Apr.27, 1935 Joe Louis vs Roscoe Toles

[Cap]

Read a claim the other day that on April 27th, 1935 in Flint Michigan, Joe Louis fought Roscoe Toles and stopped him in 6 rounds. Did this fight really happen?

Cap

[wouter]

That's correct, but it was an exhibition.

[Cap]

That's correct, but it was an exhibition.

How could it have been an exhibition? There's no weight limit and Louis won by knockout.

[wouter]

It was scheduled and fought as a 6-round exhibition match. That Louis scored a knockout does not change that. The correct date by the way is April 25 1935.

[Cap]

I could understand if Louis was champ or he was retired and on tour, but how did a young stud on the way up get away with it? Was boxing under restrictiom in Flint? Was louis' brain trust afraid of Toles?

Cap

[Sven Tingstrom]

Maybe the money was not right for a legitimate fight? Flint is in State of Michigan USA. Louis was from Detroit Michigan USA. Maybe a favor to a friend?

[wouter]

The details escape me, but there were some contractual issues that prevented Louis from fighting in regular bouts until the Carnera fight. His KO of Biff Bennett was also scored in an exhibition bout and should not be in his record.

[HomicideHenry]

If there was judges present at the exhibition, then technically it was a pro bout. That occurence came to Louis when he was world champion and the NYSAC put their version of the world title on the line when Louis fought some 3-3-0 bum, so in a technical sense Louis had 26 title defenses not 25. The same line of logic is still used to this day, Ruslan Chagaev fought some exhibitions with judges and they appear on his pro record, though he didn't turn professional for many more years. Same goes with Aaron Pryor Junior, whose "Toughman" style bouts forced him into the pros cus some idiot put it down as a pro bout just because judges were there scoring the contest.