Historically significant fight contract for Joe Louis' final professional bout against Rocky Marciano at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 26, 1951. Joe Louis professional fight contracts are exceedingly rare. This is the first we have ever offered, and we cannot recall having seen another at auction in the past twenty-five years. The fact that this is for the final bout of Louis' career, against another boxing legend in Rocky Marciano, makes it one of the most important boxing contracts in the hobby. The one-page typed contract calls for Louis to face Rocky Marciano in a ten-round bout, with Louis to receive forty percent of the gross receipts from the ticket sales. Signed by "Joe Louis" in blue fountain pen (grading 9/10) along the base. Also signed in blue fountain pen by Marshall Miles (Joe Louis' manager) and Al Weill (Madison Square Garden executive/matchmaker). Interestingly, Weill later became Marciano's manager in 1952. The contract (8.5x14"), which is stamped "Duplicate," displays three horizontal folds and is in Excellent condition overall. Full LOA from PSA. There is also a JSA hologram label affixed to the reverse, but no corresponding LOA or COA accompanies the piece.  

Joe Louis is universally regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight champions in boxing history and he became a national hero when he defeated Adolph Hitler's champion, Max Schmeling, in 1938. Louis won the heavyweight title in 1937 and successfully defended it twenty-five times before officially retiring on March 1, 1949. However, he was forced back into the ring just eighteen months later because he owed the IRS over $500,000 in back taxes and penalties. His comeback started badly, with a unanimous decision loss to Ezzard Charles for the heavyweight title. He bounced back with eight straight wins against lesser competition before meeting Marciano on October 26, 1951. Marciano was an up-and-coming heavyweight contender at the time and entered the fight with a record of 37-0. Surprisingly, perhaps because of sentiment, Louis was a 6-5 favorite in the fight, but most savvy boxing experts felt Louis' experience would be no match for Marciano's powerful right hand. Unfortunately for Louis, they were right. Louis was battered mercilessly by Marciano through the first seven rounds before a thunderous right hook in the eighth sent him flying through the ropes, thereby ending both the bout and Louis' professional career. Louis falling through the ropes was an indelible sight and an ignominious end to one of the most celebrated boxing careers in the history of the sport. The victory, and the manner in which it was achieved, propelled Marciano into the national spotlight. Just one year later he won the heavyweight title, which he defended six times before retiring in 1955 as the only undefeated heavyweight champion in history.