HBO Boxing: Joe Louis: The Anti-Jack Johnson (HBO)

[LelandnSonya4eva]

Jack Johnson was a mans man.

[WingnutDishwasher]

Where are the interview/press clips of Joe Louis taken from? I can only find one video of him talking.

[rajjjj24]

He's a credit to his race---the human race

[blizzardxc1]

jack johnson paved the way for louis by becoming the first black heavyweight champ after beating jeffries and then losing to willard!!!!!!!!louis would have carried the abuse of the white people had johnson not been the first black heavyweight!!!!!!!!

[WillieG1990]

Jack Johnson was a pioneer who made it possible for Joe Louis to become champion. But with that said, IMO Joe Louis was the better fighter.

[iLove2JacketXD]

Everybody Shut the F**k Up about who is The Uncle Tom...

this is about personalities... Jack Johnson was an Cocky Respectable Fighter And Joe Louis Was a very Respectable Gentleman.

[mrmee1229]

jack johnson was funny as shit

[Kingsta2000]

God bless you Jack Johnson you beat those racist crackers down, showed them that your a man not a boy....

[intentions666]

Joe Louis true legend.  Jack Johnson was just plain scum.

[DeportAnchorBabies]

@intentions666 you must be white

[rpaul247]

@intentions666 Jack Johnson showed the world he was a man equal to any man and they hated him for that. I loved when he smiled and held conversations with the crowd when he man handled his opponents. classic.

[brewepau]

Joe's son makes it clear: They didn't need to tell Joe how to be. His nature was one of privacy anyway. Joe never seemed comfortable with celebrity. And as for the malicious and absolutely heartless charge that Joe was an "Uncle Tom" - that's just mean and hateful and wrong. If it were true you wouldn't have seen Joe standing next to a young Cassius Clay after he beat Sonny Liston the first time. Ali said bad things about Joe. But, before Joe died, Ali apologized to him. That says it all. Amen.

[delirous8]

@brewepau soo right and let's remember too that Ali called Joe Frazier an Uncle Tom

[dirtyjew1974]

joe luis was the perfect boxer if ever there was onnd=

[rome71rome]

jack johnson was the man sorry joe.he stood up to that white power structure.now that took guts at that time.rip jack johnson

[dirtyjew1974]

@rome71rome the best way to stand up to it wasnt the way he went about it because in the end he got no respect nor changed any opinions of white america. joe luis set the perfect example for the black community and gained everyones respect and joe luis was accepted by everyone unlike jack, i think jack was a great fighter though

[forbesfoofighters]

@rome71rome look at it how ever you want cause jack johnson wasn't half the boxer the brown bomber was.

[ugly444444]

Johnson would beat Ali !! He was fast,he had good punching power,he could avoid punches,he was very very clever, he had a good fighting style and he could outbox everyone he wants to ! Ali could do the same,but just for a few rounds and with lesser punching power,but faster hands. Johnson could fight 20 ,30 or 40 rounds on this high level.even when he was 37 and out of shape,he won 25 rounds against willard in a fight outside at 105 dgrees! prime JOHNSON WAS NEARLY UNBEAT-ABLE !!

[anikin69]

joe louis = Uncle Tom

[primealivstyson]

u just about summed it up.

[consta4891]

@anikin69

i agree 100%, he was the uncle tom and not joe frazier.

[ConanyKull]

Si JOE LOUIS hubiese sido como JACK JOHNSON no hubiera llegado á CAMPEÓN DEL MUNDO en los años 30 y 40 lo de llamarle TIO TOM es una INJUSTICIA.

[dirtyjew1974]

@anikin69 why because he was a well mannered and descent man?

[jockinwhatimrockin]

Reminds me of Shane Mosely, nice guy..

[SexxyAmberii]

i really need some cure to my loneliness.. ;)

[ricflarefnsux]

joe louis the anti-jack johnson in the sense that he was a coward?

[spideymayne]

@ricflarefnsux I think they were saying he was the anti-jack johnson in that he was a "proper" black man. Jack Johnson was obviously having fun out there, and they hated him for it.

How can you tell a man not to smile when he beats an opponent? Don't -smile-?

[SenjiroAkechi]

00:25 johnson had a lazy eye?

God, that dude looked like a horror movie special.

[ricflarefucknsucks]

When Joe Louis asked Lena Horne, with whom he was then having a relationship, to keep score for him at a Hollywood golf benefit, the singer refused -- she was entertaining troops that day. Joe hit her with a left hook. Then he started to choke her. In his 1978 autobiography, written with Edna and Art Rust Jr., Louis said that the only thing that saved Lena's life was an aunt in the next room who threatened to call the police

[2DBILLERS]

I find it funny that ali had such physical remsemblances to Joe but yet he had the strong man personality of Jack the O.G. Many talk about MJ opening the door for blacks or oprah doing that or barack, the real pioneer of the african American male is big jack, a true legend of the human expirience, thumps up to big jack men.

[Bigtruck2007]

I'm tripping off that contract Joe Lewis had when he had to give a percentage of his winnings to another fighter.......now thats pimping<<<<<<

[afr0cre0le]

Tyson, LOL!

