Boxing in the 1920s
Encyclopedia
Boxing in the 1920s was an exceptionally popular international sport. Many fights during this era, some 20 years away or so from the television
era, were social events with many thousands in attendance, both men and women.
World Heavyweight
champion Jack Dempsey
dominated the sport through much of the decade. He won the title in 1919, keeping it until 1926. He lost the title to Gene Tunney
in 1926, but many of his fights were historic, such as his defenses against Georges Carpentier
, Luis Firpo
and Tom Gibbons, a fight which almost left the town of Shelby, Montana
bankrupt. His 1927 rematch against Tunney became known in boxing history as The Long Count Fight
. Dempsey became a household name, and he dated and married Hollywood actresses. He was, along with Babe Ruth
, Red Grange
, Bill Tilden
and Bobby Jones
, one of the so-called Big Five of sports.
Other important boxers included Benny Lynch
(from West Scotland). Panama Al Brown
was the first Hispanic
to become a world champion.
Because airlines lacked the structured schedules of the modern days, many boxers had to make their way to important fights by train.
In 1921, the National Boxing Association was formed. It was the predecessor of what is known now as the WBA
. Tex Rickard was the leading promoter of the day, and he has been compared to P.T. Barnum and Don King.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
era, were social events with many thousands in attendance, both men and women.
World Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
champion Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
dominated the sport through much of the decade. He won the title in 1919, keeping it until 1926. He lost the title to Gene Tunney
Gene Tunney
James Joseph "Gene" Tunney was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight...
in 1926, but many of his fights were historic, such as his defenses against Georges Carpentier
Georges Carpentier
Georges Carpentier was a French boxer. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908-26. Nicknamed the "Orchid Man", he stood and his fighting weight ranged from...
, Luis Firpo
Luis Firpo
Luis Ángel Firpo, , was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed "The Wild Bull of The Pampas."...
and Tom Gibbons, a fight which almost left the town of Shelby, Montana
Shelby, Montana
Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,216 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
bankrupt. His 1927 rematch against Tunney became known in boxing history as The Long Count Fight
The Long Count Fight
The Battle Of The Long Count was the boxing rematch between world Heavyweight champion Gene Tunney and former champion Jack Dempsey, held on September 22, 1927, at Soldier Field in Chicago...
. Dempsey became a household name, and he dated and married Hollywood actresses. He was, along with Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Red Grange
Red Grange
Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees. His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League...
, Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
and Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
, one of the so-called Big Five of sports.
Other important boxers included Benny Lynch
Benny Lynch
Benny Lynch was a Scottish professional boxer who fought in the flyweight division. He is considered by some to be one of the finest boxers below the lightweight division in his era and Ring Magazine has described him as the greatest fighter that Scotland has ever produced...
(from West Scotland). Panama Al Brown
Panama Al Brown
Alfonso Teofilo Brown , better known as Panama Al Brown, was a bantamweight boxer from Panama who made history by becoming boxing's first Hispanic world champion. Brown was a native of the city of Colón....
was the first Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
to become a world champion.
Because airlines lacked the structured schedules of the modern days, many boxers had to make their way to important fights by train.
In 1921, the National Boxing Association was formed. It was the predecessor of what is known now as the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
. Tex Rickard was the leading promoter of the day, and he has been compared to P.T. Barnum and Don King.
1920
- September 6- Irish-American Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
retains his world Heavyweight title with a third round knockout over personal friend Billy MiskeBilly MiskeBilly Miske, alias The Saint Paul Thunderbolt , was a professional boxer from Saint Paul, Minnesota. -Professional Boxing Career:...
, at Benton HarborBenton Harbor, MichiganBenton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan which is located west of Kalamazoo. The population was 10,038 at the 2010 census. It is the lesser populated of the two principal cities included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
. Lundell later learned his friend was dying of Bright's diseaseBright's diseaseBright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
, and only accepted the fight to garner money for his children. - October 11- Georges CarpentierGeorges CarpentierGeorges Carpentier was a French boxer. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908-26. Nicknamed the "Orchid Man", he stood and his fighting weight ranged from...
becomes world Light-Heavyweight champion, defeating Battling LevinskyBattling LevinskyBarney Williams , was light heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1916 to 1920.-Boxing career:...
by a knockout in four rounds, at Jersey CityJersey City, New JerseyJersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. - November 26- Benny LeonardBenny LeonardBenny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
retains the world Lightweight championship, with a fourteen round knockout over Joe Welling, in New York. - December 21- Joe LynchJoe Lynch (boxer)Joseph Aloysius Lynch was an American Bantamweight boxer.-Pro career:He won the world title at that weight in 1920, defeating Pete Herman. Herman defeated him to regain the title the following year...
wins the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen round decision win over Pete HermanPete HermanPete Herman was one of the all time great bantamweight world champions. An Italian-American, Herman was born Peter Gulotta in New Orleans, Louisiana, and fought from 1912 until 1922...
