Now Booking the Only Official Pictures Dempsey-Tunney -- January 24, 2015

Film Daily, 06-October-1926

Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, the Manassa Mauler, defended his title against former Light Heavyweight champ Gene Tunney, the Fighting Marine, on 23-September-1926 in Philadelphia.  Tunney was the underdog, but Dempsey, who had not fought in three years, lost a unanimous decision in ten rounds.  This was a big upset.  After the fight, Dempsey told his wife, actress Estelle Taylor, "Honey, I forgot to duck." 

We recently saw an ad for the "Gross Misrepresentation" distributed by Pathé:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/11/this-special-shows-all-law-allows.html
This two-reeler, authorized by promoter Tex Rickard, purports to be "An Excellent Two-Reeler Showing All Their Activities Before and After the Battle -- See the Men Between Each Round"  It does not show the actual fight because the interstate transportation of fight films was illegal from 1912 until 1940. 

Dempsey and Tunney fought again in 1927.  More on that later. 

Dempsey and Tunney later became friends.  When Gene's son John Tunney ran for the US Senate in California, against tap dancer George Murphy, Dempsey campaigned for him.