You must'a been born in the 80's!

[MysticREC]

Racism hasn't ended yet and it will never end, it just changes from one strategy to another.

[delirous8]

Ali was nowhere near Joe's league he had good agility and speed for a guy his size and made a boxing match look flashy ane exciting he danced around the ring but the guy had no power or punch

Whereas with Joe Louis it takes two punches in order for him to do damage to his opponent.Joe Louis had the mind of an assassin he knew when to target and the precision of who's body part to hit to slow down his opponent.

that is something that is rare in boxing nowadays

[Boxinglad123]

Ali had power, not one punch ko power but his punches had an accumulative effect

[JcLeopard]

I agree with everything but the comment about Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali is definetly one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. He was lightning fast of both hands and feet and had one of the greatest chins ever. Tyson had no heart and never stood up from a knockdown while Ali faced some of the hardest heavyweight punchers of all time. Ali would outsmart Tyson and take him out. Ray is definetly the the P4P Greatest and my all time favorite fighter.

[mooncroc]

Jack Johnson was not only a great boxer, he was bigger than Life itself. That alone puts him on top of everybody. As for the greatest boxer of all time, I would say Sugar Ray Robinson. When I looked at him, I saw the personification of Power. Ali the greatest? Please! Ali idolized Sugar Ray Robinson. Tyson would have victimized Ali. And who is Marciano?

[zenknown]

Marciano...LOL! The Rock...4 years a champion 6 title defenses. Joe Louis. 25 title defenses!!! in 12 years. By the time Marciano got to Louis he was shot, old and broke. Joe Louis's name sits atop many an experts list of the best heavy ever.

[panfel78]

Jack Johnson was right in his racist era; Joe Louis was a step ahead. Both perfects.

In my opinion, the greatests all time with Marciano and Clay. (and Tyson before prison)

[cinna71]

joe an all time great still rememberd today not only for his greatness in the ring but also out of the ring a true gentleman. may god bless him richly and his family.

[theonlysaltspring]

There is NO room for these prejudices in these changing technological times. This is a brave new world on the brink of rapid evolution (because of technological revolution) or extinction for the same reason. There is no place for old ideas in this very quickly changing world. Those that cling to hatred will fall to the the"new think" needed to take this species to the next level. I hope we make it.

[dmiltz]

during the time of johnson the heavyweight champions with the likes of sullivan, corbett, fitzsimmons, jeffries, burns were pretty sickening with their racist ways. they along with the government were trying to make him disappear. he was a great champion with all that he had to endure from the so called white america

[Kepheri]

Jack Johnson was the greatest boxer to have ever did it. Hands down. Some will say Ali others will say Rocky Marceano

[Adebay0r]

Boxing has evolved, it is not the same sport it once was and I think to compare the likes of Johnson with someone like Ali isn't going to get very far.

[BoxerFacts]

Great boxer Joe Luis one of my favorite of all times.

[pedrom41]

Although I do not condone annoying and unsportman-like conduct by anyone at any time,

I do, however, place Jack Johnson's behavior in a different perspective instead of an outright critism of it. What really vexed white folks, more than anything else, was the fact that Johnson pierced a huge hole through

the white man's warped ideology of supremacy, and exposed it for what it is--a fallacy! Johnson's behavior was of rebellion, meaning: "I'm no longer your slave or boy so I do as I please".

[bacardibum]

not a sportsman

[portilop]

joe louis the man was a kind spirit and a man who would do anything for his people weather they be black or american even after all that he was robbed may god open the doors to paradise for him

[jackhammer250]

Prejudice now days is a little more subtle, I really never understood how people could be prejudice because of of skin color. I have much respect for Jack Johnson for enduring prejudice in that Era. Sometimes in life, i feel like im dealing with same stuff, but in a different way

[sonofthedestroyer]

Jack Johnson behaviour is disgusting regardless of race. Any human who acts like a cocky over the top, womaniser is not something to be looked up to by anyone

[Soulblackman]

true, but in reality,this is the behavior of celebrities.for example, did u no that joe louis knocked lena horne out?he had his "moments" as well,but was more public.i personally do not endorse johnson's behavior, especially consorting with white women;my respect is limited to his bravado in the ring, his patents and his linguistic ability.morally, he was no different than babe ruth, ray robinson, ali, wilt, magic or ANY celebrity,who gets what he wants,with his fame & prestige.

[abf333]

jhoe louis jr. sell out it runs in the family his dad was a good fighter but not great like jack johnson.

[YogiBear13]

His dad was the greatest heavyweight of all time. Greater than Jack Johnson.

[airjor1]

They both endured a lot racism, but dealt with it in their own way.

