Joe Louis
American boxer (1914-1981)
喬·路易斯 · ジョー・ルイス · 조 루이스
- Born
- 13 May 1914, LaFayette
- Died
- 12 April 1981, Las Vegas
- Citizenship
- United States
- Sport
- boxing
- Discipline
- heavyweight
- Occupation
- boxer, actor, professional wrestler, referee, athlete
- Height
- 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
- Weight
- 99 kg (218 lb)
- Nickname
- The Brown Bomber
- Recorded fight record
- 68 wins, 3 losses
Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his temporary retirement in 1949. He was victorious in 25 consecutive title defenses, a record for all weight classes. Louis has the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history.
Louis's cultural impact was felt well outside the ring. He is widely regarded as the first Black American to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II because of his historic rematch with German boxer Max Schmeling in 1938.
Awards and honours
- Associated Press Athlete of the Year 1935
- The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 1936
- The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 1938
- The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 1939
- Sugar Ray Robinson Award 1941
- The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year 1941
- Michigan Sports Hall of Fame 1955
- Barney Nagler Award 1967
- International Boxing Hall of Fame 1990
- Congressional Gold Medal
- Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
- The Ring World Heavyweight Champion
- WBA World Heavyweight Champion
Films
| Film | Year | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit of Youth | 1938 | cast |
| The Square Jungle | 1955 | cast |
| The Super Fight | 1970 | cast |
| Tyson | 2008 | cast |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q273206 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.