Joe Louis KO 1 Max Schmeling, June 22, 1938

While the Jack Johnson-James Jeffries fight was emblematic of an era marred by racial oppression, Joe Louis' 1938 demolition of Max Schmeling was an iconic moment in the country's movement toward becoming a genuine melting pot. 

Louis exploded onto the heavyweight scene in the mid 1930s. Under the tutelage of former lightweight contender Jack Blackburn, his raw physical gifts were transformed into a near-perfect heavyweight boxer. 

In 1935, he had knocked out former heavyweight champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer. In his first meeting with Schmeling in 1936, he was expected to add a third former champion to his list of victims.