Joseph Louis Barrow , best known as Joe Louis and nicknamed The Brown Bomber, a long-time resident of Detroit, Michigan, is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions who has ever lived. He was praised and loved by America, until the day of his death. He held the title for over 11 years, recording 25 successful defenses of the title. In 2003, Ring Magazine rated Joe Louis No. 1 on the list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 2005, Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. He participated in 27 heavyweight championship fights, a record which still stands.