, at New York.
1921
- January 14- Benny LeonardBenny LeonardBenny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
retains the world Lightweight title with a sixth round knockout of Richie Mitchell, at New York. Leonard suffered a first round knockdown, during which his mother fainted. - February 7- Jack BrittonJack BrittonJack Britton was three-time world welterweight boxing champion, born William J. Breslin in Clinton, New York....
retains the world Welterweight title with a fifteen round decision over Ted "Kid" Lewis, at New York. - July 2- In boxing's first million dollar fight in history, (and the year's most anticipated bout) Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
retains the world Heavyweight championship with a fourth round knockout over world Light-Heavyweight champion Georges CarpentierGeorges CarpentierGeorges Carpentier was a French boxer. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908-26. Nicknamed the "Orchid Man", he stood and his fighting weight ranged from...
in Jersey CityJersey City, New JerseyJersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. The public paid an overall total of $1,789,238 at the ticket gates. - July 25- In a rematch of their 1920 bout, Pete HermanPete HermanPete Herman was one of the all time great bantamweight world champions. An Italian-American, Herman was born Peter Gulotta in New Orleans, Louisiana, and fought from 1912 until 1922...
regains the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen round decision over Joe LynchJoe Lynch (boxer)Joseph Aloysius Lynch was an American Bantamweight boxer.-Pro career:He won the world title at that weight in 1920, defeating Pete Herman. Herman defeated him to regain the title the following year...
, in New York. - July 27- Johnny WilsonJohnny Wilson (boxer)Johnny Wilson was born Giovanni Panica on March 23, 1893 in New York City. He was a professional boxer who fought from 1911 until 1926. The highlight of Wilson's career came when he captured the world middleweight championship by defeating Mike O'Dowd by decision over 12 rounds on May 6, 1920...
retains the world Middleweight title with a seventh round disqualification win over William Bryan Downey, at ClevelandCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
1922
- February– John L. "Ike" DorganJohn L. DorganJohn L. Dorgan, known as Ike Dorgan, was a bookbinder, boxing manager, press agent, and publicity manager for the Madison Square Garden. He was a founding partner of The Ring magazine.-Biography:...
is a founding partner of The RingThe Ring (magazine)The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
magazine and remained with this influential publication until his retirement in 1930. - February 10- Benny LeonardBenny LeonardBenny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
retains his world Lightweight title, with a fifteen round decision over Rocky KansasRocky KansasRocky Kansas was a tough, short former lightweight champion of the world. He was born Rocco Tozzo on April 21, 1893 in Italy and came to America in 1898. He died on January 10, 1954.-Background:...
, at New York. - June 11- Georges CarpentierGeorges CarpentierGeorges Carpentier was a French boxer. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908-26. Nicknamed the "Orchid Man", he stood and his fighting weight ranged from...
retains his world Light-Heavyweight title with a first round knockout of Ted Kid Lewis, at LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - June 26- Jack BrittonJack BrittonJack Britton was three-time world welterweight boxing champion, born William J. Breslin in Clinton, New York....
retains his world Welterweight title with a thirteenth round disqualification of Benny Leonard, at New York. - September 24- Battling SikiBattling SikiBattling Siki , aka Louis Mbarick Fall, was a French light heavyweight boxer born in Senegal who fought from 1912–1925, and briefly reigned as the lineal light heavyweight champion after knocking out Georges Carpentier...
becomes SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
's first world boxing champion, recuperating from several knockdowns to win the world Light-Heavyweight title by knocking out Georges Carpentier in six rounds at Paris, France. Siki also became Africa's first world Light-Heavyweight champion in the process. - November 1- Mickey The Bulldog Walker becomes world Welterweight champion, defeating Jack Britton by a fifteen round decision, at New York.
1923
- March 17- Mike McTigueMike McTigue"Bold" Mike McTigue was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1923-1925....
of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
wins the world Light-Heavyweight title with a twenty round decision over Battling SikiBattling SikiBattling Siki , aka Louis Mbarick Fall, was a French light heavyweight boxer born in Senegal who fought from 1912–1925, and briefly reigned as the lineal light heavyweight champion after knocking out Georges Carpentier...
, in Dublin, Ireland. - May 30- Jack BernsteinJack BernsteinJack Bernstein, also known as "John Dodick," "Kid Murphy," and Young Murphy," was an American boxer. He was World Junior lightweight Champion, with the title taken from and later lost to Johnny Dundee Jack bernstein exposed zionists and was murdered by mossad....
wins the world Jr. Lightweight title with a fifteen round decision over Johnny DundeeJohnny DundeeJohnny Dundee was a featherweight and junior lightweight boxer who fought from 1910 until 1932. Dundee was born Giuseppe Curreri in Sciacca, Sicily, but was raised in the United States....
