A Forgotten Champion Fights Again

"Next Tuesday at Comiskey Park, Chicage, James J Braddock, world's heavyweight champion, will defend his title against Joe Louis. It will be Braddock's first fight since 1935 when he confounded the sports world by whipping Max Baer. Since then Braddock has kept out of the ring, hoarding his title until he has become a forgotten champion to the general public. Last February he signed to meet Louis. In April he began training to fight again."

Life Magazine June 21 1937

" Champion and Challanger train for Chicago battle: Champion Jimmy Braddock is training at Grand Beach Mich. for the 15 round defense of his title June 22. Challanger Joe Louis has his camp at Kenosha Wis. While they sparred, punched bags, skipped rope, tickets for their fight were selling fast. It seemed that 80,000 spectators would crowd into Comiskey Park, bring a $1,000,000 gate. Half of the receipts will go to Braddock who was so down and out at one time before he beat Baer that he had to go on relief to support his wife and three children. Louis gets 17.5% of the gate. "Wise money boys" were picking Louis at 3 to 1 to win. But "wise money" is often sometimes less than infallible. "Wise money" was 8 to 1 that Baer would beat Braddock, which he didn't, and 10 to 1 that Louis would lick Schmeling, who knocked him out."