Gene Tunney

James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an Irish-American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923.

A highly technical boxer, Tunney had a five-fight light heavyweight rivalry with Harry Greb in which he won three, lost once, and drew once, though many ringside reporters believed Greb should have won the decision in their second meeting. Tunney also knocked out Georges Carpentier and defeated Jack Dempsey twice; first in 1926 and again in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey remains one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight. He retired undefeated as a heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928, after which Tunney was named the inaugural Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine.

Early life

James Joseph Tunney was born on May 25, 1897, in New York City to Irish immigrant parents from Kiltimagh, County Mayo. His mother, Mary Lydon from Culleen House, Gorthgarve, Kiltimagh immigrated to the United States after the Great Famine and settled in New York City, where she met John Tunney, from Cill Aodain, Kiltimagh. They married after a short courtship. The Tunneys had seven children. At an early age, Gene Tunney was inspired by President Theodore Roosevelt to become physically fit.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Career

File:Gene Tunney August 30, 1926 TIME Magazine.jpg

Gene Tunney on the cover of TIME Magazine August 30, 1926

Tunney fought some 68 official professional fights, losing only one, to Harry Greb, while fighting as a light heavyweight. Tunney fought many other fights whose scoring was unofficial, judged by newspaper reporters. He also lost none of these "newspaper decisions". He reported that he lost a second fight during World War I, a 10-round decision, to Tommy Loughran, as a Marine before he began his professional boxing career. Tunney was regarded as an extremely skillful boxer who excelled in defense. In addition to beating Dempsey, the most famous fighter of his era, Tunney defeated Tommy Gibbons, Georges Carpentier and many other fine boxers.

Already the American Expeditionary Forces champion, Tunney spent the winter of 1921 as a lumberjack in northern Ontario for the J. R. Booth Company of Ottawa, without revealing he was a champion boxer. He explained this as "wanting the solitude and the strenuous labors of the woods to help condition himself for the career that appeared before him."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Tunney also had a brief acting career, starring in the movie The Fighting Marine in 1926. Unfortunately, no prints of this film are known to exist.

He was named The Ring magazine's inaugural Fighter of the Year in 1928 and later elected to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

File:Boxing gloves worn by Gene Tunney in the Long Count Fight against Jack Dempsey, 1927 (NMAH 2011.0070.01).jpg

Boxing gloves worn by Tunney in the "Long Count Fight" against Jack Dempsey (National Museum of American History)

Fighting style

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. Tunney's style was influenced by other noted boxing thinkers such as James J. Corbett and Benny Leonard. Nevertheless, it is incorrect to think of Tunney as a stick-and-move fighter in the Ali style. While Tunney's heavyweight fights against Gibbons, Carpentier, and Dempsey featured his fleet-footed movement and rapid-fire jabbing, his earlier bouts, especially the five against Harry Greb, demonstrated his vicious body punching and willingness to fight toe-to-toe. It was Benny Leonard who advised Tunney that the only way to beat Harry "The Human Windmill" Greb was to aim his punches at Greb's body rather than his head.Template:Citation needed

Always moving and boxing behind an excellent left jab, Tunney would study his opponents from the first bell. He generally preferred to stay outside and nullify any attacks, while using quick counters to keep the opponent off balance. In his fights against Jack Dempsey, today's viewer can see Tunney's style: hands held low for greater power, fast footwork that adjusts to every move his opponent makes and quick and accurate one-two style counter-punches with the left and right.

