The former Heavyweight Champion - Joe Louis was instrumental in helping Jeff Merritt get paroled.

In November 1967, Joe Louis spoke at Jeff's hearing in front of the Missouri State Prison Parole Board,
and stated that he would be a 'so-called caretaker' for Jeff, to help get him on the right track.

Joe Louis was a representative for the National Maritime Union in New York, and they were willing
to 'sponsor' Jeff in his rehabilitation.

The 'plan', was to get Jeff into a strict Boxing Program, with hopes of getting him an opportunity
to fight at the Olympic Trials in 1968, with a goal for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.