Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
name	Jack Dempsey
birth name	William Harrison Dempsey
other names	Kid Blackie Manassa Mauler
nationality	United States
birth date	June 24, 1895
birth place	Manassa, Colorado
fighting out of	Salt Lake City, Utah
death date	May 31, 1983
death place	New York City, New York
height
reach
stance	Orthodox
trainer	Teddy Hayes
years active	14 (1913–1927)
box win	66
box kowin	51
box loss	6
box koloss	1
box draw	11
occupation	Dempsey's, ''Restaurant owner''
spouse	Maxine Cates (1916-1919) Estelle Taylor (1925-1933) Hannah Williams (1933-1943) Deanna Piatelli (1943-1983)
url	http://www.cmgww.com/sports/dempsey/
boxrec	9009 }}

William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey ("The Manassa Mauler") (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983) 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 million dollar gate. He is listed #10 on ''The Ring's'' list of all-time heavyweights and #7 among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Early life and career

Born in Manassa, Colorado, with the name of William Harrison Dempsey, he grew up in Colorado and Utah, in a poor family of mixed ancestry. His father, Hiram Dempsey, was of Irish, Cherokee, and distant Jewish ancestry, and his mother, Mary Celia (née Smoot), was of Irish and Cherokee descent. Both parents became Mormon converts, and Jack was baptized on August 2, 1903, after he reached the required age of accountability. Jack would later write, "I'm proud to be a Mormon. And ashamed to be the Jack Mormon that I am." Because his father had difficulty finding work, the family traveled often. He dropped out of grade school to work. Dempsey left home at the age of 16, eager to start a better life for himself. Due to lack of money, he frequently had to travel underneath trains and sleep in hobo camps. However, Dempsey was a strong, powerful youth who soon discovered a talent for fighting. With the help of his older brother Bernie, he commenced training as a professional boxer. In 1927, tragedy befell Dempsey's family when his other brother, John, shot his own wife, then killed himself in a murder-suicide.

Desperate for money, Dempsey would occasionally visit saloons and challenge for fights saying "I can't sing and I can't dance, but I can lick any SOB in the house." If anyone accepted the challenge, bets would be wagered. According to Dempsey's autobiography, he rarely lost these barroom brawls. A little known fact about Dempsey is that for a short time, he was a part-time bodyguard for Thomas F. Kearns, president of The Salt Lake Tribune and son of Utah's U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns. (no relation to Jack Kearns) The two men remained friends for years afterward.

Dempsey's exact boxing record is not known, because he occasionally boxed under the pseudonym, "Kid Blackie". (His use of the pseudonym continued until 1916). Meanwhile, he first appeared as "Jack Dempsey" in 1914, after an earlier middleweight boxer Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey, drawing with Young Herman in six rounds. After that fight, he won six bouts in a row by knockout (as Jack Dempsey), before losing for the first time, on a disqualification in four rounds to Jack Downey. During this early part of his career, Dempsey campaigned in Utah, frequently entering fights in towns up and down the Wasatch mountain range and keeping in shape with such sparring partners as Frank VanSickle.

He followed his loss against Downey with a knockout win and two draws versus Johnny Sudenberg in Nevada. Three more wins and a draw followed when he met Downey again, this time resulting in a four-round draw.

Ten wins in a row followed — a streak during which he beat Sudenberg and was finally able to avenge his defeat at the hands of Downey, knocking him out in two rounds. Three more non-decisions ensued. (At this point in the history of boxing, many states and counties forbade the use of judges to score a fight, so if a fight lasted the full distance, it was called a draw or non-decision, depending on the state or county where the fight was held).

While the United States fought World War I in 1917, Dempsey worked in a shipyard while continuing to box. Afterward, he was accused by some boxing fans of being a slacker. It was not until 1920 that he was able to clear his name on that account, when evidence was produced showing he had attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army, but had been turned down. After the war, Dempsey spent two years in Salt Lake City, Utah — "bumming around", as he called it — in a very tough America, before returning to the ring.

Taking the title

right|thumb|250px|Dempsey mock punching Harry Houdini (held back by Benny Leonard)Among his opponents were Fireman Jim Flynn, the only boxer ever to beat Dempsey by a knockout when Dempsey lost to him in the first round (although many boxing historians, including Monte Cox, believe the fight was a "fix"), and Gunboat Smith, formerly a highly ranked contender who had beaten both World Champion Jess Willard and Hall of Famer Sam Langford. Dempsey beat Smith for the third time on a second-round KO.

Dempsey's first manager was John J. Reisler. Dempsey later hooked up with Jack Kearns, an experienced, clever fight manager who carefully and skillfully guided Dempsey to the top.

In 1918, Dempsey boxed 17 times, going 15–1 with one no-decision. He avenged his defeat against Flynn by returning the favor, knocking him out in the first round. Among others he beat were light heavyweight champion Battling Levinsky (who had never been knocked out before Dempsey did so), Bill Brennan, Fred Fulton, Carl E. Morris, Billy Miske ("newspaper decision"), heavyweight Lefty Jim McGettigan and Homer Smith, in 1919, he won five bouts in a row by knockout in the first round (although these were barnstorming appearances against low level, local oppisition. In many cases his opponents were stepping into the ring for the first time as "professionals").

Title fight and controversy

On July 4, 1919, he and world heavyweight champion Jess Willard met at Toledo, Ohio, for the world title. Some knowledgeable observers such as Benny Leonard predicted a victory for Dempsey against the vastly larger champion but many called the fight a modern David and Goliath. In the event Willard was knocked down seven times — all in the first round — although it should be remembered that rules at the time permitted standing almost over a knocked-down opponent and hitting him again as soon as both knees had left the canvas. Willard's corner would not let him answer the bell for the fourth round. He was widely reported to have suffered a broken jaw, broken ribs, several broken teeth and a number of deep fractures to his facial bones, an unprecedented level of damage in boxing which aroused suspicion that Dempsey had cheated. Many questioned how the force capable of causing such damage had been transmitted through Dempsey's knuckles without fracturing them. Although some reporting in the aftermath of the match mentions no real injuries the ''New York Times'' account of the contest is representative of ringside coverage of the actual event from major newspapers, it describes severe swelling being visible on one side of Willard's face. A still photograph appears to show an unusual degree of discoloration and swelling on the face of Willard.