Tunney was never knocked out, while only ever being knocked down once, that in his second fight with Dempsey in the infamous Long Count. 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. Tunney, along with Marciano, Lewis and Vitali Klitschko is one of four heavyweight champions to have retired as champion and to have ended their career with a win in a world title fight. 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).Template:Citation needed

Muhammad Ali is quoted praising Tunney's ahead-of-its-time fighting style in the 2015 book "Muhammad Ali: Portrait Of A Champion" by Scoop Malinowski. “If you look at Tunney is where boxing started to get better. He throws punches sharp and quick. Strong, fast and quick. He’s about the best of the old timers. I’d say Tunney is the greatest old timer as far as punching and skill is concerned. Tunney used footwork – something that most heavyweights don’t have. I thought I was the only heavyweight to do that. He’s jabbing and moving. Tunney didn’t fight like old timer fighters, he’s moving like me but with no rhythm. Dempsey is dangerous in close like Frazier and Marciano. Dempsey is a good ducker, he could bob a lot. Tunney is the best of that era. I see him sometimes, tell him he was one of the best of all time.”Template:Citation needed

Military service

File:Gene Tunney in Marine uniform.jpg

Tunney in Marine uniform

Tunney enlisted the Marine Corps during World War I and served as private with 11th Marine Regiment in France and later in Germany during the occupation of the Rhineland in 1919. He saw no combat and spent most of the war in the Marine boxing team, becoming U.S. Expeditionary Forces champion. Tunney was demobilized following the war, but remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, ultimately reaching the rank of major in the Connecticut Naval Militia.

Following the United States entry into World War II, at the request of Navy Undersecretary James Forrestal, Tunney accepted a commission in the United States Naval Reserve as a lieutenant commander to set up a physical fitness program for student pilots. He headed the Navy's physical fitness programme for the duration of the war and also made an inspection trip to Hawaii and the surrounding area.<ref name="All Hands August 1994">Template:Cite web</ref>

Tunney was consecutively promoted to the ranks of commander and captain and retired shortly following the War. For his wartime service, he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal and was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal. He also held the World War I Victory Medal with France Clasp, Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal for his World War I enlisted service.

Tunney Cup

File:Gene Tunney at Trinity College.jpg

Tunney at Trinity College Dublin, 1928

In 1932, Tunney published a book called A Man Must Fight, in which he gave comments on his career and boxing techniques. In 1928, the U.S. Marine Corps presented – as a sign of friendship – a challenge cup to the Corps of Royal Marines, in the hope it might be competed for by Royal Marines association football teams.<ref name=RMhistory>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TunneyCup>Template:Cite web</ref> The Royal Marines named the trophy the "Tunney Cup," in honor of then-USMC Captain Tunney, who, with Sergeant Major Charles R. Francis, presented the trophy on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps.<ref name=RMhistory/><ref name=TunneyCup/>

Personal life

In 1928, Tunney married a wealthy socialite Mary "Polly" Lauder (April 24, 1907 – April 19, 2008). After Tunney's retirement, the couple lived in Stamford, Connecticut and raised four children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They had three sons and one daughter:

• John Varick Tunney (1934–2018), who was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from California from 1965 until 1977;
• Jonathan "Jay" Rowland Tunney of Stamford, Connecticut;
• Gene Lauder Tunney (1931–2009),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who became a lawyer and served as district attorney for Sonoma County, California, for 20 years; and
• Joan Tunney Wilkinson (1939–2008)<ref>Deceased Members – Mount Holyoke College</ref> of San Francisco,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> who was committed to McLean Hospital on June 6, 1970, after she murdered her husband, Lynn Carter Wilkinson Jr.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>[1]Template:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Previous to his marrying Polly Lauder, Tunney was sued in 1927 for breach of promise by Katherine King Fogarty.<ref name="DH">Template:Cite news</ref>

Death and legacy

Tunney died on November 7, 1978, at the Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut at the age of eighty-one, after suffering from a circulation ailment.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was interred at Long Ridge Union Cemetery in Stamford, Connecticut.

In popular culture

File:Gene Tunney.jpg

Trading stamp honoring Tunney

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had a comedy routine in which Lewis (in boxing shorts and gear) states he will be fighting Gene Tierney (the actress). Martin corrects Lewis and suggests that he must mean "Gene Tunney". Lewis then quips "You fight who you wanna fight, I'm fight'n who I wanna fight, I'm fight'n Gene Tierney."<ref>Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait, The Biography Channel. March 26, 1999</ref>

In the song "She Twists the Knife Again" from Richard Thompson's 1985 album Across a Crowded Room, describing the mismatched intensity in a strife-ladened relationship, Thompson writes: "I'm in a fist fight/She thinks she's Gene Tunney!"

