Gene Tunney
In addition to beating Dempsey, the most famous fighter of his era, Tunney defeated Tommy Gibbons, Georges Carpentier and many other fine boxers.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.This makes him one of only five Heavyweight champions, alongside Rocky Marciano, Riddick Bowe, Sultan Ibragimov and Nicolai Valuev to retire without ever suffering a stoppage defeat.Having avenged his only loss to Harry Greb, Tunney joins Ingemar Johansson, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe as the only five heavyweight champions to have retired while holding a victory over every opponent he faced as a professional (barring no-contests and draws).Tunney was demobilized following the war, but remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, ultimately reaching the rank of major in the Connecticut Naval Militia.[6] They had three sons and one daughter: Previous to his marrying Polly Lauder, Tunney was sued in 1927 for breach of promise by Katherine King Fogarty.Mentioned in the short story "Fallon" by J. D. Luther, when imprisoned character Tyson Wayne Vance recalls his abusive father, "Was more than one night momma'd look like she went fifteen rounds with Gene Tunney...".In the 1932 boxing film Winner Take All, James Cagney's character Jimmy Kane—a has-been former champion trying to get educated—laments that William Shakespeare was "the one who ruined Gene Tunney."The novelette A KO for Christmas by Shawn Pollock features a character, Stitch Stanford, who hopes to fight Gene Tunney for the heavyweight title.
Greenwich, ConnecticutLight-heavyweightHeavyweightOrthodoxprofessional boxerlight heavyweightHarry GrebGeorges CarpentierJack DempseyThe Long Count FightTom HeeneyFighter of the YearThe RingNew York CityKiltimaghCounty MayoGreat FamineTheodore RooseveltNational Museum of American Historynewspaper decisionsTommy LoughranTommy GibbonslumberjackOntarioOttawaactingThe Fighting MarineRing MagazineInternational Boxing Hall of FameMickey WalkerJames J. CorbettBenny LeonardLong CountRocky MarcianoRiddick BoweSultan IbragimovNicolai ValuevVitali KlitschkoIngemar JohanssonLennox LewisWorld War I11th Marine RegimentFranceGermanyoccupation of the RhinelandMarine Corps ReserveConnecticut Naval MilitiaJames ForrestalUnited States Naval Reservelieutenant commanderHawaiicommandercaptainNavy Commendation MedalAmerican Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic Pacific Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalWorld War I Victory MedalArmy of Occupation of Germany MedalMarine Corps Good Conduct MedalTrinity College DublinCharles R. FrancissocialiteMary "Polly" LauderStamford, ConnecticutJohn Varick TunneyU.S. RepresentativeU.S. SenatorCaliforniaSan FranciscoMcLean Hospitalbreach of promiseDean MartinJerry LewisGene TierneyRichard Thompson'sAcross a Crowded RoomArthur MillerDeath of a SalesmanWinner Take AllJames CagneyWilliam ShakespeareBoxRecNewspaper decisions/draws22 Sep 1927Soldier FieldSesquicentennial StadiumSaint PetersburgPublic HallClevelandMinneapolis ArenaMinneapolisMemorial HallKansas City, KansasJeff SmithMemphis, TennesseeEbensburgBrooklynColumbus, OhioPolo GroundsErminio SpallaYankee StadiumSaint Paul, MinnesotaColiseum ArenaWest Palm Beach, FloridaChicago ColiseumChicago, IllinoisFair Grounds ColiseumDetroitPhiladelphia ArenaCharley WeinertMechanics HallBoston, MassachusettsShibe ParkLong BranchQueensMotor Square GardenGrand Rapids, MichiganPhiladelphia_ArenaClermont Avenue Skating RinkBattling LevinskyMadison Square GardenHerbert Crossley2 Jul 1921Boyle's Thirty Acres