Gene Tunney -vs- Jack Dempsey I 1926 World Heavyweight Championship (Restored Full Fight))

Compiled from numerous sources, this restoration assembles the rare original fight film of the first Tunney-Dempsey fight. All rounds are shown, except for 7-8 which were not in the theatrical 1926 release. Read the full blog post on this restoration:
fightfilmcollec...
Gene Tunney vs Jack Dempsey 1926
World Heavyweight Championship
Philadelphia, PA
(Complete Fight Reconstruction/speed correction/exposure/frame aspect/image matching)
The Fight
I've always wanted to see the complete 1926 Dempsey-Tunney fight film. The first of their two bouts was huge at the time, but has since been overshadowed by the rematch and "The Long Count" the following year. I wanted to see how the first fight played out, especially how did Dempsey perform during the first couple of rounds when he was still fresh, and still believing that he was invincible? Did Tunney really overwhelm Dempsey from the start or was it more competitive than what the newspapers said? What does the surviving footage reveal?
A couple of years ago, film collector Joe Fosco told me he wasn't sure that complete footage of Tunney-Dempsey I still existed. He claimed to have compiled most of the rounds from various sources, but not all. Joe passed away before I saw his film. I have since spoken to Steve Lott of Big Fights Inc, who said that only about 14 minutes exist of the 1926 fight. This particular 14 minutes is what most people have seen over the last 70 years, from home movie shorts from Castle Films to ESPN Classic television.
The Film
A few months ago I obtained from a collector what was promised to be a copy of the complete original 1926 film. The DVD that arrived contained a copy of the original footage, but it was from a poor washed out screen-copy that only showed rounds 1 through 6 (I've seen this copy on KZbin already, which has filler footage tacked on after round 6.) The footage is poor, but it's a good reference. So I went back through my own film collection and discovered several short versions of this famous fight going back to when I started collecting films as a teenager. These were editions not only from Castle Films, but Blackhawk Films, documentaries, Classic Sports, Newsreels and sports compilations. As I went through each version, I realized that most of the material was taken from the same original theatrical fight film. However, no two editions were exactly the same, suggesting that each version contained unique footage.
The Reconstruction
Over the following week, I rounded up the footage I had and loaded everything into my video editor. The various sources were trimmed round by round, matching the best quality footage with the action in the original master. Some clips showed the entire round, some clips lasting only a few seconds. I quickly discovered that in the most common editions of the fight (Castle Films, Official Films), the rounds were completely out of order. For instance, rounds described as 1 and 10, are actually portions of rounds 3, 5 and 9. These were also, incidentally, the worst rounds for Dempsey. When the editing was finished, I had partial or complete footage of every round (except for rounds 7-8 which were never issued).
** Note that the picture quality jumps back and forth as the best quality footage is inserted for that portion of the fight.
The progression of the fight went mostly as the newspapers described it. Tunney was brilliant, and he controlled the action from beginning to end. His strategy was to throw an endless barrage of overhand rights to slow Dempsey down. Then Tunney would pepper Dempsey with jabs and combinations. When Jack rushed Gene to the ropes, Tunney would spin Dempsey around and hold until the referee broke them. Tunney did this over and over again through the entire fight, and Jack never had an answer.
What about Dempsey? Did he really look like an old tired fighter? Having not fought in three years, Dempsey was rusty, but he was also unprepared. In the early rounds, when Jack was still fresh, he showed flashes of his old style, and Gene struggled to control the action. Tunney didn't take full control of the fight until the round 3. The biggest myth about the fight is that Jack simply held on after the early rounds and was close to being knocked out at the end. The Dempsey I see in this film was outclassed, but he was game until the very end, and even launched a rally before the final bell. Tunney was an absolute ironman. Gene had to be incredibly strong to do what he did, fighting Dempsey at the same pace for 10 rounds. I believe that even in 1926, Gene Tunney was still the only fighter in the division who would have beaten Dempsey.
I hope you enjoy seeing this great fight, as much as I enjoyed restoring it.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