, at New York. - June 2- FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Eugene CriquiEugène CriquiEugène Criqui was a French boxer who held the world featherweight title in 1923.Criqui was born in the Belleville neighbourhood of Paris. He was a professional pipe-fitter before he turned professional in 1910. He won the French flyweight title in 1912. His boxing career was interrupted when he...
, who had sustained a shot on his mouth during World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
action, becomes the world Featherweight champion, beating Johnny KilbaneJohnny KilbaneJohn "Johnny" Patrick Kilbane was a featherweight boxer in the early part of the 20th century. He held the featherweight title from 1912 to 1923, the longest period in the division's history...
by a sixth round knockout in New York. Doctors had told Criqui he would never fight again after he was shot. - June 18- Pancho Villa becomes the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
first world boxing champion in history, knocking out world Flyweight champion Jimmy WildeJimmy WildeJimmy Wilde , was a Welsh world boxing champion. He was the first official world flyweight champion and was rated by American boxing writer Nat Fleischer, as well as many other professionals and fans including former boxer, trainer, manager and promoter, Charley 'Broadway' Rose, as "the greatest...
in seven rounds, at New York. - July 4- In one of boxing's most economically disastrous fights, Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
retained his world Heavyweight crown with a fifteen round decision over Tommy GibbonsTommy Gibbons- Biography :Thomas J. Gibbons was a nearly undefeated heavyweight boxer. The brother of Mike Gibbons, Tommy started boxing professionally in 1911 as a middleweight. Like his brother he was a master scientific boxer who chose to outbox his opponents...
in Shelby, MontanaShelby, MontanaShelby is a city in and the county seat of Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,216 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
. Dempsey's manager, Jack KearnsJack KearnsJack "Doc" Kearns was an American boxing manager from the state of Washington. He is most famous for managing Jack Dempsey, who was World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926. He also managed Mickey Walker, Joey Maxim, and Archie Moore. He was given the nickname "Doc" from Dempsey....
, had requested for the champion to be paid $300,000, an amount that the 2,000 residents of Shelby could barely come up with. As a result, Shelby was declared bankrupt at the time. - July 23- Benny LeonardBenny LeonardBenny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
retains the world Lightweight title with a fifteen round decision over Lew TendlerLew Tendler"Lefty" Lew Tendler was an American boxer. He is a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.-External links:******...
in New York. - September 14- In one of boxing's most famous fights, Luis FirpoLuis FirpoLuis Ángel Firpo, , was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed "The Wild Bull of The Pampas."...
of ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
comes within a second of becoming the first Hispanic world Heavyweight champion in history, dropping Jack Dempsey out of the ring and for a nine second count, but Firpo is himself dropped ten times as Dempsey retains the crown with a second round knockout, in New York. - December 17- Johnny Dundee recovers the world Jr. Lightweight title, with a fifteen round decision over Jack Bernstein, in their New York rematch.
1924
- January 18- Harry GrebHarry GrebHarry Greb was an American boxer. He was World Middleweight boxing Champion from 1923 to 1926 and American Light Heavyweight title holder 1922–1923. He fought a recorded 303 times in his 13 year-career, against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s & 20s could provide him, frequently squaring...
regains the world Light-Heavyweight championship, with a fifteen round unanimous decision over champion Johnny WilsonJohnny Wilson (boxer)Johnny Wilson was born Giovanni Panica on March 23, 1893 in New York City. He was a professional boxer who fought from 1911 until 1926. The highlight of Wilson's career came when he captured the world middleweight championship by defeating Mike O'Dowd by decision over 12 rounds on May 6, 1920...
, at New York. - March 21- Abe GoldsteinAbe GoldsteinAbe Goldstein was an American boxer.He was World Bantamweight Champion in 1924, and was ranked the # 5 bantamweight of all time-Boxing career:...
, a newspaper writer turned boxer, wins the world Bantamweight title, with a fifteen round decision over Joe LynchJoe Lynch (boxer)Joseph Aloysius Lynch was an American Bantamweight boxer.-Pro career:He won the world title at that weight in 1920, defeating Pete Herman. Herman defeated him to regain the title the following year...
, at New York. - June 2- Mickey Walker retains the world WelterweightWelterweightWelterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
title, with a ten round decision over Lew TendlerLew Tendler"Lefty" Lew Tendler was an American boxer. He is a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.-External links:******...
, in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. - August 1- world Lightweight champion Benny LeonardBenny LeonardBenny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
fights to a ten round no-decision with Pat Moran in a non-title bout at New York in what would be, at his mother's request, his last fight until 1931.