He is also mentioned in Act 1 of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman: Willy tells his sons he has a punching bag with Tunney's signature on it.

Mentioned in A Whistle in the Dark (Act 1, p. 31) by Tom Murphy: "in the words of the great Gene Tunney, a man must fight back. His father was a Mayoman too".

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 1928 silent comedy Feel My Pulse, Richard Arlen's character is asked about why a woman has just come onto an island. He responds (in intertitles), "She uses too big words for me! She talks like she was Gene Tunney's librarian."<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

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.

Professional boxing record

All information in this section is derived from BoxRec,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> unless otherwise stated.

Official record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
85	Template:Yes2Win	Template:Nowrap	Tom Heeney	TKO	11 (15), Template:Small	26 Jul 1928	Template:Small	Template:Small
84	Template:Yes2Win	64–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	22 Sep 1927	Template:Small	Template:Small
83	Template:Yes2Win	63–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	23 Sep 1926	Template:Small	Template:Small
82	Template:Yes2Win	62–1–1 Template:Small	Dan O'Dowd	KO	2 (10), Template:Small	29 Dec 1925	Template:Small
81	Win	61–1–1 Template:Small	Johnny Risko	NWS	12	18 Nov 1925	Template:Small
80	Template:Yes2Win	61–1–1 Template:Small	Bartley Madden	KO	3 (10)	25 Sep 1925	Template:Small
79	Template:Yes2Win	60–1–1 Template:Small	Italian Jack Herman	KO	2 (10)	3 Jul 1925	Template:Small
78	Template:Yes2Win	59–1–1 Template:Small	Tommy Gibbons	KO	12 (15)	5 Jun 1925	Template:Small
77	Win	58–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Greb	NWS	10	27 Mar 1925	Template:Small
76	Win	58–1–1 Template:Small	Jeff Smith	NWS	15	8 Dec 1924	Template:Small
75	Template:Yes2Win	58–1–1 Template:Small	Buddy McHale	TKO	2 (8)	10 Nov 1924	Template:Small
74	Template:Yes2Win	57–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Foley	TKO	1 (8), Template:Small	27 Oct 1924	Template:Small
73	Template:Yes2Win	56–1–1 Template:Small	Ray Neuman	PTS	10	27 Sep 1924	Template:Small
72	Draw	55–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Greb	NWS	10	17 Sep 1924	Template:Small
71	Template:Yes2Win	55–1–1 Template:Small	Joe Lohman	TKO	8 (12)	18 Aug 1924	Template:Small
70	Template:Yes2Win	54–1–1 Template:Small	Georges Carpentier	TKO	15 (15), Template:Small	24 Jul 1924	Template:Small
69	Template:Yes2Win	53–1–1 Template:Small	Erminio Spalla	TKO	7 (12)	26 Jun 1924	Template:Small
68	Win	52–1–1 Template:Small	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	17 Mar 1924	Template:Small
67	Template:Yes2Win	52–1–1 Template:Small	Martin Burke	PTS	15	15 Feb 1924	Template:Small
66	Template:Yes2Win	51–1–1 Template:Small	Ray Thompson	KO	2 (10)	24 Jan 1924	Template:Small
65	Win	50–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Foley	NWS	10	15 Jan 1924	Template:Small
64	Template:Yes2Win	50–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Greb	UD	15	10 Dec 1923	Template:Small	Template:Small
63	Template:Yes2Win	49–1–1 Template:Small	Dan O'Dowd	PTS	12	31 Jul 1923	Template:Small
