Joe Louis vs. Al McCoy

Challenger rankings

Org.	Pos.	As of	Published
1+ Mth. Old
WBA	NR	10.09.1940	10.09.1940
Ring	NR	13.09.1940	by 04.10.1940
2+ Mth. Old
WBA	NR	10.09.1940	10.09.1940
Ring	NR	13.08.1940	by 01.09.1940
3+ Mth. Old
WBA	NR	23.06.1940	23.06.1940
Ring	N/A	N/A	N/A

Joe Louis 202 lbs beat Al McCoy 181 lbs by RTD in round 5 of 15

• Date: 1940-12-16
• Location: Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Referee: Johnny Martin

• World Heavyweight Championship (12th defense by Louis)
• Weigh-in photo
• McCoy post-fight photo

Notes

Timeline

• On October 3, McCoy signed to face Billy Conn on October 18, in a fight co-promoted by Mike Jacobs and Twentieth Century Club. McCoy lost by unanimous decision.[1][2][3] This was McCoy's second loss in a row. The gate was $19,200, which Jacobs was reportedly satisfied with.[4]
• Deal with Louis signed on November 1-12.[5][6]

Ranking Movements

• McCoy entered the fight unranked by The Ring Magazine and National Boxing Association.

The Fight

• There was a crowd of 13,334.
• The gross gate was $46,980, and the net was $44,845.
• Louis's purse was $19,059.12, and McCoy's was $5,605.62.
• Louis was a 2-1 betting favorite to score a knockout.
• The Associated Press reported:

McCoy was game and did all he could, but he just was shy on "zing" in his fists. He reddened Joe's nose with straight left hands several times, and in the fourth and fifth pitched desperate right hand shots that whistled around Louis' ears. A couple landed, and one—in the fifth—nailed Joe so hard on the chin that he blinked like a fellow just waking up from a nap. Otherwise, Louis was the whole show. He stalked the backing, circling McCoy throughout and banged away. He drove three club-like rights to the ribs in the first that put McCoy down on one knee, but Al was up without a count. In the third, he drew blood from Al's nose and started working on the left eye. He raised a small "mouse" under the eye in that round, puffed it some more with right hands in the fourth, and had it closed in the fifth so tightly it resembled the penny slot in a chewing gum machine. Al was tired and bruised as he returned to his corner at the end of the fifth. He sat down on his chair as his handlers tried to work him into shape to continue. It was no go, however, and he patted his eye and rubbed his "tummy" as his seconds informed Referee Johnny Martin that McCoy was all through. [7]

Preceded by: Louis vs. Godoy II	NBA Heavyweight Title Fight # 25	Succeeded by: Louis vs. Burman
Preceded by: Louis vs. Godoy II	NYSAC Heavyweight Title Fight # 23	Succeeded by: Louis vs. Burman