The Chain Breaks!
Gene Tunney
vs.
Tom Heeney
July 26, 1928
Gene Tunney's second defense and last appearance in the ring ,as heavyweight champion. Shortly after defeating Heeney ,via an eleventh round knockout, Tunney announced his retirement from the ring. In so doing, Tunney broke the chain of champions that stretched back forty-six years, clearly to John L. Sullivan and some would argue much further in time to Tom Sayers, 1860. Tunney was to signal a transforming of the prize ring in many ways: Tunney was the first to win the Championship via a decision, the first to earn $1,000,000 for a single fight, and the one to break the chain of "the Man Who Beat the Man, Who Beat the Man, Who Beat John L.".1
Original Vintage Flyer Advertising the Showing the Film of the Tunney vs. Heeney Bout. Size: 7 x 10 1/2 in. (Double Sided, See Below) Condition: As New
Price: $ 115.00
2000-0502
1 If one takes into account Joe Louis' return to the ring against Marciano and Ali against Holmes and Holmes against Tyson, the chain of "the Man Who Beat the Man, Who Beat the Man, Who Beat John L. ", does indeed stretch from George Foreman to John L. Sullivan , a period of over 110 years with the one break, when Tunney retired. A record singularly uncommon in the history of human endeavor.
