This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2003.
Joe Louis, also known as the Brown Bomber, was the heavyweight champion for twelve years, holding the title from 1937 to 1949. Louis was known for his deadly left hook and took the country by storm after winning the title and refusing to be called the champion until he beat Max Schmeling, the man that once embarrassed him before. Louis triumphantly won the rematch and was called the champion for twelve years after beating boxers such as Lou Nova, Tony Galento, Gus Dorazio, Buddy Baer, and Johnny Paycheck. Joe retired as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world in 1949. These gloves come from his training days in 1937, when his reign as champion began, and the "Everlast" label with the small "er" dates them to that era. They show great use and are soft from wear. The classic brown Everlast gloves have the original laces. Louis originally gave these gloves to his personal barber along with a letter explaining that they were from his 1937 fight with James Braddock, and the gloves come with a copy of that letter. The barber's son then passed the gloves along to a collector and our consignor eventually obtained them along with a letter from the collector stating this. The gloves will come with a letter of authenticity from a boxing expert who has concluded that Louis used the gloves while training for the Braddock fight.