I'm no historian, but I believe here are some stories not told here. They actually met each other long before this fight, and sparred years earlier, when Tunney was a LH. At that sparring Jack didn't have much trouble moving Gene around, and had his way with him. When they finally met here, Jack hadn't seen Gene since, and later admitted he was quite impressed that Gene put on a solid 15 pounds of muscle and looked extremely fit, and was a lot stronger overall. Tunney was one of the first boxers to train by running a few miles each day...backwards and sideways! As those were the leg muscles you used most during a fight! Gene knew that Jack had hit many fighters early with a left hook underneath. He felt if he could time it right with a straight right, he could hurt Jack, even knock him down in the first round. Early in the fight he tried it, but while he did connect with many rights, and felt he did early did stun Jack a bit, it didn't matter how many times Gene hit him, Jack kept coming. One thing their matchup really showed was that styles make fights. You could say over the annuls of history these guys were equally great champions, and in almost every top 10 list are back to back. But Tunney arguably won 19 of 20 rounds in their two fights. Some rounds may have been even. Gene just wasn't afraid of Jack's power, or aggression, and his defense and chin were great weapons to counter Jack's strengths. The third best heavyweight in the world during this time was Harry Wills. But he was never given a title shot by either because he was black. Not that Jack and Gene were racist, and at one point Jack said he wanted to fight Wills. But after the outlandish Jack Johnson, the public wasn't ready for another version of him, even though Wills was nothing like Johnson as a person, and there was a lot of pressure to not give Wills (or Sam Langford before him) a title shot, and Dempsey followed that. Months before this fight Jack's brother murdered his wife then took his own life. Jack was forced to identify the bodies, and help raise their son and try to make sense of it to him. This reportedly took a big toll on Jack. Though he later said it didn't affect his boxing. Gene was married to Polly Lauder, whose grandfather was an associate of Andrew Carnegie. The Tunney's lived in a 16 room estate on the Connecticut shoreline. It sold a few years back for $7.6 million! Years after both Jack and Gene retired, Dempsey kept up his outgoing, extroverted personality. While he had huge respect for Gene, a few times when they got together at events he tried to playfully rope or trick Gene into doing something uncharacteristic for the introverted and disciplined former Marine, Tunney. This is taken from memory, and old boxing books, from a long-time boxing fan. If someone has more accurate info, I'm all ears.

[@bowbugs8855]

This was incredibly interesting. Thank you so much for writing it up :) I just recently got interested in the old-school boxers so this is all new and valuable to me.

[@Nuvendil]

This was also a key moment in illustrating the importance of film study. While film had been available for years by this point, not many fighters really worked film study into standard practice for facing specific oponents. Tunney embraced film study and spent a lot of time studying film of Dempsey in the lead up to the fight. By the time they met in the ring, he knew Dempsey's moves abd habbits about as well as Dempsey himself.

[@1saxonwolf]

Keep in mind Jack hadn't fought for a few years. No tune up fight before this match. And Wills refused a Tunney fight before this match was made, claiming,rightfully he was #1 contender and deserved title shot.

[@sulaiman4111]

I once read that Boxrec has only 5% of the total boxing matches taken place until now, as a result, a lot of boxers don't have all of their fights recorded including Jack Dempsey. Gene Tunney prepared for several years to face Jack Dempsey, he studied Jack's style, made exploiting all of Jack's weaknesses his instincts, and developed counters against Jack's aggressive style. After retiring, Gene went on to run a Steel company.

[@sulaiman4111]

After Jack Johnson, people all over the world knew having another black champion would cause even more hatred among whites & blacks and could result in violence, like riots that took place after Jack beat Jeffries. But Wills deserved a chance

[@WilsonKayden]

Boxing master class by Gene Tunney. The way he uses movement to limit his opponents offense by not allowing Dempsey to plant his feet to throw that big left hook is beautiful, and the way he uses his movement to create punching angles and walk Dempsey into right hands.

[@skittlesareyum48]

Wilson Kayden How do you pic up on these things??

[@WilsonKayden]

skittlesareyum48 I just study boxing and watch tape

[@ericrobinson3111]

Wilson Kayden definately one sided to Tunney

[@melvintate8186]

Gene was a Beautiful boxer and a Great fighter!!

[@dexterjankaren]

May br the most intelligent heavy weight of all time.

[@stevecompton6844]

It is absolutely untrue that rounds 7 and 8 were never issued. Those rounds were included, along with all others, in the theatrical version of the film. That version, which was presumed lost, was discovered by my friend Tony Fosco (not Joe as you call him above) and restored by me. The reason why no version of round 7 exists is because it was too badly damaged by water to salvage. However the 8th round does still exist in it's entirety albeit also showing significant water damage. Its also odd to state that Dempsey wasnt taking a beating and was coming on in the later rounds. The radio commentator for the fight, Major J. Andrew White, stated in the 9th round that Dempsey's infighting was comparable to a novice and that Tunney had the fight sewn up unless Dempsey could do something dramatic. He stated after that round that Dempsey was taking a fearful beating. In the tenth he noted that Dempsey clinched and could have broken out if he wanted to but stayed there, calling him a hollow shell of what he once was and described his left eye was swollen shut tight, his face red, and his eyes cut. Dempsey came forward, yes, but he was totally ineffective and the fight was so one sided that White announced Tunney as the new champion the instant the final bell rang before even waiting for the official announcement.