62	Win	48–1–1 Template:Small	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	16 May 1923	Template:Small
61	Template:Yes2Win	48–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Clifford	TKO	8 (10)	7 May 1923	Template:Small
60	Template:Yes2Win	47–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Greb	Template:Abbr	15	23 Feb 1923	Template:Small	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	46–1–1 Template:Small	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	12	3 Feb 1923	Template:Small
58	Template:Abbr	45–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Renault	NC	4 (8)	29 Jan 1923	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	45–1–1 Template:Small	Charley Weinert	KO	4 (15)	29 Nov 1922	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	44–1–1 Template:Small	Jack Hanlon	KO	1 (12), Template:Small	3 Nov 1922	Template:Small
55	Template:Yes2Win	43–1–1 Template:Small	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	10	27 Oct 1922	Template:Small
54	Win	42–1–1 Template:Small	Tommy Loughran	NWS	8	24 Aug 1922	Template:Small
53	Win	42–1–1 Template:Small	Charley Weinert	NWS	12	17 Aug 1922	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	42–1–1 Template:Small	Ray Thompson	KO	3 (10)	4 Aug 1922	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	41–1–1 Template:Small	Fay Keiser	PTS	12	7 Jul 1922	Template:Small
50	Template:No2Loss	40–1–1 Template:Small	Harry Greb	Template:Abbr	15	23 May 1922	Template:Small	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	40–0–1 Template:Small	Jack Burke	TKO	9 (10)	10 Apr 1922	Template:Small
48	Win	39–0–1 Template:Small	Fay Keiser	NWS	10	3 Mar 1922	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	39–0–1 Template:Small	Whitey Wenzel	TKO	4 (8)	14 Feb 1922	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	38–0–1 Template:Small	Jack Clifford	TKO	6 (12), Template:Small	11 Feb 1922	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	37–0–1 Template:Small	Battling Levinsky	PTS	12	13 Jan 1922	Template:Small	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	36–0–1 Template:Small	Eddie O'Hare	KO	6 (8)	22 Dec 1921	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	35–0–1 Template:Small	Wolf Larsen	TKO	7 (12), Template:Small	25 Oct 1921	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	34–0–1 Template:Small	Jack Burke	TKO	3 (8)	14 Oct 1921	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	33–0–1 Template:Small	Herbert Crossley	PTS	7	26 Sep 1921	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	32–0–1 Template:Small	Eddie Josephs	PTS	12	18 Aug 1921	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	31–0–1 Template:Small	Martin Burke	PTS	10	4 Aug 1921	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	30–0–1 Template:Small	Soldier Jones	TKO	7 (8)	2 Jul 1921	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	29–0–1 Template:Small	Johnny Ambrose	KO	1 (12), Template:Small	28 Jun 1921	Template:Small
36	Win	28–0–1 Template:Small	Leo Hauck	NWS	10	7 Dec 1920	Template:Small
35	Win	28–0–1 Template:Small	Leo Hauck	NWS	6	25 Nov 1920	Template:Small