[doointhedoo]

@airjor1 They did both had to deal with racism but let's be realistic, the level of racism against Jack Johnson at the turn of the century was exponentially higher than what Joe had to deal with. Not making excuses for many of the uncouth, unsportsmanlike things that Jack Johnson did to his opponents after beating them to the ground but in that era it was a wake up call to disgustingly racist white America. In addition, Johnson endured slurs from the audience and smiled. He gets respect for that

[abf333]

joe louis hatin on jack johnson thats why he died broke and penniless jack johnson did not

[07091102]

When I began to study boxing history, I often wondered why after Jack Johnson it took so long for another black champion to emerge. This piece helps explain why, Jack Johnson so enraged white america another black man was not allowed to fight for the title for 20 years. Joe Louis whilst not a Jack Johnson personaility anyway was nevertheless moulded to be a "good negro" quiet always humble and more importantly non challenging or threatening, therefore an acceptable black face to white america..

[sonofthedestroyer]

When Jack Dempsey sent out an advert for a challenger to his title there was a message underneath which read 'No negro challengers'

[jbraxton2]

Jack Johnson hands down is the GREATEST fighter to have ever lived. He was constantly beating down whiteboys and fucking the shit out of white women. You have to admit Jack was a bad mutherfucker to be doing this and not giving a fuck in the early 1900's. TRUE WARRIOR!!!! my idol

[luigi12356]

Jackson Johnson owns!!

[PantherDB7]

Its in some peoples nature to be a showman be brave, opinionated or go against the flow and others just prefer to keep it simple and stick with business, no matter wht happened I think Joe Louis wld have been Joe Loius.

[Jp60485]

I respect both louis and johnson but for louis jr to pretty much say louis acted in a way to please the racist whites at the time makes him more likeable than johnson is bullshit. lois jr is a uncle tom. johnson had every right to do what he did.

[ssd0886]

Thats not what he said. He said that louis was always that way, and by that way i mean that he wasn't as much of a showman as johnson. Nothing wrong with that. It doesn't mean he was trying to please whites at all. Why would you call louis jr. an uncle tom? You don't even know him.

[kndoubleu]

"They set out some rules ... about how he should act. ... He should never be seen with white women."

this can be taken two ways. on one hand, yes, he does claim that his father was never as radical as johnson, he also makes hints toward a disturbing, yet realistic alternative: had louis had the same inclinations as jack johnson, his handlers would *not* have let him act on them. e.g. though he enjoyed the foods, louis famously would never allow himself to be seen eating chicken or watermelon.

[artfang]

joe louis is not an uncle tom cause he knocked out whities

[kylecyclopdoddsmole]

Joe Louis didn't show of like Johnson did, thats why he never gloated in victory no matter what colour his opponent wass If u actually wacthed the video u would have understood

[lemigod]

Joe Louis JR is so articulate and Intelligent.

[caliman6000]

amazing? very well spoken? why because he said yessa boss to the white man.. jack johnson was a real man and real champion. he did it his way!

[figthersdreams]

100% agree with caliman6000. He was accepted because he wasn't screaming to the world that he was black and proud of it. Whites still look at me weird when I'm on the street making out with a white girlfriend and we're in 2008!!! Imagine how it was in those days. Jack Johnson is my idol!!!

[whodareswinswhat]

"He was accepted because he wasn't screaming to the world that he was black and proud of it" & you find that a bad thing?

I'm probably inviting a whole load of shit on myself here, but isn't that called 'integration' as opposed to 'segragation'? Everyone is entitled to be proud of their ethnic background, but there's no need to go shouting it from the rooftops. Unless you secretly want a race divide for some bizarre reason.

[A86]

"He was accepted because he wasn't screaming to the world that he was black and proud of it."

Think about what environment Jack Johnson was in. He was in an environment with thousands of white bigots screaming racial slurs at him, throwing bananas at him, trying to arrest him for dating certain women and lynching black people out of anger when he beat white opponents. What the hell was Johnson supposed to do? Apologize to the bigots and smile and bow as they called him unimaginable names?

[delirous8]

i agree Joe Louis in so many ways is like Obama

he had the ability to bring people of all creeds together he never tried to play the race card

the same way Obama never tried to play the race card during his campaign

Joe Louis was who he was

[aschindler22]

yea jack johnson wasnt wrong how he acted but all he did was fuel the fire...joe louis was never that way and gained respect from white folks i guess u could say...i didnt live in that era but im sure whites were afraid of blacks acting like criminals....joe louis showed em whats up...its not right but thats what prolly happend

[cliffburton333]

@A86 johnson fired back at racism with a big "f you." louis fired back at racism by setting an example, turning the cheek.

[doointhedoo]

@cliffburton333. You're so right. They both had different personalities and it showed in the way they dealt with racism. Although I respect Joe Louis, I prefer Johnson's way :)))

[MrRoyalFatness]

@A86

Yes.

[mvazquez554]

Louis did not do that. Yes he didn't act in the way Johnson did. But he did stand up for himself and the blacks when needed. When he was in the army, they did not allow blacks to watch the fights. Joe Louis found out about this and talked directly to the head man and told him that if they weren't allowed to come than he would not fight. Louis did what he needed to do to stay champion and not to have race riots and such. That doesn't make him an Uncle Tom. He also would have knocked Jhonson out.

[dolphin249]

very well spoken

[killpolitics]

Very interesting & informative, thanks. Wonderful to hear this talk by the great man's son.

[FighterSpirito]

ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmazin­g champion