[@TheHubbardl]

It is absolutely amazing that I get to watch the footage from the 1926 fight of the year. Thank you

[@goognamgoognw6637]

FightFilmsGuy, Fantastic work you did worthy of being permanently saved in historical public digital records. Your analysis in the description also brings a lot of information that i found useful as an amateur boxer. Thank you very much. I used this video as a training analytical tool. I really like Tunney counter punching boxing but it takes serious observation and boxing understanding to see why it works. how his 'system' holds and how he gets away with such a low guard. I really like your description of 'endless barrage of overhands'. As a tall boxer this approach seems fitting for me. His back is almost always straight but his feet are reacting to the opponent by repositioning the stricking distance and angle of his opponent. His low guard rests his shoulders and put his fists below his opponent eye to eye center of vision making it hard to detect when he launches them. But the key is to always counter above his opponent and pivot to prevent combinations to the head and only when that opponent commits. Still i find it hard to understand how he is able to roll lunging punches and not get hit in his head when dempsey gets inside weaving and bobbing or getting him in the corner. You are right that he denies close fighting by rushing and grabbing with his arm when dempsey comes in too fast and he does not release his clutch until the referee separates them. His 'system' definitively has critical cornerstones, as his defense and offense is a finely tuned barrage of punches he has to be able to throw even in late rounds and he does. It seems a dangerous system to adopt without proper mastery of the unusual keepsafes that he uses to neutralize the opponent. This style cannot be used half way, as the keepsafe are not inherent, which is why it's very advanced. I am going to look at Sugar Ray R. next who has that flurry of left and right circular low punches where he uses his whole body in left and right fast rotation.

[@jaspervanpelt]

Thank you for doing this all! great work! And thank you for posting.

[@Lava1964]

Terrific! I am reading a biography of Tunney and I wanted to see the fight in its entirety too. This is as close as it gets!

[@xxSturdyWingsxx]

what biography

[@raoul3605]

this is like muhammad ali vs mike tyson, olden day style

[@asmrcritique6565]

No this is Dempsey vs Tunney

[@freddiereagan6705]

True

[@jamaaldelaney2967]

that was an awesome performance from tunney. ring generalship, clean punching, defense, effective aggression (at times) great counters; this is how you win a title fight!

[@chriso1585]

Great job on this, thank you. I’d like to see a Dempsey-Carpentier full fight done the same and picture enhanced. The common version is repeating and mixing up of the rounds. Really enjoying your channels work, thanks Chris from Wales UK

[@ascendediam]

don't see either fighter as advanced as guys's foreman/ali fought this looks very novice like So why is it mutiple people on forums said This guy gene could beat ali/Foreman?

[@philbarnes6678]

This is a wonderful piece of film, thank you!

[@TheInvincibleArmour]

Tunney was ahead of his time

[@samtotheg]

there were fighters similar to tunney back then, he was a very common type of fighter!

[@What_Fred_Said]

@@samtotheg were you there?

[@MKIVWWI]

This bout was held in one of the all-time great stadiums, Philadelphia Municipal (renamed John F. Kennedy Stadium in 1964). A reported 120,557 people watched it. The stadium was shamefully demolished in 1992, and the Wells Fargo Center occupies the site.

[@billwhite9703]

Thanks for your blog. Really interesting.

[@Halibut86]

Dempsey's style is so wild. Full commitment and crowding the opponent!

[@frankramos3640]

It is amazing that this bout was held under a thunder storm. The footwork of both men held up very well under these less than desirable ring combat conditions. Gene Tunney boxed masterfully in this bout. Unfortunately, Jack Dempsey seemed ineffective against a defensive boxer such as Tunney. Tom Gibbons, in 1923, was able to neutralize Dempsey's aggression during that 15 round bout. No doubt, that Tunney learned a few things from that particular bout. Tunney, being the complete professional, would routinely scout his potential opponents as part of his preparation prior to engaging them. Lastly, the 10 round distance saved Dempsey from a possible KO or TKO loss. Conversely, the 10 round decision victory strengthen the sporting public's belief that Tunney was not a world class puncher.

[@xavierspade666]

Tunney telegraphed almost every hard punch by dipping first. Fighting from a crouch generates a lot of power, as Marciano and Frasier and Tyson (among others) demonstrate. It also gives the opponent very little to hit at normal heights. Tunney is clearly the hungry aggressor this whole fight, and even though his style seems (to me) predictably simple, it does the job.

