This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/30/2006
To think Jess Willard was actually the betting favorite going into his bout with Jack Dempsey. Never had the bookies got it more wrong. The fight staged on July 4th 1919 turned into one of the most savagely one-sided and brutal beatings ever seen in a prize ring. What was witnessed under the blistering Toledo sun was a style of fighting that quite simply didn't exist before. ?The Manassa Mauler? Dempsey revolutionized the sport of boxing with his all-out aggressive fighting approach. Tearing at his opponent like a man possessed Jack was frighteningly bewildering. Willard survived Dempsey's assault for three punishing rounds. As the bell for the fourth round rang Willard was unable to answer and became the first Heavyweight champion to lose the belt on his stool. This 12-1/2" by 16" framed and matted display contains a ticket stub from the historic match along with a photo of Willard trying to rise from the canvas. Ticket grades GD due to a portion being torn away. A terrific boxing display from a historic event that changed the fight world forever.