363K views · 4.2K reactions | In the lead-up to World War II, Joe Louis took on German boxer Max Schmeling in a pair of matches that were about more than the heavyweight title. | Drunk History | Facebook

🥊On June 19, 1936 German boxer Max Schmeling KO’s up-and-coming American heavyweight Joe Louis in the 12th Round at a sold out Yankee Stadium. The referee for the bout was the legendary Arthur Donovan. Although the political aspect of the first Louis-Schmeling bout would later be dwarfed by the crucible of their later 1938 rematch, brewing political sentiment would inevitably attach itself to the fight. Adolf Hitler had become chancellor of Germany three years previously and, although the Unite