Max Schmeling

Max Schmeling (Born September 28, 1905) is a German born former boxer whose two fights with Joe Louis transcended boxing and became worldwide seen social events which will forever be linked to the rivalty between Americans and Germans during World War II.

Schmeling debuted as a professional boxer in 1924 and he built a record of 42 wins, 4 losses and 3 draws before fighting Jack Sharley for the vacant world's Heavyweight championship in 1930. In between his debut and the championship fight, he fought a two round exhibition with world Heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey in 1925 at Berlin. Sharkey supposedly hit Schmeling with a low blow in round four and Schmeling coul not fight that evening anymore, and Schmeling won the world title on a disqualification. He became the first Heavyweight world champion to win the title on a disqualification, and to this day, remains the only one to win it that way.

In 1931, he made a defense, knocking out Young Stribling in 15 rounds at Cleveland, and in 1932, he and Sharkey had a rematch. Sharkey won a 15 round decision and Schmeling lost his title. Despite effords for a third fight to happen, the rubber match between Schmeling and Sharkey never took place.

Schmeling was thought to be a shot fighter and in 1936, the situation in Germany was changing and the Nazi movement in all it's splendor when he was brought over to New York to face upcomer American Joe Louis, who was undefeated and considered unbeatable at the time. However, Schmeling surprised the boxing world by handling Louis his first defeat, dropping him in round four and stopping him in the 12th. Louis was so affected by this defeat, that when he won the world Heavyweight crown one year later, he said he would not consider himself a champion until he beat Schmeling in a rematch.

The rematch came, at Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1938, Louis defending his crown. World War II by then was at one of it's fiercest stages. and the fight was viewed worldwide as a battle for a symbol of superiority between two countries at war, Schmeling being cast as the nazi warrior while Louis was being pictured as a defender of the American ideals. The fight was broadcast by radio all over the United States and Europe, and after Louis dropped Schmeling for the first time in the first round, Adolph Hitler made the fight's broadcast to Germany to be cut off. Germans wouldn't find out what happened until later on. Louis retained the title by a knockout in the first, and Hitler took this defeat as an embarrassment to his country, just like he did when Jesse Owens won the Olympic Games Gold at Berlin's Olympic Games.

Schmeling was branded as a Nazi by many boxing fans, but nothing was further from the truth. In reality, Schmeling used to hide Jews in his house, sheltering them and protecting them from the Nazi soldiers. After the rematch with Louis, Hitler punished him by sending him to the Army, but Schmeling was pro-United States, and several times from 1940 to 1945 he would visit American troops and share with them, giving away signed photos and taking pictures with the American soldiers.

Schmeling also administered his earnings from boxing very well, becoming the first person to bring the Coca Cola company to Germany. Today, he is still one of the owners of Coca Cola's German branch.

After 1948, Schmeling retired from boxing and he and Louis became great friends in retirement. He was one of the casket carriers at Louis funeral in 1981. Up until recently, he made several trips a year around the world to attend activities related to his boxing career. He has been the object of several books, including a biography, and in 2001, HBO produced a movie about him and Louis named Max and Joe.

He is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, and he compiled a record of 56 wins, 10 losses and 4 draws with 37 wins by knockout. Among his other wins, he had a knockout in eight rounds over former world Light Heavyweight champion and fellow Hall Of Famer Mickey Walker.

Despite his age, Schmeling still enjoys signing autographs for fans and still remains very accessible to admirers.