A disgruntled Kearns, who had been sacked by Dempsey, gave an account that became known as the "loaded gloves theory" in ''Sports Illustrated'', January 20, 1964. Kearns claimed to have informed Dempsey that he had wagered Dempsey's share of the purse on Dempsey winning with a first-round knockout and had applied plaster of paris to the customary wrappings under Dempsey's gloves, Historian J. J. Johnston said "the films show Willard upon entering the ring walking over to Dempsey and examining his hands". That and an experiment conducted by a boxing magazine seem to disprove Keans' story. However, Willard's actions in checking the wraps of his opponent, not a normal procedure, implies he was concerned about foul play, Willard later claimed to have been defeated by gangsterism. Nat Fleischer, later founder of ''The Ring'' Magazine, was there when Dempsey's hands were wrapped: "Jack Dempsey had no loaded gloves, and no plaster of paris over his bandages. I watched the proceedings and the only person who had anything to do with the taping of Jack's hands was Deforest. Kearns had nothing to do with it, so his plaster of paris story is simply not true. Deforest himself said that he regarded the stories of Dempsey's gloves being loaded as libel, calling them 'trash' and said he did not apply any foreign substance to them, which I can verify since I watched the taping."

Another suggestion is that Dempsey had an object resembling a rail spike in his gloved hand which he used as a knuckleduster during the first round, the only one in which Willard was knocked down. In the ''Los Angeles Times'' (July 3, 1979), Joe Stone, an ex-referee and boxing writer, asserted that in film of the fight an object could be seen lying on the canvas after the final knockdown and that this object appears to be removed by someone who seems to be from Dempsey's corner. The countervailing view is that Dempsey can be seen pushing and holding with the palm of the glove which would have made it all but impossible to keep a spike hidden or in place.

Dempsey, thinking the fight was over, had left the ring at the end of the first round, a clear violation of the rules which Willard's corner might have used to insist the referee disqualify Dempsey. However, Willard had economized by employing non-professional corner-men and they failed to make the necessary timely objection.

Title defenses

After beating Jess Willard and winning the title, Jack Dempsey traveled around the country, making publicity appearances with circuses, staging exhibitions, and even starring in a low-budget Hollywood movie. Dempsey did not defend his title until September 1920. This was against Billy Miske in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Miske was a good fighter but past his prime when he challenged Jack for the title, and was knocked out in three rounds.

Dempsey's second title defense was much tougher, against Bill Brennan in December 1920 at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Brennan had given Dempsey a tough match two years earlier. After ten rounds, Brennan was actually ahead on points, and Dempsey's left ear was bleeding profusely. Dempsey rebounded to stop Brennan in the 12th round.

The next fight for "The Manassa Mauler" was against Frenchman Georges Carpentier, who had been a war hero during World War I and was extremely popular on both sides of the Atlantic. The bout was shrewdly promoted by Tex Rickard, emphasizing the differences between the two men, and George Bernard Shaw, who claimed that Carpentier was "the greatest boxer in the world" and stacked the odds 50 to 1 against Dempsey. The anticipation for this bout was tremendous.

The Dempsey-Carpentier contest took place on July 2, 1921 at Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, generating the first million dollar gate in boxing history. A crowd of 91,000 watched the fight. Though it was deemed "the Fight of the Century," and many people who didn't know much about boxing thought Carpentier had a chance to win, most experts anticipated a one-sided win for Dempsey, and they were right. RCA arranged for live coverage of the match making the event the first national radio broadcast reaching mostly homemade radio sets after first being telegraphed to KDKA for broadcast.

Carpentier got off to a fast start and reportedly even wobbled Dempsey with a hard right in the second round. A reporter at ringside, however, counted twenty-five punches from Dempsey in a single thirty-one second exchange soon after he was supposedly injured by the right. Carpentier also broke his thumb in that round, which crippled his chances. In the 3rd, the bigger, stronger Dempsey began to take charge and administered a brutal beating to Georges. The Frenchman was eventually stopped in the fourth round.

Dempsey did not defend his title again until July 1923 against Tommy Gibbons in Shelby, Montana. Gibbons was a skilled, clever boxer, but was not powerful enough against the bigger, stronger Dempsey, who won a 15-round decision.

The last successful title defense for Dempsey was in September 1923 at New York's Polo Grounds. His opponent in the fight was the huge, powerful, yet limited contender Luis Angel Firpo, from Argentina. Attendance was 85,000, with another 20,000 trying to get inside the arena. Dempsey won via a 2nd-round KO, but it was an exciting battle. Firpo was knocked down repeatedly yet continued to battle back, even knocking Dempsey down twice. The second time Dempsey was floored he went sailing head first through the ring ropes, landing on a reporter's typewriter, and taking several more seconds than the ten stipulated by the rules. This scene is one of the most memorable in sports history. This fight was so important that it was transmitted live to Buenos Aires by radio, and people gathered in the streets to listen to it through primitive amplifiers. These fights, plus his many exhibitions, movies and endorsements, had made Dempsey one of the richest athletes in the world.

Time off from boxing

After the Firpo brawl, Dempsey did not defend his title for another three years. There was pressure from the public and the media for Dempsey to defend his title against black contender Harry Wills. There is disagreement among boxing historians as to whether Dempsey avoided Wills, though Dempsey claimed he was willing. When he originally won the title, however, he had said he would not fight black boxers. Instead of defending his title, Dempsey continued to earn money by boxing exhibitions, making movies, and endorsing products. Dempsey also did a lot of traveling, spending and partying. During this time away from competitive fighting, Dempsey married actress Estelle Taylor, and broke up with his long-time trainer/manager Jack "Doc" Kearns. This break-up did not go smoothly, and Kearns repeatedly sued Dempsey for huge sums of money. He was also appointed to the executive of the Irish Worker League (IWL) in April 1924. The IWL was a Moscow backed communist movement founded by Irish labour leader, Jim Larkin, in Dublin.