34	Win	28–0–1 Template:Small	Paul Samson Koerner	NWS	10	25 Oct 1920	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	28–0–1 Template:Small	Sergeant Ray Smith	TKO	2 (8)	22 Oct 1920	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	27–0–1 Template:Small	Ole Anderson	TKO	3 (10), Template:Small	28 Jun 1920	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	26–0–1 Template:Small	Jeff Madden	TKO	2 (12)	7 Jun 1920	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	25–0–1 Template:Small	Jack Clifford	KO	3 (10)	9 Apr 1920	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	24–0–1 Template:Small	K.O. Sullivan	KO	1 (8), Template:Small	5 Apr 1920	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	23–0–1 Template:Small	Ed Kinley	KO	5 (8)	4 Mar 1920	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	22–0–1 Template:Small	Al Roberts	KO	8 (8), Template:Small	2 Feb 1920	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	21–0–1 Template:Small	Jim Monahan	KO	1 (8), Template:Small	26 Jan 1920	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	20–0–1 Template:Small	Bud Nelson	KO	1 (8)	20 Jan 1920	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	19–0–1 Template:Small	Whitey Allen	KO	2 (8)	1 Jan 1920	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	18–0–1 Template:Small	Bob Pearce	KO	2 (8)	29 Dec 1919	Template:Small
22	Win	17–0–1 Template:Small	Dan O'Dowd	NWS	8	16 Dec 1919	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	17–0–1 Template:Small	Ted Jamison	PTS	10	26 Apr 1919	Template:Small	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	16–0–1 Template:Small	K.O. Sullivan	PTS	10	14 Apr 1919	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	15–0–1 Template:Small	Dare Lewis	KO	3	28 Mar 1919	Template:Small	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	14–0–1 Template:Small	Bob Martin	PTS	4	27 Jan 1919	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	13–0–1 Template:Small	Victor Marchand	KO	2	9 Jan 1919	Template:Small
16	Template:DrawDraw	12–0–1 Template:Small	Tommy Gavigan	Template:Abbr	10	20 Dec 1918	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	12–0 Template:Small	Howard Morrow	KO	6	10 Dec 1918	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	11–0 Template:Small	Johnny Newton	KO	6	20 Nov 1918	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	10–0 Template:Small	Hank Werhl	KO	6	1 Nov 1918	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	9–0 Template:Small	Young Guerini	KO	1 (8)	8 Jul 1918	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	8–0 Template:Small	Hugh Weir	KO	2 (10)	15 Jan 1918	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	7–0 Template:Small	Joe Borrell	KO	2 (10)	28 Dec 1917	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	6–0 Template:Small	Sailor Wolfe	KO	2 (10)	29 Dec 1916	Template:Small
8	Win	5–0 Template:Small	George Leahy	NWS	6	22 Dec 1916	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	5–0 Template:Small	Young Sharkey	KO	6 (10)	15 Dec 1916	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	4–0 Template:Small	Young Guerini	TKO	8 (10)	8 Dec 1916	Template:Small
5	Draw	3–0 Template:Small	KO Jaffe	NWS	10	21 Jul 1916	Template:Small
4	Win	3–0 Template:Small	Billy Rowe	Template:Abbr	6	1 Dec 1915	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	George Leahy	KO	2 (6)	28 Aug 1915	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Battling Genrimo	Template:Abbr	3 (10)	6 Aug 1915	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Bobby Dawson	Template:Abbr	8 (10)	3 Jul 1915	Template:Small

