RICHMOND, Va. -- Boxing is not a sport I’ve ever followed very closely, but if I had lived in the time of Billy Conn and Joe Louis, I’m fairly certain I would have. There’s a definite irresistible charm to the “golden age” of the sport, when a heavyweight bout drew the same amount of interest as the Super Bowl does now.
Despite his ill-advised attempt to go on the offensive late in the biggest fight of his life, Conn was known for being a smart boxer, and compiled a respectable record of 63 wins, 11 losses, and 1 draw. Very much a character, Conn once famously punched out his father-in-law, World Series champion Jimmy Smith, breaking his hand and delaying his rematch with Louis until 1946 … which he also lost.
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