Loss of title and the "Long Count"

In September 1926, Dempsey fought Irish-American former U.S. Marine Gene Tunney in Philadelphia. Tunney was an excellent boxer who had lost only once in his career. Nevertheless, Tunney was still considered the underdog.

In a big upset, Dempsey lost his title on points in ten rounds. No longer displaying his legendary punching power or hand speed, Dempsey was easily outboxed by the slick Tunney who would dodge, use excellent pad level, and then let loose with a salvo of punches of his own. The attendance for this fight was a record 120,557, the largest attendance ever for a sporting event outside motor racing and soccer. When the battered Dempsey returned to his dressing room, he explained the defeat to his film actress wife Estelle Taylor by saying, "Honey, I forgot to duck." This phrase was later used by President Ronald Reagan to his wife after Reagan was shot during a failed attempt on his life in 1981.

Dempsey contemplated retiring, but after a few months of rest decided to try a comeback. On July 21, 1927, at Yankee Stadium, he knocked out future heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey in the seventh round of an elimination bout for a title shot against Tunney. Sharkey was beating Dempsey until the end, when the fight ended controversially. Sharkey claimed that Dempsey had been hitting him below the belt and when Sharkey turned to the referee to complain, he left himself unprotected. Dempsey crashed a left hook onto Sharkey's chin, knocking him out cold. The referee then counted out Sharkey.

The Tunney rematch took place in Chicago, Illinois, on September 22, 364 days after losing his title to Tunney in their first bout. This fight generated even more interest than the Carpentier and Firpo bouts, generating an amazing $2 million gate, a record that stood for many years. According to legend Al Capone offered to fix the rematch in his favor, but Dempsey refused. Millions of people around the country listened to the bout on the radio, and hundreds of reporters covered the event. Tunney was paid a record one million dollars for the Dempsey rematch (his official purse was actually $990,000, so he gave the promoters a check of his own for $10,000 so he could receive the "million dollar payday", a photostat of which is still owned by the Tunney family). Dempsey earned about half that.

Dempsey was losing the fight on points when he knocked Tunney down with a left hook to the chin in the seventh round, and landed several more punches. A new rule for boxing at the time mandated that when a fighter knocked down an opponent, he must immediately go to a neutral corner. But Dempsey seemed to have forgotten that rule (compare his fight with Willard where he almost stood over his downed opponent ready to strike again) and refused to immediately move to the neutral corner when instructed by the referee. The referee had to escort Dempsey to the neutral corner, which bought Tunney at least an extra five seconds to recover.

The official timekeeper for the fight counted the time Tunney stayed down as 14 seconds. But, after Dempsey finally went to a neutral corner, the referee started his count, and Tunney got up at the referee's count of nine. Dempsey tried to finish Tunney off before the round ended, but he failed to do so. A fully recovered Tunney dropped Dempsey for a count of one in round eight, easily won the final two rounds of the fight, and retained the title on a unanimous decision. Ironically, the new rule (which was not yet universal) was requested during negotiations by members of the Dempsey camp. Another discrepancy was the fact that when Tunney knocked Dempsey down, the referee started the count immediately, not waiting for Tunney to move to a neutral corner. Because of the controversial nature of the fight, it remains known in history as the fight of "The Long Count".

Retirement

Dempsey retired after this bout and made countless exhibition bouts. Dempsey's benevolence was also noteworthy. In June 1932, Dempsey sponsored the "Ride of Champions" bucking horse event at Reno, Nevada; the Dempsey Trophy went to legendary bronc rider Pete Knight. In 1933 Dempsey was approached by the MGM to play a boxer. The film, "The Prizefighter and the Lady", directed by W.S. Van Dyke, starred Dempsey with Myrna Loy and obtained good reviews. In 1935, Dempsey opened Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant in New York City's Times Square, which he kept open until 1974. Although closed today, many years later people still have fond memories of the legendary hangout. Dempsey divorced Taylor and in July 1933 married Broadway singer Hannah Williams (who had just divorced Roger Wolfe Kahn) and had two children with her. Shortly after Dempsey divorced Hannah Williams in 1943, the boxer married Deanna Piatelli, and was married to her at the time of his death. Together with Deanna's daughter, Barbara, Dempsey would pen the book "Dempsey" later on in life.

When the United States entered World War II, Dempsey had an opportunity to refute any remaining criticism of his war record of two decades earlier. Dempsey joined New York State National Guard and was given a commission as a first lieutenant. Dempsey resigned that commission to accept a commission as a lieutenant in the Coast Guard Reserve. Dempsey reported for active duty in June 1942 at Coast Guard Training Station, Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, New York, where he was assigned as "Director of Physical Education." Dempsey also made many personal appearances at fights, camps, hospitals and War Bond drives. Dempsey was promoted to lieutenant commander in December 1942 and commander in March 1944. In 1944 Dempsey was assigned to the transport . In 1945 Dempsey was on the attack transport for the invasion of Okinawa. Dempsey also spent time aboard the , where he spent time showing the crew sparring techniques. Dempsey was released from active duty in September 1945 and he was given an honorable discharge from the Coast Guard Reserve in 1952.

True to his passion for the sport, Dempsey wrote a book on boxing called ''Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense'', which was published in 1950. The book emphasizes knockout power derived from enabling fast motion from one's heavy bodyweight. Though no longer in print, Dempsey's book became and remains the recognized treatise in boxing and has influenced such works from Edwin Haislet and Bruce Lee.

Dempsey was also something of a cross-trainer; he wrestled in training camp and later took judo lessons. He later wrote a book on this, ''How to Fight Tough'', which dealt with close-quarters combat incorporating boxing, wrestling, and jiujitsu.

Dempsey made friends with Wills and Tunney after retirement, and many books were written about his life. Dempsey even campaigned for Tunney's son John V. Tunney when he ran for the U.S. Senate, from California. One of Dempsey's best friends was Judge John Sirica, who presided over the Watergate trials.

