I see this man was rated No 9 1937 No 8 1938 No 9 1939 No 10 1941 No 4 1941 He beat Lee Q Murray Nate Bolden Arturo Godoy x5 Buddy Walker Patsy Perroni Gus Dorazio Alberto Lovel Steve Dudas Isidoro Gastanaga Gunner Barlund Jack Trammel Charley Berlanger Toles spent 1941-1943 fighting in South America, then had a lengthy hiatus returning to the ring in 1947,[War Service]? He appears to have been good enough to have been among Louis's " Bum Of The Month ",challengers,was it just his colour that prevented him getting a title shot? Perhaps other posters may bring me up to date here? Suzie?
Louis did fight Toles in an unofficial bout early on. He may have fit in there with Louis's challengers but we must agree that he did not do anything exceptional to earn a title shot. An impressive heavyweight career nonetheless against mainly top opposition and he beat Arturo Godoy a number of times.
Louis won by KO in 6. I do not know why it is not listed on his official record. I guess it was deemed as an exhibition.
I believe Louis wasn't allowed to fight officially per contractual reasons leading up to his fight with Carnera. Toles and another fighter who eludes me did fight Louis in very "natural" settings as if it were a real fight. Louis from what I recall reading looked good in the fight.
Never saw him on film. Is there any? Looking at his record Toles was durable, but not a top level boxer. The way his record reads he lacked the punch to come from behind when he was being out boxed. Since he was black not a highly ranked fighter for most of his career, a title match vs Joe Louis wasn't going to happen.
He fought Joe Louis and was knocked out in six rounds. It would have been a legal bout as well but a contract stipulation leading up to his shot with Carnera prevented him having a sanctioned bout. I believe judges may have been present too. For years the fight was listed as an official fight.
Cox’s corner still lists this fight against Toles as a pro bout on Louis’s record. They do not list the Johnny Davis 3-3 bout that boxrec does during Joe’s war hiatus.
My grandfather sparred with Mr. Toles in the Marine Corps. According to my Grandfather, Toles told him "you hold your right hand to high, if someone hits your right, you'll knock yourself out!!! He also said Toles was the "South American Heavyweight Champion" Whatever that means...
Probably minimum the equal of the bum of the month crew in skill. Wish he had gotten a shot at the title.
If anything I think his reputation today is increased by being a black heavyweight in Louis' era who was supposedly frozen out of the title picture. Were it a white heavyweight with the same record, would it even be up for discussion?
