Joe Gould (boxing)

Joseph[2] "Joe" Gould (August 13, 1896[3] – April 21, 1950) was an American boxing manager best known for representing boxer James J. Braddock, dubbed "The Cinderella Man," who in 1935 upset Max Baer to become the world heavyweight champion.

[1] Gould met then-20-year-old amateur boxer James Braddock at Joe Jeanette's gym in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1925.

After a completely one-sided loss to defending Light Heavyweight champion Tommy Loughran in July 1929, Braddock's career fell into decline as he lost more than won.

[1] 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.

On June 13, 1935, at Madison Square Garden Bowl, the 10-to-1 underdog Braddock won the world heavyweight championship in one of the most stunning upsets in boxing history.

[1] Braddock's first title defense was to be against German Max Schmeling on June 3, 1937, in the Madison Square Garden Bowl.

In addition, American commentators expressed opposition to a proposed Braddock-Schmeling fight in light of the connections between Schmeling and Adolf Hitler, with whom the German fighter had been associated after his earlier victory over Louis.

[14] But a federal court in Newark, New Jersey, ruled that Braddock's contractual obligation to stage his title defense at MSG was unenforceable for lack of mutual consideration.

[1] While still with the Army, Gould was charged with conspiring to defraud the government by accepting money to influence the awarding of contracts for the manufacture of Army equipment — the key details involving accepting bribes to award a million dollars worth of contracts to the Cornwall Shipbuilding Company.