Death

In 1977, in collaboration with his daughter Barbara Lynn, Jack published his autobiography, titled ''Dempsey''. In May 1983, Dempsey died of heart failure at age 87. With his wife Deanna at his side, his last words were ... "Don't worry honey; I'm too mean to die." He is buried in the Southampton Cemetery in Southampton, New York.

Dempsey is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. The street where Madison Square Garden is located is called Jack Dempsey Corner.

Boxing record

References

External links

Comprehensive video highlights of Dempsey and his contemporaries

Jack Dempsey's New York Restaurant

Video Highlights of Dempsey

Biography at Utah.gov

Picture of Dempsey contracting to fight Wills in 1925

Free Downloadable Menu from Jack Dempsey's New York Restaurant

{{s-ttl|title=Cover of Time Magazine |years=10 September 1923}}

* Category:1895 births Category:1983 deaths Category:American boxers of Irish descent Category:American people of Native American descent Category:Boxers from Colorado Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Category:Native American sportspeople Category:People from Colorado Category:People from Conejos County, Colorado Category:Sportspeople from Colorado Category:United States Coast Guard officers Category:World heavyweight boxing champions Category:American Latter Day Saints

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Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Rocky "The Brockton Blockbuster" Marciano
Nationality	United States
Realname	Rocco Francis Marchegiano
Nickname	The Brockton BlockbusterThe Rock from Brockton
Height
Reach
Weight	Heavyweight
Nationality	American
Birth date	September 01, 1923
Birth place	Brockton, Massachusetts
Death date	August 31, 1969
Death place	Near Newton, Iowa
Style	Orthodox
Total	49
Wins	49
Ko	43
Losses	0
Draws	0
No contests	0 }}

Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an Italian-American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only person to hold the heavyweight title and go undefeated throughout his career.

Early years

Marciano was an Italian-American, born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts to Pierino Marchegiano and Pasqualina Picciuto. Both of his parents were immigrants from Italy: his father was from Ripa Teatina, Abruzzo, while his mother was from San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Campania. Rocky had three sisters—Alice, Concetta, and Elizabeth—and two brothers—Sonny and Peter. When he was about eighteen months old he got pneumonia, from which he almost died.

In his youth, he played baseball, worked out on homemade weightlifting equipment, and used a stuffed mail bag that hung from a tree in his back yard as a heavy bag. He attended Brockton High School, where he played both baseball and football. However, he was cut from the school baseball team because he had joined a church league, violating a school rule forbidding players from joining other teams. He dropped out of school after finishing tenth grade.

Marciano then worked as a chute man on delivery trucks for the Brockton Ice and Coal Company. He also worked as a ditch digger and as a shoemaker. Rocky was also a resident of Hanson, Massachusetts; the house he lived in still stands on Main Street.

In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the Army for a term of two years. Stationed in Swansea, Wales, he helped ferry supplies across the English Channel to Normandy. After the war ended, he completed his service in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Amateur circuit

While awaiting discharge, Marciano, representing the army, won the 1946 amateur armed forces boxing tournament. His amateur career was interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into the ring as a professional competitor. That night, he knocked out Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an unusual move, however, Marciano returned to the amateur ranks and fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March 1948. He was beaten by Coley Wallace. He continued to fight as an amateur throughout the spring and competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden. There, he knocked out George McInnis, but hurt his hands during the bout and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. That was his last amateur bout. His amateur years, with an 8–4 record, would be the last time Marciano experienced a loss.

In late March, 1947, Marciano and a few of his friends traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina, to try out for the Fayetteville Cubs, a farm team for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Marciano lasted three weeks before being cut. After failing to find a spot on another team, he returned to Brockton and began boxing training with longtime friend, Allie Colombo. Al Weill served as his manager and Charley Goldman as his trainer and teacher

Professional career

Although he had one professional fight (against Lee Epperson) on his record, Marciano began fighting permanently as a professional boxer on July 12, 1948. That night, he notched a win over Harry Bilizarian. He won his first sixteen bouts by knockout, all before the fifth round, and nine before the first round was over. Don Mogard became the first boxer to last the distance (full 10 rounds scheduled) with "The Rock," but Marciano won by decision.

Early in his career, he changed the spelling of his last name. The ring announcer in Providence, Rhode Island could not pronounce Marchegiano, so Marciano's handler, Al Weill, suggested they create a pseudonym. The first suggestion was Rocky Mack, which Marciano rejected. He decided to go with the more Italian-sounding "Marciano".

Marciano won three more fights by knockout, and then he met Ted Lowry, who, according to many scribes and witnesses, probably managed to win three or four of the ten rounds from Marciano. Nevertheless, Marciano kept his winning streak alive by beating Lowry by decision. Four more knockout wins followed, including a five rounder on December 19, 1949 with Phil Muscato, an experienced heavyweight from Buffalo, New York, and the first "name fighter" Marciano would face. Three weeks after that fight, Marciano beat Carmine Vingo in a fifth round knockout in New York that almost killed Vingo. When Marciano next fought in late March 1950, he gained a hard-fought ten-round decision victory over the fighter who would later become his 1953 world title challenger, Roland La Starza. The victory over La Starza was extremely close.

Marciano won three more knockouts in a row before a rematch with Lowry. Marciano again won, by unanimous decision. After that, he won four more by knockout, and, after a decision win over Red Applegate late April 1951, he was showcased on national television for the first time, when he knocked out Rex Layne in six rounds on July 12, 1951. One more win, and he was again on national TV, this time against Joe Louis. Marciano defeated Louis in what would be the latter's last career bout, a result that left him with mixed emotions, as Louis had been his childhood idol.

Championship

After four more wins, including victories over Lee Savold and Harry Matthews, Marciano faced the world heavyweight champion, 38-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott, in Philadelphia on September 23, 1952. Walcott dropped Marciano in the first round and steadily built a points lead; but in the thirteenth, Walcott used his trademark feint to set up his right hand, but Marciano's "Suzie Q" landed first and boxing history was forever changed. Marciano landed a glancing left hook, albeit completely unnecessary, as Walcott slumped to his knees with his arm draped over the ropes. He lay motionless long after he had been counted out, and Marciano became the new world heavyweight champion. His first defense came a year later against Walcott, who this time was knocked out in the first round. Next, it was Roland La Starza's turn to challenge Marciano. After building a small lead on the judges' scorecards all the way to the middle rounds, Marciano won by a technical knockout in the eleventh round.