Unofficial record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
85	Template:Yes2Win	Template:Nowrap	Tom Heeney	TKO	11 (15), Template:Small	26 Jul 1928	Template:Small	Template:Small
84	Template:Yes2Win	79–1–3 Template:Small	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	22 Sep 1927	Template:Small	Template:Small
83	Template:Yes2Win	78–1–3 Template:Small	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	23 Sep 1926	Template:Small	Template:Small
82	Template:Yes2Win	77–1–3 Template:Small	Dan O'Dowd	KO	2 (10), Template:Small	29 Dec 1925	Template:Small
81	Template:Yes2Win	76–1–3 Template:Small	Johnny Risko	NWS	12	18 Nov 1925	Template:Small
80	Template:Yes2Win	75–1–3 Template:Small	Bartley Madden	KO	3 (10)	25 Sep 1925	Template:Small
79	Template:Yes2Win	74–1–3 Template:Small	Italian Jack Herman	KO	2 (10)	3 Jul 1925	Template:Small
78	Template:Yes2Win	73–1–3 Template:Small	Tommy Gibbons	KO	12 (15)	5 Jun 1925	Template:Small
77	Template:Yes2Win	72–1–3 Template:Small	Harry Greb	NWS	10	27 Mar 1925	Template:Small
76	Template:Yes2Win	71–1–3 Template:Small	Jeff Smith	NWS	15	8 Dec 1924	Template:Small
75	Template:Yes2Win	70–1–3 Template:Small	Buddy McHale	TKO	2 (8)	10 Nov 1924	Template:Small
74	Template:Yes2Win	69–1–3 Template:Small	Harry Foley	TKO	1 (8), Template:Small	27 Oct 1924	Template:Small
73	Template:Yes2Win	68–1–3 Template:Small	Ray Neuman	PTS	10	27 Sep 1924	Template:Small
72	Template:DrawDraw	67–1–3 Template:Small	Harry Greb	NWS	10	17 Sep 1924	Template:Small
71	Template:Yes2Win	67–1–2 Template:Small	Joe Lohman	TKO	8 (12)	18 Aug 1924	Template:Small
70	Template:Yes2Win	66–1–2 Template:Small	Georges Carpentier	TKO	15 (15), Template:Small	24 Jul 1924	Template:Small
69	Template:Yes2Win	65–1–2 Template:Small	Erminio Spalla	TKO	7 (12)	26 Jun 1924	Template:Small
68	Template:Yes2Win	64–1–2 Template:Small	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	17 Mar 1924	Template:Small
67	Template:Yes2Win	63–1–2 Template:Small	Martin Burke	PTS	15	15 Feb 1924	Template:Small
66	Template:Yes2Win	62–1–2 Template:Small	Ray Thompson	KO	2 (10)	24 Jan 1924	Template:Small
65	Template:Yes2Win	61–1–2 Template:Small	Harry Foley	NWS	10	15 Jan 1924	Template:Small
64	Template:Yes2Win	60–1–2 Template:Small	Harry Greb	UD	15	10 Dec 1923	Template:Small	Template:Small
63	Template:Yes2Win	59–1–2 Template:Small	Dan O'Dowd	PTS	12	31 Jul 1923	Template:Small
62	Template:Yes2Win	58–1–2 Template:Small	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	16 May 1923	Template:Small
61	Template:Yes2Win	57–1–2 Template:Small	Jack Clifford	TKO	8 (10)	7 May 1923	Template:Small
60	Template:Yes2Win	56–1–2 Template:Small	Harry Greb	Template:Abbr	15	23 Feb 1923	Template:Small	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	55–1–2 Template:Small	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	12	3 Feb 1923	Template:Small
58	Template:Abbr	54–1–2 Template:Small	Jack Renault	NC	4 (8)	29 Jan 1923	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	54–1–2	Charley Weinert	KO	4 (15)	29 Nov 1922	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	53–1–2	Jack Hanlon	KO	1 (12), Template:Small	3 Nov 1922	Template:Small
55	Template:Yes2Win	52–1–2	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	10	27 Oct 1922	Template:Small
54	Template:Yes2Win	51–1–2	Tommy Loughran	NWS	8	24 Aug 1922	Template:Small
53	Template:Yes2Win	50–1–2	Charley Weinert	NWS	12	17 Aug 1922	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	49–1–2	Ray Thompson	KO	3 (10)	4 Aug 1922	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	48–1–2	Fay Keiser	PTS	12	7 Jul 1922	Template:Small
50	Template:No2Loss	47–1–2	Harry Greb	Template:Abbr	15	23 May 1922	Template:Small	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	47–0–2	Jack Burke	TKO	9 (10)	10 Apr 1922	Template:Small
48	Template:Yes2Win	46–0–2	Fay Keiser	NWS	10	3 Mar 1922	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	45–0–2	Whitey Wenzel	TKO	4 (8)	14 Feb 1922	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	44–0–2	Jack Clifford	TKO	6 (12), Template:Small	11 Feb 1922	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	43–0–2	Battling Levinsky	PTS	12	13 Jan 1922	Template:Small	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	42–0–2	Eddie O'Hare	KO	6 (8)	22 Dec 1921	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	41–0–2	Wolf Larsen	TKO	7 (12), Template:Small	25 Oct 1921	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	40–0–2	Jack Burke	TKO	3 (8)	14 Oct 1921	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	39–0–2	Herbert Crossley	PTS	7	26 Sep 1921	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	38–0–2	Eddie Josephs	PTS	12	18 Aug 1921	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	37–0–2	Martin Burke	PTS	10	4 Aug 1921	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	