Jack Dempsey
Titles: heavyweight champion 1919-1926
Record: 61-6-8 with 6 ND
Born: June 24, 1895 in Manassa, Colorado (USA)
Years active: 1914-1927
Nickname: The Manassa Mauler
One of America's legends, Jack Dempsey turned out to be possibly the most
popular champion of all-time. Dempsey thrilled the audience with his
ferocity in the ring, pictures of Dempsey in the ring seemed to always show
him with a scowl that menaced his opponents. He was also the first fighter
who had his opponents beaten before they entered the ring. He really had no
boxing style as he waded in with both hands flying looking for the knockout
and seldom going to the body. Three words best described his so called style
.....seek and destroy. Dempsey was one of 9 children and his 2 older brothers
also boxed as pro's. In the beginning of his career he travelled the western
states fighting in bars and would challenge any man to beat him.....of course
money and a freee diner were also wagered on the outcome. He slept in hobo
camps and hoped on cargo trains to go from state to state looking for
temporary jobs in mining towns or picking fruit. In 1914 his boxing career
for good when he was paid $3.50 and boxed under the name of Kid Blackie at
140 pounds during the summer of 1912. That is where he fond Doc Kearns the
manager who would guide him to riches. Of course it was not all a bed of
roses, Dempsey like Ali had a fighter he just could not seem to beat....
before he became champion. "Fat" Willie Meehan outpointed him twice and
Dempsey only won 1 of the 5 fights they were in. This should have shown
others that a defensive boxer could defeat Dempsey and later Tunney would
prove the few critics right by outboxing Dempsey. Also Jim Flynn managed
to knock out Dempsey but it was a shortlived victory as Dempsey would knock
him out in the return bout. His ferocious style got Dempsey the attention
of the fans and with that a shot at the title. In one of the most brutally
one sided fights in any championship fight dempsey battered Jess Willard
from pillar to post. He broke the cheek bone of Willard and knocked him
down 7 times in the first round along. With blood pouring from his mouth
Willard retired after the third round. 3 one sided title defenses including
the first million dollar gate victory over Georges Carpentier followed.
Dempsey was involved in two of the most colorful and controversial events
in the history of boxing when he was knocked out of the ring by Luis Firpo
and helped back in before the referee could count him out. The second was
the second Tunney fight involving the famous "long count". Long periods of
inactivity where Dempsey made films was followed by the first loss to Gene
Tunney and many think the spark was simply gone from Dempsey when he made
too much money. The rematch with Tunney of course included the infamous
long count but he was outboxed by Tunney in both bouts. Dempsey retired
after the second defeat and lived to the age of 88 and ran the famous
restaurant named after for many of those 88 years. Dempsey's record is still
incomplete since he fought as a hobo from 1911 to 1916.
Jack Dempsey
Career Record: 61 W, 6 L, 8 D, 6 ND (50 K.O's)
1914
17 Aug Young Herman Ramona, CO D 6
2 Nov One-Punch Hancock Salt Lake City, UT KO 1
30 Nov Billy Murphy Salt Lake City, UT KO 1
1915
- Jan Battling Johnson ?, UT KO 1
- Feb Joe Lyons ?, UT KO 9
- Mar Johnny Pierson ?, UT KO 7
