This Day in History (October 31, 1948)
By Uncategorized October 31st, 2006Today in Boxing History: Max Schmeling Fights Final Bout
On Halloween in 1948, Max Schmeling fought his final bout, losing a ten-round decision to Richard Vogt in Berlin.
Schmeling had returned to the ring in 1947 after an eight-year layoff due to World War II. Unable to fight in the United States because of his past connections to the Nazi party, Schmeling fought all of his return bouts in his native Germany.
Coming into the fight, Schmeling’s comeback record was 3-1, his only loss being to former German Heavyweight Champion Walter Neusel. A testament to why the return was lackluster comes in the fact that Neusel was the only opponent Schmeling had faced with a winning record.
The bout was held in an outdoor arena and the weather was so cold that the 43-year-old Schmeling had to be covered between rounds. Vogt, then the German Light Heavyweight Champion, won a decision over his aged opponent.
Schmeling went on to have great success after his boxing career. He received the Coca-Cola franchise for northern Germany and became a multi-millionaire. When he died at the age of 99 in 2005, he was considered to be one of Germany’s most beloved sports figures.
October 31st, 2006 at 2:51 pm
THis guy was one of the most underrated boxers in history. It’s sad that more people remember his first round loss to Joe Louis rather than the fact he was the first (And possibly only) man to dominate and ultimately KO a prime Louis.