Ring of Hate: The Brown Bomber and Hitler's Hero

More than the world heavyweight championship was at stake when Joe Louis fought Max Schmeling on 22 June 1938. In a world on the brink of war, the contest was projected as a test of nationalistic, racial and political ideals. It was black man against white man, a showdown between democracy and totalitarianism.

No single event in the history of boxing generated as much excitement or such extremes of...