36–0–2	Soldier Jones	TKO	7 (8)	2 Jul 1921	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	35–0–2	Johnny Ambrose	KO	1 (12), Template:Small	28 Jun 1921	Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	34–0–2	Leo Hauck	NWS	10	7 Dec 1920	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	33–0–2	Leo Hauck	NWS	6	25 Nov 1920	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	32–0–2	Paul Samson Koerner	NWS	10	25 Oct 1920	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	31–0–2	Sergeant Ray Smith	TKO	2 (8)	22 Oct 1920	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	30–0–2	Ole Anderson	TKO	3 (10), Template:Small	28 Jun 1920	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	29–0–2	Jeff Madden	TKO	2 (12)	7 Jun 1920	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	28–0–2	Jack Clifford	KO	3 (10)	9 Apr 1920	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	27–0–2	K.O. Sullivan	KO	1 (8), Template:Small	5 Apr 1920	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	26–0–2	Ed Kinley	KO	5 (8)	4 Mar 1920	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	25–0–2	Al Roberts	KO	8 (8), Template:Small	2 Feb 1920	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	24–0–2	Jim Monahan	KO	1 (8), Template:Small	26 Jan 1920	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	23–0–2	Bud Nelson	KO	1 (8)	20 Jan 1920	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	22–0–2	Whitey Allen	KO	2 (8)	1 Jan 1920	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	21–0–2	Bob Pearce	KO	2 (8)	29 Dec 1919	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	20–0–2	Dan O'Dowd	NWS	8	16 Dec 1919	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	19–0–2	Ted Jamison	PTS	10	26 Apr 1919	Template:Small	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	18–0–2	K.O. Sullivan	PTS	10	14 Apr 1919	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	17–0–2	Dare Lewis	KO	3	28 Mar 1919	Template:Small	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	16–0–2	Bob Martin	PTS	4	27 Jan 1919	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	15–0–2	Victor Marchand	KO	2	9 Jan 1919	Template:Small
16	Template:DrawDraw	14–0–2	Tommy Gavigan	Template:Abbr	10	20 Dec 1918	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	14–0–1	Howard Morrow	KO	6	10 Dec 1918	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	13–0–1	Johnny Newton	KO	6	20 Nov 1918	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	12–0–1	Hank Werhl	KO	6	1 Nov 1918	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	11–0–1	Young Guerini	KO	1 (8)	8 Jul 1918	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	10–0–1	Hugh Weir	KO	2 (10)	15 Jan 1918	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	9–0–1	Joe Borrell	KO	2 (10)	28 Dec 1917	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	8–0–1	Sailor Wolfe	KO	2 (10)	29 Dec 1916	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	7–0–1	George Leahy	NWS	6	22 Dec 1916	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	6–0–1	Young Sharkey	KO	6 (10)	15 Dec 1916	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	5–0–1	Young Guerini	TKO	8 (10)	8 Dec 1916	Template:Small
5	Template:DrawDraw	4–0–1	KO Jaffe	NWS	10	21 Jul 1916	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Billy Rowe	Template:Abbr	6	1 Dec 1915	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	George Leahy	KO	2 (6)	28 Aug 1915	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Battling Genrimo	Template:Abbr	3 (10)	6 Aug 1915	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Bobby Dawson	Template:Abbr	8 (10)	3 Jul 1915	Template:Small

Titles in boxing

Major world titles

• NYSAC heavyweight champion (200+ lbs)
• NBA (WBA) heavyweight champion (200+ lbs)

The Ring magazine titles

• The Ring heavyweight champion (200+ lbs)

Regional/International titles

• S.O.S. light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• American Expeditionary Forces light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• American (ABA) light heavyweight champion (175 lbs) (2×)

Undisputed titles

• Undisputed heavyweight champion

See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions
• List of The Ring world champions
• List of undisputed boxing champions
• International Boxing Hall of Fame
• Boxing in the 1920s
• List of people on the cover of Time magazine (30 August 1926)

External links

• Template:OL author
• Template:Boxrec
• https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NBA_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights
• https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NYSAC_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights
• Template:Find a Grave
• Gene Tunney profile at Cyber Boxing Zone
• Boxing Hall of Fame
• ESPN.com
• Gene Tunney 1974 Interview