Joe Gould was an American boxing manager, best known for representing boxer James J. Braddock, who in 1935 upset Max Baer to take the world heavyweight championship.
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Gould, who was of Jewish descent, played a role in having Braddock fight Joe Louis rather than Max Schmeling, in order to prevent a propaganda victory by the Nazi regime.
As Braddock's manager, Gould negotiated as part of the deal for Louis' title shot 10% of Louis' future purses. Mike Jacobs, who represented Louis, believed he would be able to talk his way out of the contract at a later date, but it is a little-known fact that Braddock and Gould became relatively rich men even after Braddock lost the title because of this deal.
Gould enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant, accidentally shooting Sergeant John Bender during a photo op in which he and Braddock did rifle calesthenics. He was dismissed from the Army and sentenced to three years hard labor after a court martial in 1944 for conspiracy to accept bribes. [1]
Joe Gould died from leukemia on April 21, 1950.[2]
In the 2005 film Cinderella Man, Gould is portrayed by actor Paul Giamatti. The role earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.