Joe Louis Dies

LAS VEGAS--Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis died yesterday morning. Louis was 66 years old.

Louis, who held the boxing title for 12 years, died of a cardiac arrest. Shirley Brown. nursing supervisor at Desert Springs Hospital, said yesterday.

Called the Brown Bomber for his punch and a string of knockouts. Louis was 23 when he first won the championship by knocking out 31-year-old James J. Braddock in the eighth round in Chicago in 1937.

His career in the ring came to an end when, at age 37, he met Rocky Marciano on October 26, 1951. Marciano, then 28, knocked him out in the eighth round.

In 71 fights as a professional after he graduated from the Golden Gloves in Detroit. Louis scored 54 knockouts and posted a 68-3 record.