[@samtotheg]

theres more going on that meets the eye,tunney was controlling range the whole fight, he would feint with foot and hand and back up (most of the time) luring dempsey in , sometimes he would step back other times hold ground and punch as dempsey stepped forward ,and other times tunney would step forward with the 1 2 , dempsey NEVER KNEW when Tunney was gonna step back stand there or go forward , tunney had him running into jabs first before hard punch anyways so no way jack woulda seen it coming!

[@GamerzDailyFix]

Top 25 best heavyweight boxers of all time: 1. Muhammad Ali 2. Jack Johnson 3. Rocky Marciano 4. Joe Louis 5. George Foreman 6. Joe Frazier 7. Gene Tunney 8. Ezzard Charles 9. Jack Dempsey 10. Lennox Lewis 11. Archie Moore 12. Riddick Bowe 13. Evander Holyfield 14. Larry Holmes 15. James J. Jeffries 16. Bob Fitzsimmons 17. James J. Corbett 18. John L. Sullivan 19. Sam Langford 20. Peter Jackson 21. Harry Wills 22. Joe Jeannette 23. Sam McVey 24. Jersey Joe Walcott 25. James J. Braddock

[@JackassHill]

GamerzDailyFix Not a bad list, IMO. I'd have Louis, Holmes, and Lewis higher. Charles lower, but overall, not too bad. Wouldn't mind seeing Patterson, Norton, Tyson, and Baer in there either.

[@MrStiffie123456789]

+GamerzDailyFix Lennox Lewis is arguably the best of the best who ever was, he just wasn't a crowd pleaser. Tyson in his prime def deserves to be top 3. Gene Tunney, a greatly under-rated fighter, one of the very best, top 5, maybe the most intelligent smartest fighter who ever was, out-thought his oponents and then knocked them out, only lost once in many fights and then beat the guy. Beat the baddest man of the first half of the 20th century, Dempsey, twice! Riddick Bowe got thrashed by Golota, he doesn't even deserve to be on the list. Otherwise, not a bad list.

[@SonofHsu16]

+Johnathan Brin How, Ali could do just what Klitschko did Hit and Run. He has one of the Hardest Chins ever. Frazier fought Quarry one of the toughest Irish Heavyweight, Foster was Avoided and Feared for years,

[@cocotimbo]

+John Pheipher Tyson doesn't deserve to be in a top 50 list. Not only in that One.

[@joshuachubbzgardler9190]

DAMN good list. only thing I'd change is Foreman and Tunney's positions

[@ferrantepallas]

Both great fighters ... Tunney showing rather amazing speed and power and movement. A master class.

[@josh-uj1gw]

this is basically Bivol vs Canelo in 1926

[@errortryagainlater8153]

He's part of my history and ancestors

[@bold58]

This is the 1920 s and Tunney moves and throws combinations like Muhammad Ali amazing !

[@honestyfenix530]

Impressed by how good a boxer Tunney was, specially for those times. However Dempsey was not in his prime anymore. The fight 3 years before (after Firpo's fight) wud have been an amazing one.

[@DedicatedSpartan]

There were a lot of good boxers back the but the style was often not appreciated, much like today.

[@stelugud]

@@DedicatedSpartan there is a very popular saying in boxing - styles make fights. style is the most important but as long as it comes with effectiveness.

[@7omni748]

Tunney never seemed to take on top fighters in their prime. Gibbons, Dempsey , Carpentier.

[@richardsouthern4248]

Harry Greb, arguably the greatest middleweight of all times who fought all comers in all weight classes, sparred with Jack Dempsey over a period of three days while Jack was training for a fight. Based on that sparring, Jack avoided making a match with Greb for the heavyweight title. On the other hand, Greb is the only man to defeat Gene Tunney. Tunney and Greb fought five times and became life-long friends. Greb told Tunney after their first fight, "Get a title match with Dempsey. You can beat him. He won't know what to do with your style and size." Long story short: The Fighting Marine gets a title fight with Dempsey. Tunney beats Dempsey and later retires with a ring record of 80 wins, 1 loss and 3 draws.

[@duongkendiary]

tôi biết trận đấu này thông qua cuốn Nghệ thuật bán hàng bậc cao của Zig ZigLar

[@tacomadc]

Every time Jack tries the duck and punch, Gene hits him in the back of the head with an overhead right. That's the obvious tactic for dealing with this and Dempsey gives up on it pretty quick.

[@jimzaleta8560]

thank you

[@beatlejim64]

Dempsey hadn't fought since the classic brawl with Luis Firpo in September 1923 at the Polo Grounds in NYC. There really wasn't a viable challenger on the horizon...(don't mention Harry Wills)...so Jack had some exhibitions...made some films...personal appearance...and then in Philly in 1926...he loses the title to the great Gene Tunney!

