Joe Louis vs Billy Conn

On June 18, 1941, at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York, Joe Louis defended his World Heavyweight Championship for the eighteenth time, facing Billy Conn in a highly anticipated bout. The match, scheduled for 15 rounds, ended dramatically, with Louis winning by knockout at 2 minutes and 58 seconds into the thirteenth round.

Conn signed the initial contract on December 21, 1940, and the fight was announced on June 18, with Louis's promoter Mike Jacobs confirming the date. However, some sources suggest that the contracts were only signed on June 3. Louis was listed at 200 pounds, but reports later indicated he weighed 204, while Conn, announced at 174 pounds, was reportedly 169.

The Polo Grounds witnessed a massive crowd of 54,487 spectators, generating a gross gate of $452,743. Louis was considered the favourite with odds of 11 to 5. After twelve rounds, Conn was ahead on two of the three scorecards, needing just one more round to secure a decision victory. However, Conn, believing he could stop Louis after staggering him in the twelfth, went for a knockout in the thirteenth.

Knowing he needed a stoppage to win, Louis also went for the knockout. About a minute into the thirteenth round, Louis landed a mighty right hand that hurt Conn. Known for his finishing ability, Louis relentlessly attacked Conn with a barrage of lefts and rights, ultimately knocking him out at 2:58 of the thirteenth round.

The fight between Louis and Conn is regarded as one of the best fights ever, with The Ring Magazine ranking it as the sixth greatest. Unfortunately, Conn's planned rematch with Louis on June 25, 1942, was cancelled because Conn broke his left hand in a fight with his father-in-law, former Major League baseball player "Greenfield" Jimmy Smith. The rematch was rescheduled for October 12, but Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson cancelled the bout on September 25, ordering both Louis and Conn, who had joined the U.S. Army earlier that year, to return to their military duties immediately.