Then came two consecutive bouts against former world heavyweight champion and light-heavyweight legend Ezzard Charles, who became the only man to ever last fifteen rounds against Marciano. Marciano won the first fight on points and the second by an eighth-round knockout. Then, Marciano met British and European champion, Don Cockell. Marciano knocked him out in the ninth.

Marciano's last title bout was against Archie Moore on September 21, 1955. The bout was originally scheduled for September 20, but because of hurricane warnings, it had to be delayed a day. Marciano was knocked down for a four count in the second round. Marciano recovered, and retained his title by way of a knockout in round nine.

Marciano announced his retirement on April 27, 1956.

After boxing

Marciano considered a comeback in 1959 when Ingemar Johansson won the heavyweight championship from Floyd Patterson on June 26, 1959. After only a month of training in three years, Marciano decided against it and never seriously considered a comeback again.

After his retirement, Marciano entered the world of television, first appearing in the ''Combat!'' episode "Masquerade", and then hosting a weekly boxing show on TV in 1961. For a brief period, he worked as a troubleshooting referee in wrestling (Marciano was a good wrestler in high school). He continued as a referee and boxing commentator in boxing matches for many years. He was also active in business as a partner and vice president of Papa Luigi Spaghetti Dens, a San Francisco based franchise company formed by Joe Kearns and James Braly.

In late July 1969, shortly before his death, Marciano participated in the filming of the fantasy, ''The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali''. The two boxers were filmed sparring, then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between them, each in their prime. It aired on January 20, 1970, with Marciano winning by knockout in round 13 in North American theatres and Ali winning in European theatres.

Death

In 1969, on the eve of his 46th birthday, Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane, a Cessna 172 headed to Des Moines, Iowa. It was at night, and bad weather set in. The pilot, Glenn Belz, had only 231 total hours of flying time, only 35 of them at night, and was not certified to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions. Belz tried to set the plane down at a small airfield outside Newton, Iowa, but hit a tree two miles short of the runway. Rocky, Belz (the young pilot), and 22 year old Frankie Farrell (son of Italian mobster Louis Fratto) were killed on impact. The National Transportation Safety Board report said, "The pilot attempted an operation exceeding his experience and ability level, continued visual flight rules under adverse weather conditions, and experienced spatial disorientation in the last moments of the flight." Marciano was on his way to give a speech to support a friend's son and there was a surprise birthday celebration waiting for him. He had hoped to return early morning for his 46th birthday celebration with his wife. He was coming from a dinner in Chicago at STP CEO Andy Granatelli's home.

He is interred in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His wife, who died five years after him at the age of 46, is entombed next to him. His father died in March 1972, his mother in early January 1986.

Legacy

In 1971, Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer named Marciano as the tenth greatest heavyweight champion ever. In 1998, Ring magazine named Marciano as the sixth greatest heavyweight champion ever. In 2002, Ring Magazine numbered Marciano at #12 on the list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. In 2003, Ring Magazine rated Marciano #14 on the list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 2005, Marciano was named the fifth greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. A 1977 ranking by Ring magazine listed Marciano as the greatest Italian-American fighter. In 2007, on ESPN.com's list of the 50 Greatest Boxers of All Time, Marciano was ranked #14. A 1968 radio computer simulation by Murry Woroner concluded that Marciano was the greatest heavyweight champion.

Marciano holds the record for the longest undefeated streak by a heavyweight and for being the only world heavyweight champion to go undefeated throughout his career. This record was challenged by Larry Holmes in 1985 when Holmes went 48-0 before losing to Michael Spinks twice. Light heavyweight Dariusz Michalczewski also challenged Marciano's record when he was 48-0, but lost to Julio César González in his 49th fight. Julio César Chávez holds the record for longest win streak with eighty-eight straight until he suffered a draw in 1993. Heavyweight Brian Nielsen tied Marciano's record but lost his 50th fight against Dicky Ryan. Willie Pep, a featherweight, had a perfect 62-0 record before he was defeated once, followed by a 72-0-1 undefeated streak. Packy McFarland was a lightweight (fighting between 1904–1915) who lost his first fight and then won his next 98, though he never won the lightweight title. Heavyweight champion Gene Tunney never suffered a defeat at heavyweight and retired as champion, although he did lose one fight at light heavyweight.

Throughout history, only a few boxers have retired as undefeated world champions. As of 2009 apart from Marciano only Michael Loewe, Pichit Sitbangprachan, Harry Simon, Sven Ottke and Joe Calzaghe retired with a perfect record containing neither defeats nor draws. Ji Won Kim, Terry Marsh and Ricardo Lopez retired without losing a fight but having had at least one draw on their record. Edwin Valero's career ended with his death when he had a 27-0 record.

Marciano was knocked down to the canvas only twice in his professional career. The first occurred in his first championship against Jersey Joe Walcott and the second occurred against Archie Moore.

Marciano's punch was tested and it was featured in the December 1963 issue of ''Boxing Illustrated'': "Marciano's knockout blow packs more explosive energy than an armour-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground."

Marciano was named fighter of the year by ''Ring Magazine'' three times. His three championship fights between 1952-54 were named fights of the year by that magazine. In 2006, an ESPN poll voted Marciano's 1952 championship bout against Walcott as the greatest knockout ever. Marciano also received the Hickok Belt for top professional athlete of the year in 1952. In 1955, he was voted second most important American athlete of the year.

Marciano is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

A bronze statue of Marciano was planned for a 2009 completion date in his hometown of Brockton, MA, to be a gift to the city by the World Boxing Council. The artist Mario Rendon, head of the Instituto Universitario de las Bellas Artes in Colima, Mexico, was selected to sculpt the statue. As of November 2010, the statue was still in the planning stages, with no confirmed funding from the World Boxing Council.