[@charronfamilyconnect]

***I believe Ali learned the hands down dance around tactic from the original Gene Tunney. Too bad we will never get to see a fight of Tunney in real time.***

[@truthhitman7473]

No. Muhammad Ali got his style from Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Well, Gene Tunney preceded Sugar Ray Robinson and there isn't much film footage of jack johnson that is of any viewable quality.

[@truthhitman7473]

Well, he didn't predate Jack Johnson or Bill Richmond. Plus there were many black fighters who didn't get the credit they deserved in Gene Tunney's time. It was the black fighters who kept on stepping up the game. And Muhammad Ali's style is totally different from Gene Tunney's style, just like Mike Tyson's style is totally different from Rocky Marciano's style.

[@alexbien-aime9455]

Is this Ali vs Frazier I ?

[@navarrin12345]

no

[@samtotheg]

@@navarrin12345 exactly no, Tunney was a much more technical ,intelligent fighter !

[@omegasz1759]

@@samtotheg more intelligent than Ali? Stop it..

[@bucksdiaryfan]

Tunney just HANDLED Dempsey with ease... it looks like a pro taking on an amateur... I'm glad this video evidence exists to countermand the phony "long count" controversy

[@michaeltrumph121]

The "long count" did indeed exist, but Tunney simply had Dempsey's number in this fight.

[@7omni748]

Unfortunately Tunney is notorious for taking on top fighters past their prime. Gibbons, Dempsey , Carpeinter.

[@sportshistorybuff]

The three year age difference probably had some influence here, along with Dempsey taking a three year break from defending his title. Strange for Tunney to beat Dempsey twice yet most lists of the greatest heavyweight champs of all time place Jack higher, presumably the Dempsey of 1919.

[@hmldjr]

I'm amazed how low each fighter kept their guards.

[@RK-ot8fw]

Jess Willard was one of the tallest and biggest heavyweight fighters in history and firpo weighed very close to being a modern size heavyweight too.

[@RK-ot8fw]

'Jess Willard was fighting guys who were smaller than him' Thats my point you said people like Dempsey wouldnt beat modern fighters at the current weight and Willard was way over the heavyweight weight and you seen whaqt dempsey did to him. You cant discard Dempsey and call him a bum, hes fight with Willard was the worst beating in boxing history and hes fight with firpo was the greatest fight in history.

[@mattbritzius570]

henry dicarlo It seems their gloves were much smaller. There wouldn't be as great a benefit to a highguard.

[@alanfike]

You happy now, Chris Warren? You've hurt the fee'wingz of the more impressionably sensitive of the Caucasian American. You can spot them by their ready use of the "White Man's burden" rhetoric of the late 1800s. I was hoping that he'd go into measuring skull sizes, but one of them used "negroid" so at least that was pretty funny. Almost as funny as someone (correction: two people) coming back from being called "retarded" with essentially, "NUH UH!!!" Scott Banks and Tre Taco -- as a white man you fucking embarrass me almost as much as you embarrass yourselves. Fuck You both, and the horses you rode in on.

[@samtotheg]

it was distance ,elevation and the clinches that kept them safe, high guard is limiting your offense and not really good defense!

[@Sean_Regan]

in addition to Muhammed Ali, this is another example of the importance of footwork in boxing. The dempsey roll is the epitome of good head movement, and yet Tunney consistently rebuffs it with proper footwork and well timed punches. Footwork might be, objectively speaking, the most important tool in boxing (compared to upper body techniques such as bobbing/weaving and punching).

[@samtotheg]

ali is bad footwork tho lol,wasted energy , the thing that tunney demo'd well more so than footwork is RANGE, he did a lot of foot feints and you didnt know if tunney was gonna step back ,stand still or go forward ,he was controlling the range and the initiative!

[@stuartperry1047]

@@samtotheg Ali's footwork- before his title was taken away, was otherworldly. All you need to do is look at the highlight reel of Ali's Defense. Talk about range? Ali avoided punches by slipping, bobbing, weaving- and he did it against guys like Liston and Terrell whose reaches were tremendous. Tunney was a fine boxer- and he beat Dempsey twice. But no boxing almanac rates Tunney ahead of Ali. In any department.

[@samtotheg]

@@stuartperry1047 idgaf about the dummeis writing boxing almanacs ,you dont know what you were watchin ali wasnt bobbing and weaving the problem with you ali lovers is you like alis so much you attribute thinsg to him hes never done ,like bobbing and weaving ,he had 1 counter pulling his head back and right hand over the top, he couldnt lead ,he didnt throw uppercuts properly, or lead hooks ..couldnt fight inside,... Tunney could do ALL OF THAT he was a more COMPLETE BOXER than ali ever was!

