Making History Come Alive Offers The "Long Count", a controversial moment in boxing history during the heavyweight championship rematch between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey on September 22, 1927.
fight took place at Soldier Field in Chicago and is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history.
The term "Long Count" specifically refers to an incident in the seventh round. Here's what happened:
- In the seventh round, Jack Dempsey knocked down Gene Tunney with a series of powerful punches. Tunney fell to the canvas, and the referee, Dave Barry, began the count to determine if Tunney could continue the fight.
- At the time, boxing rules required that the fighter scoring the knockdown (in this case, Dempsey) had to move to a neutral corner before the referee would start the count. Dempsey, however, initially did not move to a neutral corner, delaying the start of the count.
- As a result, Tunney had more time to recover while the referee directed Dempsey to the neutral corner and then began the count. By the time the referee started counting, more seconds had elapsed than usual.
- Tunney took full advantage of the extended count, rising to his feet at the referee's count of nine and continuing the fight.
Despite the knockdown, Tunney managed to regain his composure and went on to win the fight by unanimous decision, retaining his heavyweight title.
The controversy surrounding the "Long Count" has been a topic of debate among boxing fans and historians for decades. Some argue that the delay in the count gave Tunney an unfair advantage, while others believe that the referee's actions were consistent with the rules of the time.
The "Long Count" fight remains one of the most memorable and discussed moments in boxing history, highlighting the dramatic and unpredictable nature of the sport.