Joe Louis Pulverizes Jim Braddock For The Heavyweight Title — June 22, 1937 (This Day In Boxing History)

James (Jim) Braddock’s heavyweight title reign wasn’t as long as he wanted it to be.

Eighty-five years ago, Joe Louis spoiled Braddock’s rule of the division by knocking him out in the eighth round of their scheduled 15.

A minute into the first rough, Braddock dropped Louis with a right uppercut to the chin. The two immediately started trading punches, but it was Braddock who scored the first knockdown.

Louis, however, quickly got up and switched the tempo for the rest of the fight.

A bloodied and swollen Braddock convinced his manager, Joe Gould, to let him go on. But he didn’t survive much longer.

In the eighth round, Louis threw a left to the body and right to the chin, sending Braddock to the mat. The then titleholder seemed lifeless as the referee waved off the fight.

Braddock later said, “When he hit me with that left-right combination, I could’ve stayed down on the canvas for three weeks.”