Max Schmeling makes his first defense of the World Heavyweight Championship since winning it from Jack Sharkey in 1930 on a foul. Schmeling was seen as an unworthy Champion so a win over a top contender like Stribling was seen as paramount to cementing Schmeling's claim to being the true World Champion. More info below...

Young Stribling was a talented all round athlete let alone top professional boxer. He was one of the best high school basketball players in the United States prior to boxing, earning himself the nickname "Dead Shot" because of his accurate shooting. He was also quite talented at golf, hunting, fishing, speedboat racing and tennis. Stribling turned pro in 1921 at just 16 years old as a featherweight and within the first 12 months of his career he won the USA Georgia State Featherweight title, Southern Featherweight title and USA Georgia State Lightweight Title. In 1922 he won the Southern Welterweight title and the following year the Southern Middleweight title. In 1923 Stribling fought for his first World title against Light Heavyweight World Champion, Mike McTigue, with Stribling initially winning the title only to lose it shortly after when the officiating referee change his mind and declared the fight a draw instead. The disappointment didn't slow Stribling down any however as he kept plowing forward with a very hectic schedule sometimes even fighting twice in the same night! In 1926 Stribling got his second chance at the Light Heavyweight World title but this time he was legitimately outpointed over 15 rounds by Champion Paul Berlenbach. In 1929 Stribling was picked to face Jack Sharkey in a World Heavyweight title eliminator tournament to declare a new World Champion however Stribling once again came up short over 10 rounds, losing the decision. In 1929 Stribling was involved in a series of fixed bouts with future World Champion, Primo Carnera, with both fighters trading DQ wins. Unfortunately this was not the first or last time both fighters were accused of fixing of throwing fights... Stribling's record heading in against Schmeling was a near unbelievable 208-10-14 and he had never been knocked out. Of note however, is that Stribling had not fought for 7 months prior to the Schmeling bout, which is by far the longest time he had ever been inactive during his 7 year career.

Schmeling was seen as one of boxings newest and biggest attractions although he had been boxing professionally since 1924 himself and was a former German and European Light Heavyweight Champion. American audiences had only come to know him since 1928 when he was brought State-side picking up impressive wins over veterans Johnny Risko and Paulino Uzcudun. In 1930 his popularity and knockout power earned him a shot at the vacant World Heavyweight title left behind by Gene Tunney, and although Schmeling won by DQ he looked less than impressive and many fans felt he was undeserving of being called World Champion. A rematch against Jack Sharkey was demanded by the NYSAC however when Schmeling refused they stripped him of their acknowledgment of his World champion status. Only the NBA (National Boxing Assc.) still recognized Schmeling as World Heavyweight Champion. Schmeling's record at this time was 43-4-3.

The fight itself was fought fairly and cleanly by both men and earned The Ring magazine's Fight of the Year for 1931. Schmeling dominated the later rounds and eventually earned a TKO when he stopped Stribling with only 14 seconds left in the final round. Stribling was upset by the stoppage but conceded he was a beaten man regardless. The win over Stribling gained Schmeling a lot of credibility considering Stribling had never been stopped in 233 fights...

Stribling kept boxing until his unfortunate death in 1933 from a motorbike accident when he was still only 28 years old. He was on his way to the hospital to see his new born son at the time. Stribling had traveled to Australia, South Africa and France for fights during his last 12 months however his final recorded fight was a 10 round decision win over Maxie Rosenbloom back on American soil in September of 1933. His final record stood at 224-13-14 with 2 no contests. Although he was known for being a tough and scientific fighter preferring to win on points rather than knocking somebody out, he was also not without controversy, being accused of fixing fights and employing ungentlemanly (but not necessarily illegal) tactics to win fights during certain periods of his career. Regardless, Stribling is and will always be considered one of the greats.