The Cosmic Punch

In California these days, everybody walks around with a yoga mat strapped to their back. That certainly wasn't the case in the 1930's, when heavyweight contender Lou Nova studied with the infamous self proclaimed mystic, Dr. Bernard. Nova was the World Amateur Heavyweight Champion and a proponent of clean living. He won his first twenty two fights as a professional. His promoters said he perfected the Cosmic Punch. He handed Abe Simon his first defeat after thirteen victories. He knocked out Max Baer twice. Clean living didn't serve him so well with the notorious dirty fighter Two Ton Tony Galento. Galento almost gouged his eye out, putting Nova in the hospital for weeks. Nova got his shot with Louis on September 29, 1941, but fell in six. Nova would go on to act in movies and even was a write-in candidate for President of the United States. He dropped out of the campaign because his mother was afraid he would catch a cold wearing a bullet proof vest, and shaking so many hands. She wasn't afraid of him being in the ring with some of the toughest men in the world.