A bronze statue of Marciano has been erected in Ripa Teatina, Italy, to celebrate the birthplace of Marciano's father.

Professional boxing record

|- |align="center" colspan=8|49 Wins (43 knockouts, 6 decisions), 0 Losses, 0 Draws |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes |-align=center |Win |49–0 |align=left| Archie Moore |KO |9 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |48–0 |align=left| Don Cockell |TKO |9 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |47–0 |align=left| Ezzard Charles |TKO |8 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |46–0 |align=left| Ezzard Charles |UD |15 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |45–0 |align=left| Roland La Starza |TKO |11 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |44–0 |align=left| Jersey Joe Walcott |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |43–0 |align=left| Jersey Joe Walcott |KO |13 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |42–0 |align=left| Harry Matthews |KO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |41–0 |align=left| Bernie Reynolds |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |40–0 |align=left| Gino Buonvino |KO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |39–0 |align=left| Lee Savold |RTD |6 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |38–0 |align=left| Joe Louis |TKO |8 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |37–0 |align=left| Freddie Beshore |KO |4 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |36–0 |align=left| Rex Layne |KO |6 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |35–0 |align=left| Willis Applegate |UD |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |34–0 |align=left| Art Henri |TKO |9 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |33–0 |align=left| Harold Mitchell |TKO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |32–0 |align=left| Keene Simmons |TKO |8 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |31–0 |align=left| Bill Wilson |TKO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |30–0 |align=left| Ted Lowry |UD |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |29–0 |align=left| Johnny Shkor |TKO |6 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |28–0 |align=left| Gino Buonvino |TKO |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |27–0 |align=left| Eldridge Eatman |TKO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |26–0 |align=left| Roland La Starza |SD |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |25–0 |align=left| Carmine Vingo |KO |6 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |24–0 |align=left| Phil Muscato |TKO |5 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |23–0 |align=left| Pat Richards |TKO |2 | |align=left| |-align=center |Win |22–0 |align=left| Joe Dominic |KO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |21–0 |align=left| Ted Lowry |UD |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |20–0 |align=left| Tommy DiGiorgio |KO |4 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |19–0 |align=left| Pete Louthis |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |18–0 |align=left| Harry Haft |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |17–0 |align=left| Don Mogard |UD |10 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |16–0 |align=left| Jimmy Evans |TKO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |15–0 |align=left| Jimmy Walls |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |14–0 |align=left| Artie Donato |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |13–0 |align=left| Johnny Pretzie |TKO |5 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |12–0 |align=left| Gilley Ferron |TKO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |11–0 |align=left| |TKO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |10–0 |align=left| Bob Jefferson |TKO |2 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |9–0 |align=left| Gilbert Cardone |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |8–0 |align=left| Bill Hardeman |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |7–0 |align=left| |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |6–0 |align=left| Jimmy Weeks |TKO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |5–0 |align=left| Eddie Ross |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |4–0 |align=left| Bobby Quinn |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |3–0 |align=left| John Edwards |KO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |2–0 |align=left| Harry Bilzerian |TKO |1 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center |Win |1–0 |align=left| Lee Epperson |KO |3 | |align=left| |align=left| |-align=center

See also

List of heavyweight boxing champions

References and notes

External links

Rocky Marciano // Official Website

Check-Six.com - The Crash of Rocky Marciano's Cessna plane

ESPN Greatest Ever KO Poll

Marciano feature from SPORT magazine

Brockton pays tribute to Allie Colombo, Marciano's friend and trainer

Category:1923 births Category:1969 deaths Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees Category:American boxers of Italian descent Category:People from Brockton, Massachusetts Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Category:World heavyweight boxing champions Category:Accidental deaths in Iowa

ca:Rocky Marciano cs:Rocky Marciano da:Rocky Marciano de:Rocky Marciano et:Rocky Marciano el:Ρόκι Μαρτσιάνο es:Rocky Marciano fr:Rocky Marciano ga:Rocky Marciano hr:Rocky Marciano id:Rocky Marciano is:Rocky Marciano it:Rocky Marciano he:רוקי מרציאנו ka:როკი მარჩიანო kk:Рокки Марчиано lv:Rokijs Marčiāno lt:Rocky Marciano hu:Rocky Marciano nl:Rocky Marciano ja:ロッキー・マルシアノ ce:Рокки Марчиано no:Rocky Marciano pl:Rocky Marciano pt:Rocky Marciano ro:Rocky Marciano ru:Рокки Марчиано simple:Rocky Marciano sr:Roki Marčano fi:Rocky Marciano sv:Rocky Marciano th:ร็อคกี้ มาร์เซียโน่ tr:Rocky Marciano zh:洛基·馬西安諾

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Jess Willard
Realname	Jess Willard
Nickname	Great White HopePottawatomie Giant
Height
Weight	Heavyweight
Nationality	American
Birth date	December 29, 1881
Birth place	Pottawatomie County, Kansas
Death date	December 15, 1968
Death place	Los Angeles, California
Style	Orthodox
Total	35
Wins	26
Ko	20
Losses	6
Draws	1
No contests	2

Jess Willard (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He won the heavyweight title from Jack Johnson in April 1915 (earning the nickname "The Great White Hope") and lost it to Jack Dempsey in July 1919.

At and , Willard was the tallest and the largest heavyweight champion in boxing history, until the Primo Carnera won the title on June 29, 1933, and the Vitali Klitschko won the WBC title in 2004.

Boxing career

A working cowboy, Willard did not begin boxing until he was 27 years old. Despite his late start, Jess Willard proved successful as a boxer, defeating top-ranked opponents to earn a chance to fight for the championship.

Jack Johnson fight

On April 5, 1915 in front of a huge crowd at the new Oriental Park Racetrack in Havana, Cuba, in the 26th round he knocked out champion Jack Johnson to win the world heavyweight boxing championship.

Johnson, perhaps his vanity wounded, later claimed to have intentionally lost the fight, but Willard is widely regarded as winning fairly. Willard said, "If he was going to throw the fight, I wish he'd done it sooner. It was hotter than hell out there."

