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In the opening scene, set in May 1941 during the German invasion of Crete during World War II, a German paratrooper is seen being injured and receiving treatment. He is then detailed to escort a British prisoner of war named Alan (Elliot Cowan) who recognizes him as the famous heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling (Henry Maske) and asks him to tell his life story.
Most of the rest of the film is told in flashback starting on June 12, 1930 with Max Schmeling's match against Jack Sharkey. In a fight billed as the 'Battle of the Continents,' Schmeling, known as a slow starter, falls slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling is trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line to the kidneys. He immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When Schmeling's manager Joe Jacobs (Vladimir Weigl) runs into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), reviewing the call, agreed.
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in 33 years, Schmeling is also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the 'low blow champion,' he was disparaged in both America and Germany as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the NYSAC officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the National Boxing Association (NBA) and The Ring magazine.
Upon returning to Germany, he accompanies Jacobs to a nightclub where he meets Czech-born actress Anny Ondra (Susanne Wuest). In trying to get Anny's attention, Schmeling visits her at her apartment the next day with a gift of red roses. But Anny refuses to accept them and tells Schmeling that she dislikes boxing.
Schmeling's next match is in Berlin on August 2, 1930 against Wurner Heller where Schmeling retains his reputation when he beats his opponent to the mat in the first round. Anny attends the match, but leaves before Schmeling punches Heller out.
On July 3, 1931, Schmeling travels to Cleveland, Ohio for his match against Young Stribling where after 15 exhausting rounds, Schmeling knocks down Stribling and retains his Heavyweight Championship.
On June 21, 1932, Schmeling's next match is back in New York where his championship picture becomes even more muddled when facing Jack Sharkey again who wins a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance feel that Schmeling had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.
Schmeling's image in America begins to take a decided turn. In 1933, the Nazi Party becomes the most powerful political force in Germany, and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations, who worry over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extension of Hitler's plans for world domination.
After a whirlwind courtship, Schmeling and Anny get married on July 6, 1933. By this time, the Nazis have fully taken control of Germany. Schmeling has no sympathy for the Nazi ideology and is seen to be protective of his Jewish manager Jacobs. One day, Schmeling is called to the Reichskanzlei offices in Berlin where he meets Hans von Tschammer und Osten, the head of the German Reich Sports Committee, who tells Schmeling about the USA offer to box against the undefeated African-American sensation Joe Louis (Yoan Pablo Hernández) and wants the match to be in Germany's favor to support Adolph Hitler's "master Aryan race" ideology. Schmeling agrees to box, but only for himself and not for Nazi Germany's views.
After a long and grueling training regiment which lasts several months, Schmeling returns to America on June 19, 1936 to face Joe Louis for the German's first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studies films of Louis's prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter's technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Schmeling exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proves to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the 12th round, he sent the American tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. Yet, after the fight, Joe tells Schmeling that he will not be returning to Germany with him which upsets Schmeling as well as his trainer Max Machon.
Schmeling returns home three weeks later a hero and after receiving honors from the Nazi-controlled press, he and Anny move from Berlin to avoid the publicity and settle in a elegant cottage in the Pommern countryside. However, two years later on June 22, 1938, Schmeling returns to New York and takes on Joe Louis again in a rematch. However, feeling not supportive of his own nation and government anymore, Schmeling suffers a humiliating defeat when he is knocked out by Louis in the first round after only two minutes (124 seconds); Louis comes out blazing and Schmeling tries to counter-punch as he had during the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Schmeling turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream before falling to the mat.
When he returns to Germany, Schmeling is now shunned by the Nazis. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saves the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his apartment. It was not the first time that Max defied the Nazi regime's hatred for Jews. When war breaks out in September 1939, he obeys an instruction to enlist in the paratroops rather than fleeing abroad.
The story returns to Crete where Schmeling allows the British prisoner to escape. Back in Germany in 1945, with the German Army on the brink of defeat, he returns to his wife. They abandon their country estate to the advancing Soviets and settle in Hamburg, West Germany.
