Classic Fighter, Classic Movie – Joe Louis and On The Waterfront

Joe Louis is one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.

He defended his heavyweight championship 25 times from 1937 to 1949.

Louis fought 69 times as a professional, winning 66 with 52 knockouts.

If there were a boxing Mt. Rushmore, Louis would be there, along with Sugar Ray Robinson, Sam Langford, Henry Armstrong, and Muhammad Ali.

In 1953, a film premiered that quickly became a classic. Movie lists rank #8 as the greatest film ever.

The movie. On the Waterfront.

Perhaps not known to most, Louis fought three boxers who were in the movie, playing “the muscle” who backed up corrupt crime boss Johnny Friendly.

The three former heavyweight contenders were “Two Ton” Tony Galento, Abe Simon, and Tami Mauriello.

The film starred Marlon Brando (brilliant) as ex-fighter Terry Malloy, a guy who would prefer staying in the shadows. Friendly routinely mocks Terry’s intelligence. Terry takes it until he unknowingly helps set up a fellow dockworker’s death. Riddled with guilt and torn by family loyalty (his brother Charlie works for Friendly as well), Terry discovers love with Edie (Eve Marie Saint) and his integrity, courage, and conscience from tough Priest Father Barry (Karl Malden).

Brando won the 1954 Academy Award for Best Actor. His performance put movie acting on its ear with its uniqueness and grit.  Galento, Simon, and Mauriello have some quality screen time. Galento, chewing on a cigar and with a face that looks a little like Edward G. Robinson, glares and grunts throughout the film. Simon, all six-foot-four of him, uses his bulk to keep others in line.

Mauriello, as Tillio, is perhaps the worst of the three. He finds other people’s misfortunes funny. He’s a jerk. Terry, disgusted by the personal corruption surrounding him, sends the mouthy goon flying with a crisp combination.

I wonder, during a coffee break, did the three former contenders talk about fighting Louis? They had something in common.

The mouthy Galento faced Louis in 1939 and almost pulled off the biggest upset in boxing history. Louis was in the prime of his career, having captured the heavyweight crown two years before. He annihilated Max Schmelling in a rematch and had recently scored first-round knockouts over light heavyweight champion John Henry Lewis and Jack Roper.

Galento was a 9-1 underdog and outweighed Louis by over 30 pounds. The owner of a tavern in New Jersey, Galento, was built like a beer barrel with short, elephant-like legs.

But the guy could crack, having knocked out 54 opponents in 76 fights.

Galento enjoyed mocking his opponents.

He told the press days before the fight, “I’ll moider da bum.”

He badmouthed Louis, calling him every night.

Louis didn’t find it amusing.

On fight night, he wanted to punish Galento, but was staggered by a powerful left hook. (Galento called it the “beer punch”)

Louis recovered quickly, popping Galento’s face with combinations. In round two, Louis stepped back and let fly with a right from hell. A textbook left hook sent Galento to the canvas for the first time in his career. He got up quickly and beckoned Louis. He continued to throw his left hook, Louis continued to carve up Galento’s face, like a surgeon with an attitude.

The champion continued his onslaught in round three, but Galento found the reserve to nail Louis with a short left hook. To the shock of 34,852 spectators, Louis went down, but was up before the count of one. Louis went right back to battering Galento until the round ended.

Galento’s face was a misshapen, bloody mess.

Louis pounced on Galento in the next stanza. He was done with this guy. A rocket-like right staggered Galento. Louis let fly with a bunch of blows. Most landed. Galento toppled into the ropes, causing the referee to wrap his arms around him.

The bout was over.

In 1941, Louis went home to Detroit, MI, to fight big Abe Simon. Louis, outweighed by 50-some pounds, battered Simon, knocking him down four times. The referee stopped the fight in round 13.

Simon’s courage earned him a rematch a year later.

Louis picked up where he had left off in the first fight. He knocked Simon down in rounds two and five. Simon was counted out in the next heat. Louis was absent from the ring for four years, serving in the U.S. Army.

In 1946, Louis was back, albeit a slower version of himself. He fought Mauriello at Yankee Stadium. Mauriello caught Louis by surprise in round one when he tagged him with an enormous right, knocking him into the ropes. The blow woke Louis up. He fired combinations until Mauriello dropped to the canvas. The challenger beat the count but was soon down again. This time, he didn’t beat the count.

The Three Amigos (Galento, Simon, and Mauriello) had something in common.

But, hey, they fought Joe Louis and acted alongside Marlon Barndo.