Joe Gould (boxing)

Joe Gould (August 13, 1896

Gould was instrumental in forging a phenomenal comeback for Braddock in June 1934 when Primo Carnera was scheduled to defend his Heavyweight title against Max Baer. The promoters needed an opponent for up and coming John “Corn” Griffin on the undercard. Gould pleaded for Braddock to be inserted as Griffin's opponent stating that Braddock needed money just to put food on the table for his children. They agreed to pay him $250 for a 6-rounder against Griffin which Braddock won in 3 rounds. Five months later Braddock decisively won a rematch against John Henry Lewis in 10 rounds followed by an easy 15-round decision against Art Lasky.

Braddock was then slated to face Max Baer, the reigning heavyweight champion of the world. On June 13, 1935, at Madison Square Garden, the 10-to-1 underdog Braddock won the world heavyweight championship in one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history. On June 27, 1937, Braddock lost the title to Heavyweight contender Joe Louis. Seven months later, in the final fight of his career, he defeated Tommy Farr in Madison Square Garden.^[3]

Later life

Gould enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, and became a first lieutenant. He was dismissed from the Army and sentenced to three years of hard labor after a court-martial in 1944 for conspiracy to accept bribes.^[4]

Gould died from leukemia on April 21, 1950.^[5]

Fictional portrayals

In the