Heavyweight boxer Jack Dempsey was the biggest sports figure of the roaring twenties, arguably Boxing’s first superstar. Dempsey’s two late career losses to the “Fighting Marine” Gene Tunney, the second defeat via the controversial “long count” bout, drew over 100,000 fans in Philadelphia and Chicago respectively, attendance numbers unrivaled in boxing history.

 On July 21, 1927 Dempsey fought the heavily favored Jack Sharkey at Yankee Stadium in front of 82,000 fans. A crowd that size to see two heavyweight contenders battle is indicative of how much of a draw Dempsey was.

Here is the pivotal moment in the fight as described by Roger Kahn in his excellent book A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring ‘20s.

As described by Kahn: