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Joe Louis title fight vs. Tony Galento...
Joe Louis title fight vs. Tony Galento...
Item # 637695
June 29, 1939
LEOMINSTER DAILY ENTERPRISE, Massachusetts, June 29, 1939
* Joe Louis (Brown Bomber)
* Tony Galento (Two Ton)
* Heavyweight boxing title fight
Page 9 has two column heading: "GALENTO PUTS UP GREAT FIGHT BUT LOUIS HOLDS TITLE" with subhead. (see photos)
Other news, sports and advertisements of the day. Complete in 16 pages, some spine wear, generally good.
wikipedia notes: On 28 June 1939 Galento fought for the heavyweight championship of the world against the redoubtable, all time great heavyweight champion, Joe Louis. At this time Louis was a virtual fighting machine and heavily favored (8 to 1) to stop Galento. Galento was not impressed. In a pre-fight interview, Galento summed up his perspective on the fight as follows:
* Reporter: "Tony, what do you think your chances are against Joe Louis?"
* Galento: "Joe who?"
* Reporter: "Joe Louis."
* Galento: "I never hoid of da bum."
He also predicted that he would "moida da bum", and would telephone Louis to personally inform him that he was a bum and that Galento would "moida him". To show that he was serious and properly prepared for the Louis fight, Galento stated that he had not taken alcohol for two days before the bout.
The two fought in Yankee Stadium in New York. The short, balding Galento stunned the crowd, and his opponent, by staggering and hurting Louis with a powerful left hook in the first round. In the second round, Louis began hitting Galento with vicious combinations, opened a cut in Galento's mouth and floored the challenger with a powerful left hook that actually lifted Galento off his feet. This was the first time Galento had ever been knocked down in his professional career. In the third round, Louis again was hitting Galento with beautiful, precise combinations, when Galento caught him with a wild left hook. This time Louis went down. Louis, however, got up quickly, but took no chances for the remainder of the round. The fourth round was brutal for Galento, who really had no defense and was wide open for Louis' assault. Louis hit him with murderous combinations which forced the referee to finally stop the bout. After the fight, Galento blamed his corner for the loss. He contended that his trainers convinced him to change his style, and fight cleanly. Galento always regretted that he did not fight "his" fight and foul Louis.
Category: The 20th Century
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