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Levka @[email protected] · 2026-06-22 · 23:50 UTC

#88 Years Ago Today: Joe Louis Settled The Score With Max Schmeling

Joe Louis Destroyed Max Schmeling In 124 Seconds On June 22, 1938

Joe Louis avenged the only loss of his professional career on June 22, 1938, stopping Max Schmeling in just 2:04 of the first round at Yankee Stadium. The victory remains one of the most famous heavyweight championship performances in boxing history.

Louis entered the bout with a record of 35-1 and had won the heavyweight title from James J. Braddock the previous year. Schmeling, a former heavyweight champion, arrived as the leading contender with a record of 52-7-4. In their first meeting, Schmeling repeatedly countered Louis’ jab with right hands and scored a 12th-round knockout. The victory handed Louis the only defeat of his professional career and set the stage for a rematch that quickly became one of boxing’s biggest attractions.

The rematch carried political significance that neither fighter had originally sought. The fight took place during a period of increasing tension between Germany and the United States. As a result, coverage of the rematch often focused on more than boxing. The rematch drew more than 70,000 spectators to Yankee Stadium. Radio coverage reached an estimated 70 million listeners in the United States and more than 100 million worldwide. Worldwide, the audience was believed to exceed 100 million."

https://www.boxingnews24.com/2026/06/88-years-ago-today-joe-louis-settled-the-score-with-max-schmeling/

#otd #joelouis #maxschmeling