Johnson found that he could not knock out the giant Willard, who fought as a counterpuncher, making Johnson do all the leading. Johnson began to tire after the 20th round, and was visibly hurt by heavy body punches from Willard in rounds preceding the 26th round knockout. Following the fight, Willard was heralded as "The Great White Hope."

Willard fought several times over the next four years, but made only one official title defense prior to 1919, defeating Frank Moran on March 25, 1916, at Madison Square Garden.

Jack Dempsey fight

At age 37, Willard lost his title to Jack Dempsey on July 4, 1919, in Toledo, Ohio. Dempsey knocked Willard down for the first time in his career with a left hook in the first round. Dempsey knocked Willard down seven times in the first round, winning the title when Willard was unable to continue after the third round. In the fight Willard suffered a broken jaw, cheekbone, and ribs, as well as losing several teeth. His attempt to fight to the finish, ending when he was unable to come out for the fourth round, is considered one of the most courageous performances in boxing history. Considering that Willard was the favorite and the much larger man, the beating was to such a severe extent as to lead many to question whether Dempsey's gloves were loaded. This was the subject of a 1964 ''Sports Illustrated'' article which contained an interview with Dempsey's manager. Jack Kearns, who claimed that he had placed a bet on the fight and coated Dempsey's hand wraps with plaster of paris; however, Kearns made this statement after he and Dempsey had had a falling out. In 1964 heavyweight contender Cleveland Williams tested the theory by coating his bandages with plaster of paris, toasting them for 35 minutes, and punching the heavy bag five times. The plaster of paris had disintegrated. Historian J. J. Johnston ended all discussion when he pointed out that "the films show Willard upon entering the ring walking over to Dempsey and examining his hands. That should end any possibility of plaster of paris or any other substance on his hands."

Comeback

After losing his title fight with Dempsey, Willard went into semi-retirement from the ring, fighting only exhibition bouts for the next four years. On May 12, 1923, promoter Tex Rickard arranged for Willard to make a comeback, fighting Floyd Johnson as part of the first line-up of boxing matches at the newly-opened Yankee Stadium in New York City. 63,000 spectators attended the match, which the 41-year-old Willard was widely expected to lose. However, after Willard took a beating for several rounds, he came back to knock down Johnson in the 9th and 11th rounds, and Willard earned a TKO victory. Damon Runyon wrote afterward: "Youth, take off your hat and bow low and respectfully to Age. For days and days, the sole topic of conversation in the world of sport will be Willard's astonishing comeback."

Willard followed-up this victory by facing contender Luis Ángel Firpo on July 12, 1923. The fight was held at Boyle's Thirty Acres in New Jersey, in front of more than 75,000 spectators. Willard was knocked out in the eighth round, and then permanently retired from boxing.

Later years

Willard parlayed his boxing fame into an acting career of a sort. He acted in a vaudeville show, had a role in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and starred in a 1919 feature film ''The Challenge of Chance''. In 1933, he appeared in a bit part in a boxing movie, ''The Prizefighter and the Lady'', with Max Baer and Myrna Loy.

On his passing in 1968, Jess Willard was interred in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

In 2003, he was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

See also

List of heavyweight boxing champions

References

External links

Jess Willard's Boxing Gear at Kansas Museum of History

YouTube of Willard v. Dempsey

{{s-ttl| title = World Heavyweight Champion | years = April 5, 1915 – July 4, 1919 }} |- {{s-ttl| title = Tallest Heavyweight Champion | years = April 5, 1915 – April 24, 2004 }} |- {{s-ttl| title = Oldest Heavyweight Champion | years = January 4, 1919 – July 18, 1951}}

Category:1881 births Category:1968 deaths Category:American boxers Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:People from Pottawatomie County, Kansas Category:Vaudeville performers Category:World heavyweight boxing champions Category:World boxing champions Category:International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees

de:Jess Willard (Boxer) es:Jess Willard fr:Jess Willard it:Jess Willard ja:ジェス・ウィラード no:Jess Willard pl:Jess Willard pt:Jess Willard ru:Уиллард, Джесс simple:Jess Willard fi:Jess Willard sv:Jess Willard

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
name	Gene Tunney
realname	James Joseph Tunney
nickname	The Fighting Marine
weight	Heavyweight
height
reach
nationality	American
birth date	May 25, 1897
death date	November 07, 1978
birth place	New York City, New York
home	Greenwich, Connecticut
style	Orthodox
total	86
wins	81
ko	48
losses	1
draws	3
no contests	2 }}

James Joseph "Gene" Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) 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. Tunney retired as an undefeated heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928.

Biography

Mary Lydon from Culleen House, Gorthgarve, Kiltimagh, Ireland, emigrated to the United States after the Great Famine. She settled in New York City where she met John Tunney, also from Cill Aodain, Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland. They married after a short courtship. The Tunneys had seven children; one son was killed in a homicide around 1920, another was a NYPD Detective from 1924 to 1951, dying in 1971, while Gene would become famous as a World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

Tunney fought some 68 official professional fights, losing only one, to Harry Greb, while fighting as a light heavyweight. He reported that he lost a second fight during World War I, a 10 round decision, to Tommy Loughran, as a Marine before he began his professional boxing career. Tunney was regarded as an extremely skillful boxer who excelled in defense. In addition to beating Dempsey, the most famous fighter of his era, Tunney defeated Tommy Gibbons, Georges Carpentier, and many other fine boxers.

Already the U.S. Expeditionary Forces champion, Tunney spent the winter of 1921 as a lumberjack in northern Ontario for the J. R. Booth Company of Ottawa without revealing he was a champion boxer. He explained this as "wanting the solitude and the strenuous labors of the woods to help condition himself for the career that appeared before him."

Tunney also had a brief acting career, starring in the movie ''The Fighting Marine'' in 1926. Unfortunately, no prints of this film are known to exist.

