Joe Brown (boxer) - Early Life and Career

Early Life and Career

Born into poverty in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, on May 18, 1926, Brown started work as a grocery assistant, moved into carpentry and then embarked on his professional boxing career at the age of seventeen. He recorded only one contest – winning a four round decision against Leonard Caesar on September 3, 1943 – before being called-up for wartime service. During his 21 months with the US Navy, Brown took part in seven Pacific invasions and won the All-Service Lightweight Championship. He was honourably discharged from the service in 1945.

The resumption of Brown's career was initially disappointing. Suffering a third round knock-out by Melvin Bartholomew in July 1945, Brown did not fight again until January 1946, when he lost on a decision over five rounds to Leonard Caesar. Some reward came a mere seven days later when Brown out-pointed Johnny Monroe, but his career over the following three years was, at best, chequered.

The impetus for Brown's ultimate success seems to have been provided by a crushing defeat at the hands of the future National Boxing Association Welterweight Champion, Johnny Bratton, late in 1948, immediately followed by a short spell away from the ring. In 1949, Brown actually went unbeaten and, over the next seven years, he steadily climbed the Lightweight rankings, defeating along the way such notable boxers as Virgil Akins, Isaac Logart and Teddy ‘Redtop’ Davis.

These fruitful times were not, however, without their difficulties. The skilful Brown, standing a lanky 5 feet 7½ inches, with a long reach and solid left hand, came to be viewed as dangerous – too dangerous by some astute managers who frequently appeared to steer their charges away from meeting him. Several times, Brown hung up his gloves in despair during his thirteen year wait for a shot at the title. When it came, at the comparatively advanced age of 30, he did not disappoint.