Gene Tunney's and Jack Dempsey's 2nd Fight

By Dale Gardner
Editor
'Self-Defense' Magazine
Vol. 1, No. 9
November, 1927

In one of the greatest battles staged by heavyweights, Gene Tunney defeated the great Jack Dempsey at Soldiers' Field, Chicago. Dempsey made a gallant effort to regain the title, but the grade was just a little too high.

Tunney proved his right to the crown beyond question. He climbed out of the resin in the seventh round, pulling himself together and going on to win the decision over one of the hardest punchers who ever graced the heavyweight division. The battle only goes to prove that once they slip they never come back. It is evident that Dempsey is not the deadly hitter that he once was. Though I don't believe there is a man in the world outside of Gene Tunney that could have beaten him that night and Tunney almost failed. Dempsey dropped him in the seventh round and it looked for a few seconds as if the slugger was going to win. Tunney took advantage of the count and at nine climbed to his feet and less than fifteen seconds later he was driving rights and lefts and forcing Dempsey around the ring.

Tunney is not the deadly hitter that others have been, but he proved to be a punisher, a sharp-cutting puncher and had the gallant Jack pretty well banged up at the end of the ten rounds.

It is not reasonable to believe that Dempsey is the great slugger that he was that hot day some eight years ago when he battered the huge champion, Jess Willard, into slumberland. But, just the same, he was a mighty fighting man. It took a brainy, well-conditioned athlete to defeat him. As was stated in this magazine a short while ago, Tunney has been underrated. I think he displayed ring-craft that only a champion can show. It is my humble belief that Tunney will be able to hold the heavyweight championship for some time if he elects to stay in the game.

This was perhaps the greatest sporting event the world has ever known. It is estimated that 150,000 people were gathered at the arena. The gate receipts were about $2,500,000, the largest sum ever drawn at a boxing contest. Jack has really passed his peak as a great fighter. He made the last stand and failed, though it was a brilliant one. He just didn't have that something that leaves all former champions and great fighters at a certain stage of their career. Jack Dempsey has been the greatest heavyweight the world has ever known. But that is the way of the game, and always will be. YOUTH WILL LEAVE YOU.

FIGHT BY ROUNDS

Round One--Dempsey stepped after Tunney and missed a left to the body. Dempsey struck left to Tunney's stomach. Tunney was cool and taking his time. Dempsey missed left hook to the jaw. Tunney stabbed straight left to the head and shot right to the jaw but was a little high. Tunney wanted to stay in center of the ring and box but Jack was right after him. Tunney missed left and hooked right to the head. Both miss left leads. Tunney was backing Dempsey and sent left to the head. Dempsey slapped Gene on neck and it looked like a rabbit punch. They clinched. Gene missed left and right to head. Tunney landed left to face and missed right. TUNNEY'S ROUND.

Round Two--Dempsey landed left jab. They both missed lefts. Gene missed right to head and they clinched. Jack ripped left to body. Tunney landed right to head. Tunney missed left and right to head. Jack put right to jaw and followed with uppercut. Gene clinched. Jack ducked right swing. Gene hooked two rights to head. Jack pulled his head under a left lead. Jack blocked Tunney's right and they clinched. Gene missed left. Jack put left to stomach. Jack blocked right and left to jaw. Gene landed right and left to head in clinch. TUNNEY'S

ROUND.Round Three--Jack walked right out and put left to stomach. Gene was short with right. Gene missed right. Jack landed left hook to body. Jack pounded head and body with rights. Then pulled away from two rights. Dempsey closed in and pounded body. He was fighting hard but blows did not carry the old kick. Dempsey ducked and a trifle low with left and right to stomach. Tunney staggered Jack with hard right to head. Gene was fighting a cool, heady fight. DEMPSEY'S ROUND.

Round Four--Tunney stepped away and staggered Jack with right to head as he tore in. Jack landed left in clinch that seemed low. Tunney landed right and left hooks and Jack drove stiff left to body. Gene hooked two left hooks to head and repeated the dose with two more hooks. Jack jabbed a left to the body. Jack cuffed Gene back of the neck three or four times in the clinch. Tunney staggered Jack with right to jaw. Tunney slammed four rights to head, knocking Dempsey to the ropes. TUNNEY'S ROUND.

Round Five--Gene drove right to head and Jack shot left and right to body. Tunney missed a wild right. Dempsey was warned by referee for using rabbit punch. Jack smashed two left hooks to body. Gene slammed Jack with right and left to body, then jabbed three lefts to face. Jack returned the compliment with a left and right to the face. Gene put right to jaw and jabbed left to face, then hooked right to jaw. TUNNEY'S ROUND.

Round Six--Tunney hooked right to jaw. Jack smashed right to body and left to head. Tunney landed left and right to head, then hooked left to head. Jack jabbed left to head. He drove left to body. Gene drove right to body and Dempsey missed right and left. ROUND EVEN.

Round Seven--Tunney landed left to head and hooked twice with left. Dempsey dropped Gene with left and right to jaw for count of nine. Jack tore after him and hooked left to head. Tunney jabbed with left and kept stepping away. Jack landed light left and Tunney put right to jaw. Jack hooked left and right to head and body. It looked like Dempsey would finish him. He drove left and right to body and head, but Tunney's splendid condition kept him going. Gene landed left to face and Jack hooked left to body. DEMPSEY'SROUND.

Round Eight--Tunney tried right for head but missed. Jack countered with left to body and put another left to body and jabbed left to face, then hooked right to head and body. Gene put two lefts to head and Jack was bleeding from cut over the right eye. Jack put right and left to head and socked Gene about the neck in the clinch. Dempsey backed Tunney up with right to body. Tunney shot right cross to jaw and Dempsey dropped to knee, but came right up fighting. Tunney hooked left and right to head and left to jaw. Jack put left to body at the bell. ROUND EVEN.

Round Nine--They exchanged lefts to head. Gene put left to head. Tunney stepped away and landed right to head. Jack hooked three rights to head and Tunney jabbed left to face. Gene hooked left to head. Jack was bleeding from cut over eye and on nose. Tunney jabbed left to head. Tunney hooked left and right to head. Tunney put right to jaw and Dempsey looked bad as he floundered around the ring. Tunney hooked right to jaw. TUNNEY'S ROUND.

Round Ten--They shake hands and Tunney put left to jaw. Jack landed left to body and right to head as Tunney backed away. Dempsey put left to body. Gene slipped to the floor but was right up. Jack landed a left to the head, then a right to the head. Tunney landed three lefts to the head. Dempsey clinched. Tunney landed right and left to head, staggering Dempsey. Gene forced Jack to the ropes. Tunney jabbed and hooked Jack with right and left. Dempsey landed left to body. Tunney landed left and right to head and stepped away. They wrestled in a neutral corner. Dempsey rushed in and Tunney landed a right to the jaw. TUNNEY'S ROUND.

Tunney won decision. It was a tough fight and he had to be a champion to win. - The End -