1 Apr Chief Gordon ?, UT KO 6
5 Apr Jack Downey Salt Lake City, UT L 4
26 Apr Anamas Campbell Reno, NV KO 3
31 May Johnny Sudenberg Goldfield, NV D 10
13 Jun Johnny Sudenberg Tonopah, NV D 10
1 Aug Fred Woods Montrose, CO KO 4
7 Oct Andy Malloy Durango, CO ND 10
23 Oct Andy Malloy Montrose, CO KO 3
19 Nov George Copelin Cripple Creek, CO KO 7
13 Dec Jack Downey Salt Lake City, UT D 4
(Dempsey was knocked down)
20 Dec Two-Round Gillian Salt Lake City, UT KO 1
1916
1 Feb Johnny Sudenberg Ely, NV KO 2
21 Feb Jack Downey Salt Lake City, UT KO 2
23 Feb Boston Bearcat Ogden, UT KO 1
9 Mar Cyril Koehn Provo, UT KO 4
17 Mar George Christian Price, UT KO 1
8 Apr Australia Joe Bonds Ely, NV W 10
3 May Terry Kellar Ogden, UT W 10
17 May Dan Ketchell Provo, UT KO 3
30 May Bob York Price, UT KO 4
24 Jun "Agile" Andre Anderson New York, NY ND 10
8 Jul Wild Burt Kenny New York, NY ND 10
14 Jul John Lester Johnson New York, NY ND 10
28 Sep Young Hector Conrew Salida, CO KO 3
7 Oct Terry Kellar Ely, NV W 10
16 Oct Fighting Dick Gilbert Salt Lake City, UT W 10
29 Nov Young Hector Conrew Salida, CO KO 2
1917
16 Feb "Fireman" Jim Flynn Murray, UT KO by 1
21 Mar Al Norton Oakland, CA D 4
28 Mar Willie Meehan Oakland, CA L 4
11 Apr Al Norton Oakland, CA D 4
25 Jul Willie Meehan Emeryville, CA W 4
1 Aug Al Norton Emeryville, CA KO 1
10 Aug Willie Meehan San Francisco, CA D 4
7 Sep Willie Meehan San Francisco, CA D 4
19 Sep Charley Miller Oakland, CA KO 1
26 Sep Bob McAllister Emeryville, CA W 4
2 Oct Edward "Gunboat" Smith San Francisco, CA W 4
2 Nov Carl Morris San Francisco, CA W 4
1918
24 Jan Homer Smith Racine, WI KO 1
4 Feb Carl Morris Buffalo, NY W D.Q 6
14 Feb "Fireman" Jim Flynn Fort Sheridan, IL KO 1
25 Feb KO Bill Brennan Milwaukee, WI KO 6
16 Mar Fred Soddy Memphis, TN KO 1
25 Mar Tom Riley Joplin, MO KO 1
3 May Billy Miske St. Paul, MN ND 10
22 May Dan Ketchell Excelsior Springs, CO KO 2
29 May Arthur Pelkey Denver, CO KO 1
1 Jul Tommy Kid McCarthy Tulsa, OK KO 1
4 Jul Bob Devere Joplin, MO KO 1
6 Jul Dan "Porky" Flynn Atlanta, GA KO 1
27 Jul Fred Fulton Harrison, NJ KO 1
26 Aug Terry Kellar Dayton, OH KO 5
13 Sep Willie Meehan San Francisco, CA L 4
14 Sep Jack Moran Reno, NV KO 1
6 Nov Battling Levinsky Philadelphia, PA KO 3
18 Nov Dan "Porky" Flynn Philadelphia, PA KO 1
28 Nov Billy Miske Philadelphia, PA ND 6
16 Dec Carl Morris New Orleans, LA KO 1
30 Dec Edward "Gunboat" Smith Buffalo, NY KO 2
1919
20 Jan Big Jack Hickey Harrisburg, PA KO 1
23 Jan Kid Harris Reading, PA KO 1
29 Jan Kid Henry Easton, PA KO 1
13 Feb Eddie Smith Altoona, PA KO 1
2 Apr Tony Drake New Haven, CT KO 1
4 Jul Jess Willard Toledo, OH KO 3
(Won World Heavyweight Title)
1920
6 Sep Billy Miske Benton Harbor, MI KO 3
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
14 Dec Bill Brennan New York, NY KO 12
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
1921
2 Jul Georges Carpentier Jersey City, NJ KO 4
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
1922
No official bouts.
1923
4 Jul Tommy Gibbons Shelby, MT W 15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
14 Sep Luis Firpo New York, NY KO 2
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
1924
No official bouts.
1925
23 Sep Gene Tunney Philadelphia, PA L 10
(Lost World Heavyweight Title)
1927
21 Jul Jack Sharkey New York, NY KO 7
22 Sep Gene Tunney Chicago, IL L 10
(For World Heavyweight Title)