively this time, as Louis stopped a 250-pound Baer in the very first round after knocking him down three times.
Jack Guenther of the United Press wrote: “Buddy Baer came in at 250 and went out at 2:56.”
Louis had 25 defenses in an 11-year title reign.