In 1947, Schmeling has another run-in with Alan, the former British prisoner of war, who helps him out of a jam and persuades him to return to boxing when the money-strapped German has trouble finding work. Max has a reunion with his former trainer Max Machon who agrees to train Schmeling again for boxing.
On September 29, 1947, Schmeling (in his first boxing match in eight years) takes on and defeats local boxing contender Werner Vollmer at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. Over the next year, Schmeling enjoys a modesty successful return to boxing, despite his growing age. He takes on and defeats boxing hopeful Hans Joachim Draegestein in Kiel on October 2, 1948 where afterwords, he has a run-in with a boxing talent agent who advices him to get out of boxing before it kills him.
Schmeling's very last boxing match is on October 31, 1948 in West Berlin where he fights against Richard Vogt where after the 10th round, Schmeling suddenly surrenders to Vogt and then announces to the crowd of his retirement from boxing forever. He walks out of the ring, while the joyful Anny looks on, and out of the stadium for good.
In the opening scene, set in May 1941 during the German invasion of Crete during World War II, a German paratrooper is seen being injured and receiving treatment. He is then detailed to escort a British prisoner of war named Alan (Elliot Cowan) who recognizes him as the famous heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling (Henry Maske) and asks him to tell his life story.
Most of the rest of the film is told in flashback starting on June 12, 1930 with Max Schmeling's match against Jack Sharkey. In a fight billed as the 'Battle of the Continents,' Schmeling, known as a slow starter, falls slightly behind on points going into the fourth round. Schmeling is trying to corner his opponent when Sharkey let loose with a blow to the body which strayed below the belt line to the kidneys. He immediately clutched his groin and fell to the canvas, claiming to have been fouled. When Schmeling's manager Joe Jacobs (Vladimir Weigl) runs into the ring, prompting all kinds of chaos, the confused referee disqualified Sharkey and declared Schmeling the victor and the first (and only) man to win the heavyweight championship on a foul. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), reviewing the call, agreed.
The first European-born boxer to win the heavyweight championship in 33 years, Schmeling is also the first from Germany to hold the distinction. Still, the way in which he won the title proved an embarrassment. Called the 'low blow champion,' he was disparaged in both America and Germany as an unproven titleholder. When he initially refused to face Sharkey in a rematch, the NYSAC officially stripped him of their recognition as world champion, but he remained recognized by both the National Boxing Association (NBA) and The Ring magazine.
Upon returning to Germany, he accompanies Jacobs to a nightclub where he meets Czech-born actress Anny Ondra (Susanne Wuest). In trying to get Anny's attention, Schmeling visits her at her apartment the next day with a gift of red roses. But Anny refuses to accept them and tells Schmeling that she dislikes boxing.
Schmeling's next match is in Berlin on August 2, 1930 against Wurner Heller where Schmeling retains his reputation when he beats his opponent to the mat in the first round. Anny attends the match, but leaves before Schmeling punches Heller out.
On July 3, 1931, Schmeling travels to Cleveland, Ohio for his match against Young Stribling where after 15 exhausting rounds, Schmeling knocks down Stribling and retains his Heavyweight Championship.
On June 21, 1932, Schmeling's next match is back in New York where his championship picture becomes even more muddled when facing Jack Sharkey again who wins a highly controversial split decision, taking the championship. Many in attendance feel that Schmeling had proven himself the better man and was robbed. In losing the championship, the German had managed to elevate his reputation in the minds of boxing fans.
Schmeling's image in America begins to take a decided turn. In 1933, the Nazi Party becomes the most powerful political force in Germany, and its ideologies, voiced by party leader Adolf Hitler, overflowed with anti-Semitic tendencies. Major American cities such as New York had large Jewish populations, who worry over what the party could mean for people of their religion in the future. Schmeling, because he was German, was viewed as an extension of Hitler's plans for world domination.
