The Long Count Fight

Background

The rematch occurred 364 days after Tunney defeated Dempsey on September 23, 1926, at Sesquicentennial Stadium in Philadelphia to win the world heavyweight title. That first bout had been moved out of Chicago because Dempsey learned Al Capone was a fan and wanted to avoid Capone's involvement. For the rematch, Capone reportedly bet $50,000 on Dempsey, fueling false rumors of a fix. Odds makers favored Dempsey in both fights due to heavy public betting.

The rematch at Soldier Field drew a gate of $2,658,660, the first $2 million gate in entertainment history, and Tunney received a record purse of $990,445. Announcers Graham McNamee and Phillips Carlin broadcast the match to over 60 NBC radio stations. Dempsey was one of the "big five" sports legends of the 1920s, while Tunney, a former Marine, was nicknamed "The Fighting Marine." New rules required a fallen fighter to have 10 seconds to rise after his opponent moved to a neutral corner; the Dempsey camp requested this rule, but Dempsey apparently ignored it in training. The fight was staged in a 20-foot ring, favoring Tunney's footwork over Dempsey's preference for a 16-foot ring.

The fight

For the first six rounds, Tunney controlled the fight with his usual long-range boxing style, steadily building a lead on the scorecards. Nothing suggested this rematch would differ much from their first bout. Then came round seven. With 104,943 fans watching, Dempsey trapped Tunney against the ropes and landed a flurry—two rights and two lefts to the chin, followed by four more punches that sent the champion to the canvas for the first time in his career.

Dazed, Tunney grabbed the top rope with his left hand. Referee Dave Barry ordered Dempsey to a neutral corner, but Dempsey lingered, watching his opponent. This gave Tunney extra seconds to recover. Only after Dempsey finally moved did Barry start his count, reaching nine before Tunney rose.

A clock superimposed on the fight film showed Tunney was down for 13 seconds. Some argue Dempsey would have won by knockout if he had obeyed the referee immediately, but that point remains disputed. In round eight, Tunney returned to distance boxing and knocked Dempsey down; this time, the referee began counting at once. Tunney dominated the final two rounds and won by unanimous decision.

After the fight, Dempsey raised Tunney’s arm and said, “You were best. You fought a smart fight, kid.” It was Dempsey’s last bout, and Tunney’s next-to-last.

Aftermath

Controversy erupted immediately after the fight. A 1912 U.S. law prohibiting transportation of boxing match movies across state lines meant almost nobody could view the counts for themselves. Once the law was repealed and footage became widely available, the controversy diminished. Boxing fans still argue over whether Dempsey could or should have won.

Public affection for Dempsey grew after his two losses; the Washington Post's Shirley Povich wrote, "In defeat, he gained more stature." Tunney stated he picked up the referee's count at "two" and could have risen earlier but waited until "nine" for tactical reasons. Dempsey said, "I have no reason not to believe him. Gene's a great guy."

Dempsey later joined the Coast Guard, and he and Tunney became close friends. Both are in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In March 2011, Tunney's family donated his gloves from the fight to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.