[@stuartperry1047]

@@samtotheg Cool. Your mind is made up. So is mine. Np

[@samtotheg]

@@stuartperry1047 your mind is based on bias and not concrete evidence and data to compare our opinions as just typical opinions is wrong!

[@marktorak5578]

Tunney hreat boxer. A onesided 10 round decision . Tunney the new champion

[@majik_man]

Dempsey looks great 1st round he catch's Tunney with same punch that sank Sharkey at 2:59. The foundation is gone, his attack is far slower and way less active then when he fought Gibbon's. Dempsey was reliant on his speed, his defense isn't great (at his best). Although he is not flat footed, he isn't close to the gibbon's fighter, after a few years lost. He forgot all those lil things he had learned sparring to keep punches off you, it's apparent to me. Dempsey doesn't really look championship quality at this point in his career. He lost the valuable knowledge he had learned by not applying it, and but still had retained some of his bad habits, like getting hit with a straight right. Schmeling would destroy this version of Dempsey. He was 3 years removed from fighting, he is about the equivalent as Joe Louis 2.0 against Rocky Marciano. Jim Jeffries couldn't do it in 1910 & things haven't changed much in 1926. Inactivity makes u look bad, very bad.

[@mariosanchez8236]

Man, I am only at 8:50 in and at this specific point Tunney looks SO Ali (granted, it is actually the other way around, but, you know what I mean) with those little hops backwards, pawing with his jab a bit and hands at hi sides or most of the moment, I imagine attempting to bait Dempsey in. Also, if this fight continues looking as it does up to this early point,, then yeah, outclassed isn't a taboo, dirty word or describing the situation

[@samtotheg]

tunney and ali dont fight similiar at all! stop it lol ,tunney manipulates distance and isnt much a circler that ali was, ali also had a 1 2 thats it , tunney would 1 2 and that 3 was to the sternum(ali hardly threw the 3 and hardly at the body) tunney can also infight ,ali not so much ! tommy loughran is more similar to tunney than ali!

[@AndreasTunney]

@@samtotheg Ali did say however that Tunney’s footwork was the greatest footwork in the history of the sport. He studied Tunney’s and therefore it became a framework for his own game.

[@paysonfox88]

Gene Tunney was The first Muhammad Ali. Ali learned his style well, keep hands low, circle, conserve energy, don't get hit, make opponent chase you and get him tired. Hey, all fighters learn from someone. The dancers in the Heavyweight division go in a line: 1920's - Tunney; 1930's-50's : Jersey Joe Walcott: 1960's --- Ali 1980's - Larry Holmes: 1990's : Evander Holyfield

[@truthhitman7473]

Ali had the best footwork ever in the heavyweight division.

[@samtotheg]

alis footwork was garbage

[@truthhitman7473]

That's cos you're a racist.

[@samtotheg]

bruh I am black , alis footwork was trash..tommy loughran ,jose napoles,joe louis ,charley burley ,tony canzoneri , benny leonard,ezzard charles all had great footwork.Ali had a lotta wasted motion , peps footwork was wack too and sweat peas footwork!!!

[@truthhitman7473]

Well then You're a black body with a white head. And I've seen all those name brand fighters you mentioned. None of them, not even one, could move like Muhammad Ali. You're talking out of your bum bum lol

[@mattsharkey8437]

Gene Tunney beats Ali pound for pound. Both had great footwork, quick combos and defensive capabilities, but Tunney would wear down Ali with his power. Love how Tunney controls the pace as Dempsey attacks or steps back with a consistent offense. God bless!

[@cheetoyeeto1232]

185lb vs 210lb

[@mattsharkey8437]

@@cheetoyeeto1232 Pound for Pound. Not those two selected weights

[@7omni748]

That's true Tunney would beat Ali . The art of boxing was starting to fade by then ,Ali was not master boxer like Tunney. Prime Dempsey takes Ali . Frazier was major challenge for Ali , dempsey so much more complete then Frazier. One of Ali's biggest weakness was left hook, Dempsey had the best LH.

[@LilBigTv2k]

Tunney wasn’t as fast nor hits hard as Frazier or Foreman ! This would be another win for Ali

[@mattsharkey8437]

@@LilBigTv2k not in a pound for pound fight. Ali was usually bigger in height and weight against his opponents. If Ali fought most of the greats at the same weight and height, his record wouldn't be that impressive. Tunney at the same weight and height would rough him up. If Frazier was the same weight and height, Ali wouldn't have a prayer lol.

