98 years ago

Date: 23rd September 1926

Title: World Heavyweight Title

Promoter: Tex Rickard & Herman Taylor

Tv: Cinematic Film

Jack Dempsey
( 57 - 4 - 9 )
Weight: 190 lbs

Gene Tunney
( 77 - 1 - 3 )
Weight: 189½ lbs

On the evening of September 23, 1926, a historic boxing match took place at the Sesquicentennial Stadium, Philadelphia, where Gene Tunney squared off against Jack Dempsey for the World Heavyweight Title. Promoted by Tex Rickard and Herman Taylor, the stage was set for Dempsey's sixth title defense. Both fighters came into the bout with impressive records; Dempsey boasting a 57-4-9 record and Tunney holding a record of 77-1-3. However, despite Dempsey being the crowd favorite, the outcome of the evening was destined to be different.

Initial plans had marked the Yankee Stadium as the location of the match, however due to licensing complications regarding Dempsey and the New York State Athletic Commission's order to defend against Harry Wills, the venue shifted to Philadelphia. This didn't dampen the anticipation for the bout. The bout, heralded as boxing's third million dollar gate, managed to attract the largest paid attendance ever for a boxing match at that time with a crowd of 120,557.

The stakes were high as the purse for the match was an astronomical amount for the era. Dempsey was set to take home $770,000, and Tunney was promised $200,000. Despite being the underdog, Tunney's arrival at the stadium was nothing short of spectacular as he flew in on an airplane, a sight which reportedly worried Rickard.

However, the fight took a surprising turn. Earlier in the day, Dempsey had been given a small glass of olive oil by one of his bodyguards, a habit intended to aid digestion. Shortly thereafter, Dempsey suffered symptoms akin to food poisoning. This led to rampant rumors of foul play, with speculations that gamblers, possibly Arnold Rothstein himself who had a hefty $125,000 bet on Tunney, had tampered with Dempsey's pre-fight ritual.

Undeterred by the rain that started as they entered the ring, both fighters gave their best. Dempsey, struggling with his ailment, wasn't able to keep up with Tunney. Tunney dominated the fight, showcasing his skills and endurance, and ended up winning the match by a 10-round unanimous decision. The spectators and the boxing world at large were taken aback by the result.

In an extraordinary upset, Gene Tunney dethroned Jack Dempsey, the reigning champion. This victory led to Tunney's win being named the "Upset of the Decade" by The Ring magazine, solidifying his place in the annals of boxing history.