Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
One of the greatest American professional boxers of all time Joe Louis was the World Heavy Weight Champion from 1937 to 1949. Born into poverty in Alabama, he suffered from a speech impediment growing up and spoke very little until about the time he was six years old. His father was institutionalized and his mother remarried and moved the family to Detroit. The Depression hit his family hard, but as an alternative to rebelling and joining in on gang activity, Louis began to spend his time at a local youth center where he learned the sport of boxing. He began participating in amateur matches which let him in 1933 to win the Detroit area Golden Gloves Novice Championship. Louis would build upon his earlier successes and become a World Heavy Weight Champion, holding the title longer than anyone else in boxing history. Presented is a gold Benrus watch on the back of which bears the inscription, “To Dave Sincerely, Joe Louis 9-3-52.” The back of the watch also reads, “Benrus 10k gold filled.” This watch is no longer working and is missing the clasps on the wrist band. Item comes with a LOA from Tory Mosley, Dave Hoskins’ Grandson stating that the watch came directly from the estate of Mr. Hoskins.