[@scottbanks7923]

Maybe I don't know my boxing history, but I don't think I saw 10 jabs thrown the whole fight. There were some short hooks and deliberately weak overhands and things that sort of look like jabs, but no real snapping jabs like we see today. Maybe the economical power of the jab hadn't been discovered yet. Odd for sure.

[@samtotheg]

you dont jab down ..at crouching fighters or you give up reach and make yourself very very vulnerable!!!

[@freddiereagan6705]

Gene Tunney

[@havrisen6620]

Tunney was one tough SOB.

[@2Jeezuzisreal]

i would put Harry Greb at the top next to Marsiono for wins and. multiple weight classes.

[@truthhitman7473]

Bill Richmond was better than Harry Greb

[@truthbeyond3624]

Truth Hitman Harry Greb fought black fighters he didnt duck them

[@HotBoxingMinute]

This was my first time watching this whole video. Tunney was so ahead of his time. Tunney's footwork, combos, and ring IQ was just too much for the legendary Jack Dempsey.

[@JENS3Nv]

im related to dempsey :)

[@AndreasTunney]

I'm related to Gene :) Great Grandfather

[@FeaRxEcHoGaming]

Andreas Tunney really

[@TheBullOfLewisham]

Thanks Jack.

[@freebird2492]

they were the greatest heavyweight boxers that ever was

[@jayfletcher852]

thats funny

[@marktorak5578]

Tunney the boxing master great performance. Tunneys only lost to great middleweight Harry Greb. But he beat zGreb either 2 or 3 times after that lose

[@LarryjB53]

Tunney left jab look a little weak no sap in it. Might be the film quality.

[@samtotheg]

he was maaking dempsey run into it ,he didnt need all his force for that jab to be effective

[@Ditka-89]

I know you’re not supposed to compare eras, but I can’t help wondering how Jack Dempsey would fare against modern fighters.

[@rich52movie]

practical to lose this fight for another BIG payday rematch

[@marktorak5578]

Gene Tunnys only lost wA to middle boxing champion Harry Grebb where he took a beating around the nose. Over 15 rounds Tunney came back and beat Greb more then once

[@JesusChristGamingInc]

gene tunney is my grate grate cousin

[@davidmoser7849]

Two percent Jewish Gene was not cheese sweety

[@wheelinthesky300]

That is not the same Dempsey from 1919. Not that he would have beaten Tunney if he were.

[@jasonwalters8848]

1918-1919 Dempsey was the greatest Heavyweight of all-time.

[@Maverikk68]

Jason Walters Dempsey's only real defense was that the boxers that he fought were afraid of his offense. Tunney would have out fought him at any point in his career.

[@wheelinthesky300]

Maverikk68 I tend to agree with you. Dempsey fought in a particularly weak Heavyweight era. That's not to say a 1919 Dempsey would have lost to a 1926 Tunney. Just that a 1926 Tunney was no Jess Willard.

[@RK-ot8fw]

Even an old Dempsey had tunney kncoked out and beat but only for the referee with a bad arm and who forgot how to count to 10.

[@wheelinthesky300]

RK88 Tunney won 21 out of 22 rounds vs Dempsey. Granted, Jack was rusty from a 3-year layoff and his skills had attrited. Keep in mind, though, Tunney was having a stellar Light Heavyweight career while Depmsey was Heavyweight King. Had they both met in their primes, it would have been more an Ali-Frazier I (1971), pick 'em fight.

[@TheBatugan77]

I prefer boxers. To briefs.

[@frankbrown3138]

Jack the Draft Dodger gets his cumuppence.

[@gilbertpvalencia]

The Canelo fight is on

[@tractorfan19]

wat chanel?

[@markant9534]

Sharp right counter that didn`t travel far by Tunney coming out of the clinch 2:45.

[@ChingaoCharlie]

Espiritu de luchav70

[@1saxonwolf]

@ Peter Bellini- Dempsey wasnt even liked as a champion by the public til after he lost. It was the fighters & trainers who knew his greatness. He was the most feared fighter of his day. Langford, Tunney, Schmeling, "Dean of boxing" Ray Arcel all called him the best, among countless others. Fact is Tunney got him past prime. Not taking anything away from Tunney, all time great himself. Might have beaten him anyway. Personally dont think so. Beat him 20 rounds ?? Long count, Tunney won that rnd ? FActs ??