He was elected as Ring Magazine's first-ever Fighter of the Year in 1928 and later elected to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

In 1928, Tunney was married to a wealthy socialite, the former Mary "Polly" Lauder (1907- April 19, 2008). The couple lived in Stamford, Connecticut and had four children. Among them is John V. Tunney (born 1934), who was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from California from 1965 until 1977. The others are Jonathan "Jay" Tunney of Stamford, Connecticut; Gene L. Tunney of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Joan Tunney Cook of Omaha in Boone County in northwestern Arkansas. Tunney's daughter Joan was committed to a mental hospital on June 6, 1970 after she murdered her husband.

Mrs. Tunney's grandfather was George Lauder, Sr., a first cousin and business partner of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, founder and head of Carnegie Steel Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, George Lauder, Jr., was a philanthropist and yachtsman whose schooner once held the record for the fastest trans-Atlantic yacht passage ever made. According to a 2007 biography, Tunney promised Polly that he would quit boxing and defended his title only one more time after the second Dempsey fight, against Tom Heeney of New Zealand.

Death

Upon his death at the age of eighty-one, Tunney was interred at Long Ridge Union Cemetery in Stamford.

Fighting style

Tunney was a thinking fighter who preferred to make a boxing match into a game of chess which was not popular during the times when such sluggers as Jack Dempsey, Harry Greb and Mickey Walker were commanding center stage. Tunney's style was influenced by other noted boxing thinkers such as James J. Corbett and Benny Leonard. Nevertheless, it is incorrect to think of Tunney as only a fancy dan, stick and move fighter in the Ali style. While Tunney's heavyweight fights against Gibbons, Carpentier, and Dempsey featured his fleet-footed movement and rapid-fire jabbing, his earlier bouts, especially the five against Harry Greb, demonstrated his vicious body punching and willingness to fight toe-to-toe. It was Benny Leonard who advised Tunney that the only way to beat Harry "The Human Windmill" Greb was to aim his punches at Greb's body rather than his elusive and often butting head.

Always moving and boxing behind an excellent left jab, Tunney would study his opponents from the first bell. He generally preferred to stay outside and nullify any attacks, while using quick counters to keep the opponent off balance. Although not a big puncher, Tunney could still hit with power, especially after hurting his opponents and mastering their styles.

In his fights against Jack Dempsey, today's viewer can see Tunney's style: hands held low for greater power, fast footwork that adjusts to every move his opponent makes, and quick and accurate one-two style counter-punches with the left and right.

Tunney, while not known for having one of the truly great chins in the history of boxing, did own a very solid chin. He was never knocked out, and the only time he was ever knocked down was in the second fight with Dempsey in the infamous Long Count.

Publications

In 1932, Tunney published a book called ''A Man Must Fight'', in which he gave comments on his career and boxing techniques.

Cultural references

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had a comedy routine in which Lewis (in boxing shorts and gear) states he's fight'n Gene Tierney (the actress). Martin corrects Lewis and suggests that he must mean "Gene Tunney". Lewis then quips "You fight who you wanna fight, I'm fight'n who I wanna fight, I'm fight'n Gene Tierney".

In the song ''She Twists the Knife Again'' from Richard Thompson's 1985 album Across a Crowded Room, describing the mismatched intensity in a strife-ladened relationship, Thompson writes: "I'm in a fist fight/She thinks she's Gene Tunney!".

He's also mentioned in Act 1 of Arthur Miller's ''Death of a Salesman'': Willy tells his sons he has a punching bag with Tunney's signature on it.

He's referenced by Tha Alkaholiks in "Pass Out" on their Likwidation album: "It's the beer-drinkin', breath-stinkin' sniffin' money/I throw my hands up and say 'It's good' like Gene Tunney".

See also

List of heavyweight boxing champions

International Boxing Hall of Fame

Ring Magazine fighters of the year

List of undisputed boxing champions

Boxing in the 1920s

List of people on the cover of Time Magazine: 1920s - 30 August 1926

References

External links

Gene Tunney of Kiltimagh Lineage

Review of 2006 Gene Tunney biography

Gene Tunney's Find a Grave site

''Gene Tunney vs. Jack Dempsey (second match)''

Category:1897 births Category:1978 deaths Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American boxers Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:American boxers of Irish descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:People from Greenwich, Connecticut Category:People from New York City Category:People from Stamford, Connecticut Category:World boxing champions Category:United States Marines

be:Джын Тані de:Gene Tunney es:Gene Tunney fr:Gene Tunney ga:Gene Tunney it:Gene Tunney ml:ജെയിംസ് ജോസഫ് ടുനെ ja:ジーン・タニー no:Gene Tunney pl:Gene Tunney pt:Gene Tunney ru:Танни, Джин sq:Gene Tunney fi:Gene Tunney sv:Gene Tunney

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
{{infobox boxer|name	Bill Brennan
Realname	Wilhelm Schenck
Nickname	K.O. Bill
Weight	Heavyweight
Nationality	United States Of America
Birth date	June 23, 1893
Death date	June 15, 1924
Birth place	Chicago, Illinois or County Mayo, Ireland
Home	Chicago, Illinois
Total	126
Wins	74
Ko	68
Losses	10
Draws	42
No contests	0

Bill Brennan (June 23, 1893 – June 15, 1924) was an American boxer who fought and lost to World Heavy Weight Champion Jack Dempsey twice. He first began fighting under the name Bill Shanks and knocked out 11 of his first 12 opponents.

On June 15, 1924 Brennan was shot to death by two "street thugs" in New York According to Jack Dempsey, Brennan had opened a speakeasy, and some men informed Brennan that he was buying the wrong mob's beer. Brennan is said to have forcibly ejected these men. But on the night of June 15th, he was summoned outside by another man he did not know where a gunman was waiting who then pulled his gun and shot Brennan.

He was survived by a wife and one child.

See also

List of bare-knuckle boxers

External links

Brennan's Record at Cyber Boxing Zone

Article Covering Death

Category:1893 births Category:1924 deaths Category:American boxers of Irish descent Category:Bare-knuckle boxers Category:Deaths by firearm in New York Category:Murdered boxers Category:American murder victims Category:People murdered in New York