Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling (or Max Schmeling vs. Joe Louis) refers to two separate fights between the men which are among boxing's most talked-about bouts. Schmeling took the first match in 1936 by a knockout in round 12 but Louis won the second bout in 1938 with a knockout in the first round. The two fights came to embody the broader political and social conflict of the time. As the most significant African American athlete of his age and the most successful black fighter since Jack Johnson, Louis was a focal point for African American pride in the 1930s. Moreover, as a contest between representatives of the United States and Nazi Germany during the 1930s, the fights came to symbolize the struggle between democracy and fascism.