Lou Nova

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Lou Nova
Statistics
Real name Jay L. Nova
Nickname(s) The Cosmic Puncher
Rated at Heavyweight
Nationality Flag of the United States American
Birth date March 16, 1913
Birth place Los Angeles, California
Death date September 29, 1991
Death place Sacramento, California
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 63
Wins 49
Wins by KO 31
Losses 9
Draws 5
No contests 0

Lou Nova (March 16, 1913 – September 29, 1991) aka Cosmic punch was an American boxer and actor. Born in Los Angeles, California, the 6' 3 1/2" (1.92 m) Nova was the U.S. and World Amateur Boxing Champion in 1935. After turning pro boxer, he remained undefeated in his first 22 matches, and won 40 fights in total. He was the first top rated boxer to practice yoga, and reportedly did headstands in the dressing room before his title bout with Joe Louis.

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[edit] Boxing career

He upset Tommy Farr in 15 round decision. Nova had Farr near a knockout in the 14th round when Referee Eddie Josephs started counting as he lay in the rope. However, Farr resumed the fight after the count reach two. Both men were in a state of exhaustion in the last round.

He went on to defeat Max Baer in the first televised heavyweight prizefight June 1, 1939, on WNBT-TV in New York. The left side of Baer's face was battered out of shape after ten rounds of the most excruciating fighting he had ever undergone, and was bleeding so severely from a severe laceration of the lower lip he could hardly breathe when the referee stopped the bout. Nova beat Baer again in 1941, Nova was knocked down for a brief one count in the 4th from a Baer right hand. Baer was knocked down by a right for a nine count, after he got up he was knocked down again by a right hand, that sent him down again. Referee Donovan stopped the bout as the count was at two.

He was injured badly in his fight with Tony Galento and was in the hospital for a while afterward, almost losing an eye.

On September 29, 1941 he fought Joe Louis for the heavyweight title. Nova was knocked down once in the 6th round. Nova made a poor showing. According to Nat Fleischer (The Ring, December 1941, page 4) he didn't win a round and took a terrible beating in the sixth round. The end was somewhat controversial because the fight was stopped with just one second left in the round when Nova arose unsteadily from the knockdown.

Nova went on to box 4 more years, losing bouts to Lee Savold, Tami Mauriello, Lee Oma, and Joe Baksi.

[edit] Acting career

After leaving the fight ring, he became an actor. His motion picture debut was as Kid Mandell in MGM's Swing Fever (1943) starring Kay Kyser and Marilyn Maxwell. Other movie roles include that as Hubert in the 20th Century Fox film noir crime drama Somewhere in the Night (1946) starring John Hodiak.

Nova acted in over 20 movies. He appeared in one stage role, that as O'Malley in the Broadway play The Happiest Millionaire (1956) starring Walter Pidgeon, which ran for 271 performances, in which Nova performed the popular baseball poem Casey at the Bat. Nova's guest spots on TV include Space Patrol, Hopalong Cassidy, General Electric Theater, 77 Sunset Strip, Shotgun Slade and Get Smart.

[edit] Retirement

He was inducted into World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991, and into the Sacramento City College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Lou Nova died at age 78 in Sacramento, California.

[edit] External links