After a whirlwind courtship, Schmeling and Anny get married on July 6, 1933. By this time, the Nazis have fully taken control of Germany. Schmeling has no sympathy for the Nazi ideology and is seen to be protective of his Jewish manager Jacobs. One day, Schmeling is called to the Reichskanzlei offices in Berlin where he meets Hans von Tschammer und Osten, the head of the German Reich Sports Committee, who tells Schmeling about the USA offer to box against the undefeated African-American sensation Joe Louis (Yoan Pablo Hernández) and wants the match to be in Germany's favor to support Adolph Hitler's "master Aryan race" ideology. Schmeling agrees to box, but only for himself and not for Nazi Germany's views.
After a long and grueling training regiment which lasts several months, Schmeling returns to America on June 19, 1936 to face Joe Louis for the German's first fight on American soil in more than two years, he was clearly the betting underdog, considered a name opponent for Louis to roll over on his route to the title. Prior to the match, Schmeling carefully studies films of Louis's prior fights, dissecting apparent flaws in the Detroit fighter's technique. Among the weaknesses he noticed was the fact that Louis lowered his left hand after throwing a left jab. In the ring, Schmeling exploited this subtle flaw to his own advantage, countering nearly every Louis jab with his best punch, the right cross. The fight proves to be a competitive, hard-hitting affair for the first three rounds, but, in the fourth, a counter right from the German dropped Louis for the first time in his career. Though Louis rose, he was badly dazed for the remainder of the fight and Schmeling subsequently delivered the finest performance of his career. For a further eight rounds he battered Louis, often standing toe-to-toe with the vaunted puncher and landing that same right hand to the jaw repeatedly. In the 12th round, he sent the American tumbling to the floor once more, and this time Louis could not recover. He was counted out on the floor and Schmeling had scored the most talked-about sports upset of the year. Yet, after the fight, Joe tells Schmeling that he will not be returning to Germany with him which upsets Schmeling as well as his trainer Max Machon.
Schmeling returns home three weeks later a hero and after receiving honors from the Nazi-controlled press, he and Anny move from Berlin to avoid the publicity and settle in a elegant cottage in the Pommern countryside. However, two years later on June 22, 1938, Schmeling returns to New York and takes on Joe Louis again in a rematch. However, feeling not supportive of his own nation and government anymore, Schmeling suffers a humiliating defeat when he is knocked out by Louis in the first round after only two minutes (124 seconds); Louis comes out blazing and Schmeling tries to counter-punch as he had during the first bout, but to no avail. Driven into the ropes and battered with a fusillade of short, crisp blows from every angle, Schmeling turned his back to his opponent and clutched onto the ropes, letting out a scream before falling to the mat.
When he returns to Germany, Schmeling is now shunned by the Nazis. During the Nazi purge of Jews from Berlin, he personally saves the lives of two Jewish children by hiding them in his apartment. It was not the first time that Max defied the Nazi regime's hatred for Jews. When war breaks out in September 1939, he obeys an instruction to enlist in the paratroops rather than fleeing abroad.
The story returns to Crete where Schmeling allows the British prisoner to escape. Back in Germany in 1945, with the German Army on the brink of defeat, he returns to his wife. They abandon their country estate to the advancing Soviets and settle in Hamburg, West Germany.
In 1947, Schmeling has another run-in with Alan, the former British prisoner of war, who helps him out of a jam and persuades him to return to boxing when the money-strapped German has trouble finding work. Max has a reunion with his former trainer Max Machon who agrees to train Schmeling again for boxing.
On September 29, 1947, Schmeling (in his first boxing match in eight years) takes on and defeats local boxing contender Werner Vollmer at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. Over the next year, Schmeling enjoys a modesty successful return to boxing, despite his growing age. He takes on and defeats boxing hopeful Hans Joachim Draegestein in Kiel on October 2, 1948 where afterwords, he has a run-in with a boxing talent agent who advices him to get out of boxing before it kills him.
Schmeling's very last boxing match is on October 31, 1948 in West Berlin where he fights against Richard Vogt where after the 10th round, Schmeling suddenly surrenders to Vogt and then announces to the crowd of his retirement from boxing forever. He walks out of the ring, while the joyful Anny looks on, and out of the stadium for good.
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