JOE LOUIS w rsf 4 TONY GALENTO
June 28, 1939; Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
ONE of the most famous quotes in boxing history from “Two Ton” Tony Galento did not amuse world heavyweight champion Joe Louis one bit. “I’ll moida da bum,” said the portly bouncer and barkeep before telling Louis what he planned to do with his wife once he’d knocked him out. Mayhem followed and it would be Mrs Galento who was in for a shock. Galento, hitting the scales at 233lbs despite being only 5ft 9ins, used those beer-stained hands to stagger Louis in the first only for the champion to deck him the second. By the third, Galento was a mess but sensationally scored a knockdown himself. Order was restored in the fourth when the challenger was mercilessly pounded to defeat.
DID YOU KNOW? It took more than five minutes for Galento’s seconds, Joe Jacobs and Whitey Bimstein, to revive their charge in the aftermath. When he was led from the ring, the challenger’s wife burst into tears when she saw the state of her husband.
WATCH OUT FOR: Find The Way It Was: Louis-Galento and enjoy the two fighters reminisce about the battle years later. Galento, with thick black wig and ginormous cigar, is particularly engrossing.
