This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2004.
"The Brown Bomber" Joe Louis Joe Louis holds the distinction of successfully defending his World Heavyweight Title more times than any other boxer in history. Coming to prominence in the mid-1930s. Louis first won the Heavyweight Title by knocking out James Braddock in 1937. His rematch win against German Max Schmeling made him a true American hero, giving the United States a "moral superiority" over the Hitler regime. Louis retired in 1949 as the undefeated heavyweight champ but financial problems forced him back into the ring. He won several of these matches but could not regain the title, being knocked out in his last match by Rocky Marciano (1951). One of these comeback matches, his third to last, took place on August 1, 1951 in San Francisco, where he knocked out Cesar Brion. We offer the actual boxing gloves worn by Louis in this bout. These maroon Everlast gloves show great wear and staining. Each has been hand signed in ballpoint on the inside by Joe Louis. A true piece of boxing history, these gloves come with a letter from PSA/DNA and a photo of Louis wearing these actual gloves. They also come a with a letter from the last owner of these gloves, which reads "These gloves were given to my Grandmother Victoria Vincen By Joe Louis after his last fight in San Francisco California. The fight took place in 1951 at the Cow Palace. The gloves were stored in her garage until she became ill 2 years ago. These are the actual Gloves worn in the fight and are signed by him." Great provenance on a great piece of history.