Fall Premier Auction 2013

Full Unused $15 VG PSA 3 Ticket to the September 22, 1927 Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney Heavyweight Championship rematch, known in Boxing History as the famous "Long Count" fight. A reported 150,000 patrons crowded Soldier's Field in Chicago, to see if Dempsey could win back his crown from Tunney. In the 1920's, Jack Dempsey captured the public's imagination as a brawler who first fought in mining town saloons. Tunney was just the opposite, a man who read the classics, a thinking man's boxer and superb tactician. In their first match he easily defeated Dempsey. But Dempsey won over the public when he was quoted in explaining the defeat to his wife, "Honey, I forgot to duck." In round 7 of the rematch, Dempsey connected with a combination of punches, sending Tunney to the canvas. Pandemonium reigned as fans screamed and rose to their feet. The referee started his count and motioned Dempsey to the neutral corner. Dempsey did not move and was finally pushed by the referee to the corner. Instead of picking up the timekeeper's count at six, where he had left off, the referee began his count all over again. At the count of three Tunney lifted his head and stared at the referee. He did not get to his feet until the referee reached a count of nine. Tunney went on to win the 10-round unanimous decision, made controversial by the "long count" which aided his recovery. When pressed as to why he did not go to a neutral corner, Dempsey replied, "I couldn't move. I just couldn't. I wanted Tunney to get up. I wanted to kill the S.O.B." The Dempsey-Tunney II Championship Fight produced a gate of $2.65 million, a box office record that stood for 50 years. Good looking ticket is clean, crease free with strong printing and color. VG corner wear. Nice looking full ticket to one of the most important World Heavyweight Fights in boxing history.