[@1saxonwolf]

Peter Bellini What are you talking about ??? The "long count" was in rnd 7, Tunneys Flash knockdown was in rnd 8. Nobody recognizes he could get up at 4. And he didn't look at the ref at 4, it was 8 to 9 in real time if the ref picked up the timekeepers count which he didn't. And if u pay attention(?) in rnd 8 the ref starts the count on JD with no direction to Tunney to go to a neutral corner. So,,,, your everybody doesn't exist. Your your own everybody. FActs !! hah

[@SonofHsu16]

+1saxonwolf Yeah I Counted Tunney down 14 in that fight

[@marktorak5578]

Tunneys boxing style reminds me of Larry Holmes

[@lexbogie1]

hate to tell you guys this but,thses guys aren't that good would have been destroyed by the fighters of the 70s

[@freebird2492]

lexbogie1 lol what clueless casual boxing fan you are.

[@lexbogie1]

free bird if you mean knowledgeable than yes i am

[@billwhite9703]

lexbogie1 No. You have no idea. Great boxers will adapt to the times.

[@lexbogie1]

Bill white yeah,i can agree with that

[@dexterjankaren]

+Bill white I agree. To compare fighters from different times you have to give the older fighters the chance of having all the advantages the newer fighters have like nutrition and the hindsight of knowing these newer styles. For instance I think Joe Louis is technically the best heavyweight of all time but I dont think he wouldve beaten Ali the way he was because Alis boxing style hadnt been shown before. To compare different eras you would have to allow Louis to acclimate himself to the times and not just throw him into the 60s-70s. After all Ali got to study Louis in order for him to grow as a boxer.

[@marktorak5578]

Dempsey couldnt deal with boxers

[@ascendediam]

don't see either fighter as advanced as guys's foreman/ali fought this looks very novice like So why is it mutiple people on forums said This guy gene/jack could beat ali/Foreman

[@FeaRxEcHoGaming]

i don’t want to be disrespectful but i don’t see the big deal with these guys they look average and sloppy

[@ХристоР]

Choppy footage.....they hit really fast and hard

[@samtotheg]

you dont know what you are watching

[@dsimon33871]

@@samtotheg exactly

[@thomasanthony5306]

Boring fight. Fought in the clinch the whole time.

[@samtotheg]

really really technical and well thought out fight its not what you are used to seeing

[@Boxeo250]

Then go watch wwe thomas

[@bucksdiaryfan]

what exactly is Dempsey's strategy in this fight? He looks totally ineffective. He bobs and weaves and then gets inside and lets himself get tied up. Then he eats a left and right and then bobs and weaves and does nothing... I wouldn't put either of these guys in the ring with a heavyweight from the 1970s... they'd get KILLED

[@michaeltrumph121]

First of all, the 90's had the best HW's, not the 70's. Second of all, of course they'd get killed. They were good for their time, but not for those that followed.

[@samtotheg]

you gotta observe the fight better,you are looking thru your limited modern day lens on what boxing is , reason dempsey couldnt do anything cuz tunney was manipulating distance, tunney would feitn with his feet and hands(no 70s boxers were doing that) and he would either hop back , hold ground or step forward with punches ,Dempsey NEVER KNEW what he was gonna do , a 70s heavy didnt control range like that they stood in front of each other with high gaurds and took turns punching! Tunney and Dempsey whip 70s heavies

[@samtotheg]

@@michaeltrumph121 90s heavies were less skilled than 70s lol

[@michaeltrumph121]

@@samtotheg 90's boxers were far superior to the 70's boxers and they'd beat the shit out of them H2H

[@antoniomosley9410]

@@michaeltrumph121 Foreman would like a word with you buddy. Put Ron Lyle,Quarry, Norton, heck even jimmy Ellis in the 90s and they'll be extremely prepared against any heavyweight of the 90s.

[@trvth1s]

Punch, hug, punch, pug, punch, hug. Gene Tunney was worse than Floyd Mayweather/Evander Holyfield. If you look carefully you can also see him doing dirty things during the clinches.

[@lingbon3543]

He punches, clinches up to stop the return fire, then immediately dances away and throws another combination. This is a really, really impressive boxing display. Watch his feet when he clinches, it's like he clips around Dempsey like a video game glitch. And Dempsey is one of my all time favorites. Never had the heart to watch this one, was hoping he'd have been a little more competitive. But Tunney skunked him. I still believe the long count was a legit KO though.

[@dexterjankaren]

+Ling Bon No way. He looked like he was ready to get up long before he did

[@lingbon3543]

***** yeah but he got another eight or nine seconds from the ref. You can be KO'd at 10 and get up at 18.

[@dexterjankaren]

But Tunney looked awake and ready to get up long before, he just took advantage of as much rest as possible. We'll never know, my opinion