1925
- May 1- In what would turn out to be his last victory, Pancho Villa retains the world Flyweight title with a fifteen round decision over Clever Sencio, in Manila, PhilippinesManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. - July 2- Harry GrebHarry GrebHarry Greb was an American boxer. He was World Middleweight boxing Champion from 1923 to 1926 and American Light Heavyweight title holder 1922–1923. He fought a recorded 303 times in his 13 year-career, against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s & 20s could provide him, frequently squaring...
retains the world Middleweight title with a fifteen round decision against world Welterweight champion Mickey Walker, in New York. - July 4- Fighting with an ulcerated tooth (without knowledge of the extense of his illness), Pancho Villa drops a ten round decision to Jimmy McLarninJimmy McLarninJames McLarnin, known as Jimmy McLarnin , was an Irish Canadian professional boxer who became two-time welterweight world champion and an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee.-Background:McLarnin was born in Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland, into a large Methodist family who emigrated...
in New York. - July 14- Pancho Villa passes away from blood poisoning, in Manila.
- August 27- Louis Kaplan retains the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen round draw (tie) against Babe HermanBabe Herman (boxer)Babe Herman was an American featherweight boxer.Born as Herman J. Sousa in Sacramento, California, he stood 5' 4". His record was 91 wins + 45 losses + 19 draws....
, in WaterburyWaterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
. - December 18- Louis Kaplan and Babe Herman fight for the second time of the year, with Kaplan retaining the world Bantamweight title with a fifteen round decision, at New York.
1926
- April 20- Mohammed Alghanemy dominated amateur boxing with a record of 243 Wins 210 by knockout and 0 losses with no draws. He left the amateur boxing world to enter monkship in China.
- September 23- After seven years at the top, Heavyweight champion Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
is defeated by top contender Gene TunneyGene TunneyJames Joseph "Gene" Tunney was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight...
.
1927
- September 22- Heavyweight champion Gene TunneyGene TunneyJames Joseph "Gene" Tunney was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight...
again defeats contender Jack DempseyJack DempseyWilliam Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
in the famous battle known as The Long Count FightThe Long Count FightThe Battle Of The Long Count was the boxing rematch between world Heavyweight champion Gene Tunney and former champion Jack Dempsey, held on September 22, 1927, at Soldier Field in Chicago...
. - October 7- Light Heavyweight Champion of the World Mike McTigueMike McTigue"Bold" Mike McTigue was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1923-1925....
is defeated by top contender Tommy LoughranTommy LoughranThomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
. - December 12- Light Heavyweight Champion Tommy LoughranTommy LoughranThomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
defeats Jimmy SlatteryJimmy SlatteryJames Edward Slattery was a professional boxer in the Light Heavyweight division. James Edward Slattery (born August 25, 1904 in Buffalo, NY - died August 30, 1960) was a professional boxer in the Light Heavyweight (175lb) division. James Edward Slattery (born August 25, 1904 in Buffalo, NY -...
for the NBA Light Heavyweight Championship of the World.
1928
- July 31- In an unprecedented move, Heavyweight Champion Gene TunneyGene TunneyJames Joseph "Gene" Tunney was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight...
retires from the ring, vacating the Heavyweight title after defeating Tom HeeneyTom HeeneyThomas Heeney , commonly called Tom Heeney, was a professional heavyweight boxer from New Zealand, best known for unsuccessfully challenging champion Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship of the world in New York City on 26 July 1928.Heeney was born in Gisborne, New Zealand, and worked as a...
. Unlike James JeffriesJames J. JeffriesJames Jackson Jeffries was a world heavyweight boxing champion.His greatest assets were his enormous strength and stamina. Using a technique taught to him by his trainer, former welterweight and middleweight champion Tommy Ryan, Jeffries fought out of a crouch with his left arm extended forward...
before him, Tunney never returned to the ring. - September 26- The National Boxing Association Heavyweight championship's vacancy is filled when Jack SharkeyJack SharkeyJack Sharkey was an American heavyweight boxing champion. He was born Joseph Paul Zukauskas , the son of Lithuanian immigrants, in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man...
defeats Tommy LoughranTommy LoughranThomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
to take the title. Sharkey's title was not universally recognized, and in 1930 he would be defeated by Max SchmelingMax SchmelingMaximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing, and became worldwide social events because of their national associations...
for the undisputed championship.
1929
- September- Tommy LoughranTommy LoughranThomas Patrick Loughran was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.Loughran's effective use of coordinated foot work, sound defense and swift, accurate counter punching is now regarded as a precursor to the techniques practiced in modern boxing...
, undefeated light-heavyweight champion of the world, relinquished the title to fight as a heavyweight.