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James Walter Braddock (June 7, 1905 –
November 29, 1974) was a List of Heavyweight
Champions|champion boxer. Fighting under the name
James J. Braddock (ostensibly because two prior
champions, James J. Corbett and James J. Jeffries
had), his ability to win fights in which he was an
underdog earned him the nickname Cinderella Man.

A strapping young man born in New York City into a
poor Ireland|Irish family, following a successful
amateur career Jim Braddock turned pro at the age
of 21, fighting in the light heavyweight division.
Three years later in 1929, his performance earned
him a chance to fight for the championship but he
narrowly lost to Tommy Loughran in a 15-round
decision. This was followed by another loss to
Maxie Rosenbloom and for the next six years he
struggled to earn a living as the Great Depression
took hold and income opportunities in the boxing
business were limited for most mid-ranked
fighters.

However, he was given a fight with the highly
touted John "Corn" Griffin.  Although Braddock was
intended as a stepping stone in Griffin's rise,
Braddock scored an upset victory.  After defeating
another highly regarded heavyweight contender,
John Henry Lewis, he was given a title fight
against the World Heavyweight Champion, Max Baer.
Considered no more than a journeyman fighter,
Braddock was chosen by the champion's handlers
because he was seen as a guaranteed easy payday
for the champion. In one of the biggest upsets in
championship boxing, on June 13, 1935, in Long
Island City, New York, Braddock won the
heavyweight championship of the world as the 10 to
1 underdog. The fight showed a dogged Braddock
taking heavy hits from the powerful champion but
who kept coming until he wore Baer down. At the
end, the judges gave Braddock the title with a
unanimous decision.

Jim Braddock suffered from problems with his hands
after several injuries and in 1936 his title
defense in Madison Square Garden against the
Germany|German, Max Schmeling had to be cancelled.
When ready to fight, the 32-year-old Braddock
chose to defend his title against the then
23-year-old star, Joe Louis.  Realizing that Louis
would be a heavy favorite and being an astute
businessman, Braddock negotiated an agreement
whereby he would receive 10% of Louis' future
earnings.  Braddock knocked Louis down in the
first round of their June 22, 1937 bout, but Louis
recovered and dominated the bout, earning an 8th
round stoppage.

Braddock fought one more fight in 1938, winning a
decision over a top ranked opponent, but time had
caught up with him and, wisely, he retired. In
1954, he was given the James J. Walker Award in
recognition of his long and meritorious service to
the boxing industry.

On his passing in 1974 in New Jersey, Jim Braddock
was interred in the Mount Carmel Cemetery
(Englewood)|Mount Carmel Cemetery in Englewood,
New Jersey. He was inducted into the International
Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. A park in the city of
North Bergen Township, New Jersey|North Bergen,
New Jersey is named in his honor.

==Biopic==
A motion picture titled Cinderella Man tells the
life story of James J. Braddock. Directed by Ron
Howard (American director)|Ron Howard, and
starring Russell Crowe as Braddock and RenÊe
Zellweger as his wife Mae, it was released June 3,
2005, but it was not a box-office success. There
has been contention as to whether the on-screen
depiction of Max Baer is accurate. Baer's
demeanor, both within and outside the ring, was
reportedly much less brutal than was portrayed. 
According to film critic Roger Ebert, Baer's
relatives and boxing historians have criticized
the film's depiction of him, arguing that he
killed only one man in the ring, Frankie Campbell,
not two, and was considered to be a gentleman by
the man who defeated him for the title, Braddock. 
Others assert that Baer was kind, charismatic,
loved and respected, pointing out the emotional
pain that Max Baer endured the rest of his life
following Campbell's death, and the fact that he
gave purses from his bouts to Campbell's family.

Source:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/secti
on?category=ANSWERMAN&date=20050626  Roger Ebert's
June 26, 2005 Answer Man feature from his official
website

Source: The New York Daily News, June 14, 2005;
p34.

==External links==
*http://www.jamesjbraddock.com Official James J.
Braddock Website
*http://www.njboxinghof.org/cgi-bin/henryseehof.pl
?304 Braddock's career record - from the New
Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame

start box
succession box |
  before= Max Baer |
  title= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion |
  years= 1935–1937 |
  after= Joe Louis

end box