TUNNEY’S RISE TO FAME.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 July 1928, Page 8

TUNNEY’S RISE TO FAME.

MIND SET ON TITLE. DEVASTATOR OF DEMPSEY. Gene Tunney,- who gained the world’s boxing title and a fortune by defeating Jack Dempsey at Philadelphia two veans ago, is the same age as Heeney, but has had a longer acquaintance with the professional ring. He is a New Yorker, of Irish parentage, and was a clerk with a railway company before he became a boxer. It was when he joined up with the U.S. marines in the war-time that his boxing skill received its greatest fillip, and after the war was over he became light-heavy boxing champion of the American Expeditionary Force. Thereafter he had a run of successes as a light-heavy boxer, in which class were some specially good fighters, notably Harry Greb,. * who beat him for the light-heavy title in 1922. In 1923 he twice got verdicts over Greb, and rewon the title. Then Tunnev set Iris l mind on the heavy-weight title, working to build up his weight and trying himself out with noted heavy-weights'. In 1924 he achieved a knock-out against the Spanish champion, Spallo. and, better still, conquered Georges Carpentier in 15 rounds. The following year ho devoted' almost entirely to training and to study of Dempsey’s methods'. He tried himself out in a; bout against Tom Gibbous, whom he defeated in 12 rounds. Eventually he put his training and theories to the test bv securing a; bout with Dempsey in 1926, whom he defeated in a 10-round championship bout at Philadelphia. _ winning the title. Tunney ks record is: 1919.

Beat Bob Pearce, 2 (K.OA. .. Bob Martin*, 4. ~ K. O’Sullivan, 10. ~ Ted Jamieson. 10. Fought Dan O’Dowd, 8 (N.D.). 1920. Beat WhiP'* Allen. 2 (K.OA. .Tim Monoban. 1 CK.O.). .. Ah Roberts. 3 (K.OA. ~ Ed. Kinlev 5 fK.OA. .. Tv. O’Sullivan, 1 OT.OA. ~ JefF Madden. 2 ( K.OA. .. Ole Anderson. 3 (K.OA. Sergt. Ray Smith, 2 fK.OA. Fought Paul Sampson. 10 (N.DA. Lop* TTpnok. 0 CN.DA. .. Leo Ho nek. 10 (N.P.). 1921. Boat Young Ambrose, 1 (K.0.)- .. Soldier .Tones, 7 fK.OA. .. Jack Burke. 2 CKiO.V .. Wolf T,ars C n. 7 (K.O.h .. Eddie. O’Hara, G fK.O.). .. Martin Burke, 1,0. Eddie Josephs. 12. Herbert Crossley. 7. 1922. Beat .Tack Clifford. 0 fK.O A. .. Jack Burke. 9 (K.OA. .. Rnv Thompson. 3 (K.OA. .. Jack Hanlon. 1 fK.O A. .. Charlie Weinarfc. 4 YK.OA. .. Whiter Wenzel. 5 (K.OA. ~ Rattling Levin sky, 12. ~ Eav Kabor. 10. .. Chuck Win-gins. .10. Fought Fav Km'ser. io fN.DA. Charlie Wqinarf. 12 CLDA Tom Touf-hran. ,S fN.DA. Lost to 11. Orel., 1.“ (lost chnnmA 1923. B'Plt T *>'-1- CUflPnivl. S <K <*) j .. tUiiieV ’U'fo-o-ivc; 10 - ttot-,.,- n,-„ t, i s 1**.,,, to, TTaim*\. l*V,*i<ri.' t;,„ ip (X T>.'| .. Jack Renault, 4 (no c-ontesf)

1924. Bent T?nv Tl, nw .Kon, 9 (1C.0.V .. M-p-Hu T?nvt-o_ ]S T ? ’ , mfiio grwi.ll». 7 nr o y r*«v>; roi-wTiiin,. i.t rr.K.O A .. •■Too T nWov,. a at n.y "> * TT,,T7„7 a ,. 1 fir n y' Rit,7,7,- TToTo. O 77'0..0-7.+ ~.777, Tn T-r,, - TTorvoT. ’0 "’*4- .Tonr yy 799.7. Beat To in r.’il»l>or,«. 15 ffv.O.y 192(1. Boat .Tack TJcnmwr. 10, 1927. Bent -Tack Dempsey, 10. Summary: 45 decision bouts, 1 Joss, 28 wins by K. 0., 16 wins on points.