Following Tunney's retirement, Schmeling defeated Jack Sharkey via fourth-round DQ at Yankee Stadium to capture the vacant title. After one successful defense, Schmeling lost the title to Sharkey in the rematch via split decision. Schmeling lost to Max Baer via 10th-round TKO but rebounded with a 12th-round KO of Joe Louis in 1936. That was before Louis became heavyweight champion. In the 1938 rematch, one of the sport's most notable fights ever, Louis exacted revenge with a first-round TKO win to retain his title.