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What If Gene Tunney Had Not Retired On Top and Fought On?

Gene TunneyBy Ian “The Boxing Historian” Murphy

Former Heavyweight Champion Gene Tunney did like his pugilistic descendants Rocky Marciano, Joe Calzaghe, and Ricardo Lopez (the jury is still out on whether Floyd Mayweather, JR. stays away): he retired undefeated and never came back. While Calzaghe was still in good form, he was 36 at the time he quit the ring and not at his peak any longer. The same applies for Lopez and Marciano. Both were not at their absolute best (Lopez was 35 and Marciano at 33 had a chronic back injury), but they never embarrassed themselves by hanging on too long and quit while they were still ahead. Tunney, on the other hand, was barely 31 and was in top form, defeating the legendary Jack Dempsey less than one year before his retirement. In fact, in the eyes of many fans, his brief reign and early exit actually diminish his legacy. Bearing all this in mind, we must ask ourselves: what if Gene Tunney kept fighting into his mid thirties like the others and how would this have affected his historical reputation?

The Heavyweight Division that existed between the reigns of Gene Tunney (1926-1928) and Joe Louis (1937-1949) was a colorful, yet unspectacular era. The title changed hands constantly, and organized crime was contaminating the sport. It seemed as if Boxing’s marquee division was not in the surest of hands. From 1930-1937, there were five champions, and none held onto the title for more than two years. Still, there were plenty of good and worthy challengers for the heavyweight crown. So we’ll proceed with a few “mythical” matchups (sorry Dave Siderski!) and see how the “Fighting Marine” may have fared against the crop of Heavyweights that came in the wake of his initial retirement. We pick up his career in late 1928, following his last official victory against Tom Heeney…

Gene Tunney vs Young Stribling: December, 1928, New York.

Despite being barely 24 years old, Stribling was a veteran of over 200 fights, and had won 73 of his last 75 fights, most by KO. Tunney was tested in this bout, being rocked a couple of times, but his patience and methodical approach eventually wore down his worthy challenger. Gene was still fully in his prime, and was able to take the best of Stribling’s offerings, and fire back with authority. In the 11th round, Tunney battered Stribling relentlessly and dropped his beaten and exhausted foe to the canvas. Stribling could not beat the count and tasted a vicious knockout at the hands of a sharp and vicious Tunney. Result: Tunney KO11.

Gene Tunney vs Tommy Loughran II: April, 1929, Philadelphia.

Tommy was coming off of his 15 round drubbing of future Heavyweight Champion Jim Braddock and also had beaten P4P great Mickey Walker. Tunney fought a young and inexperienced Loughran back in 1922, when the Philadelphian was only 12 fights into his career. Even still, Loughran gave a good account of himself,showing his future greatness, but Tunney won the “Newspaper Decision”. In this chess match of a fight, neither man did tremendous damage, as they couldn’t land flush often enough to hurt each other. A lulling affair, the champion lands the harder blows and wins a close decision. Result: Tunney W15

Gene Tunney vs Jack Sharkey: December, 1929, New York.

Prior to this match, Sharkey was competing at the highest level in the sport, defeating Tommy Loughran and Young Stribling to secure a title shot vs Tunney. The crafty Sharkey was in excellent form on this night, and it was a battle of jabs and counter punching, with Tunney coming out ahead on points due to cutting up Sharkey’s face and landing a higher volume of punches. Result: Tunney W15.

Gene Tunney vs Max Schmeling: September, 1930, New York.

At this time, the young German Schmeling was touted as the biggest threat to the veteran Tunney’s title. Max had defeated top contenders Johnny Risko, Paulino Uzcudun, and Jack Sharkey to earn his shot. A big surprise in the fifth round had Tunney off of his feet courtesy of a sizzling right hand counter from Herr Maxie. He rose at the count of 7 and like his fight with Dempsey three years earlier, he utilized his movement to avoid another knockdown. However, he was never really in the fight after that, and Schmeling walks away with the win via steady diet of right hands. Tunney didn’t have the same level of endurance as in previous fights, and the younger man took full advantage of Gene’s slower legs. Gene’s armor is starting to show some chinks in it, and at age 33, he may be on the downslide of his career. Result: Schmeling W15.

Gene Tunney vs Phil Scott: March,1931, New York.

In a tuneup to see if he still had it in him to again be champion, Tunney took on “Fainting” Phil Scott. It was thought that Scott would be a stern enough test, but not too tough as to ruin a big rematch with Max Schmeling. Scott was known for being a skilled and game fighter, but also for having a glass jaw, hence his nickname. Tunney prepared well for this fight, and looked in good form, dispatching Scott in 8 rounds, ending the match with a great left to the body/straight right to the head combo to close the show. Result: Tunney KO8.

Gene Tunney vs Johnny Risko: August, 1931, New York.

A final tuneup before his pending rematch with Schmeling, Tunney faced tough journeyman Johnny Risko. Tunney again was in good form, and battered Risko for 10 rounds of a scheduled 12 and wins via referee stoppage in the 11th as his opponent could not intelligently defend himself. Questions still lingered about Tunney’s chances in regaining his title, as it had yet to be done. Risko and Scott were good fighters, but not on Schmeling’s level. Result: Tunney TKO11.

Gene Tunney vs Max Schmeling II: December, 1931, Berlin.

Schmeling initially beats the 34 year old Tunney to the punch early, but Gene begins to work the body in the middle rounds and uses his level changing to set up hard right hand counters of his own. Schmeling cannot land his vaunted right hand consistently enough to stop the swift moving and hard jabbing challenger. As the fight wears on, Tunney continues to defy Father Time. He sweeps the final five rounds and wins the fight convincingly. The old lion still has something left and he becomes the first fighter to win back the Heavyweight Championship. Result: Tunney W15.

Tunney basks in his return to prominence and does not fight for most of 1932, only fighting once, taking on Ernie Schaaf in May and winning a tough decision. Tunney had enough left to outlast Schaaf, but questions lingered as to whether he could still fight at the highest level. For the rest of the year, Tunney rests, focusing on his family life. At age 35, his pace and quality of opposition in the past eighteen months has prompted a respite. A few good young fighters faced off to generate a new #1 challenger and out of this crop, and the “Livermoore Larupper” Max Baer comes out on top.

Gene Tunney vs Max Baer: February, 1933, New York.

Tunney, nearly 36 years old, is actually a slight underdog to the powerful Baer who is almost a dozen years his junior and in devastating form of late. Baer is not a polished fighter like Tunney, but can end the fight in an instant if he is able to land his massive, clubbing right hand. This is the same right hand that killed Frankie Campbell and probably dealt death to Ernie Schaaf. Tunney is undaunted, as he has faced the wrath of the Jack Dempsey, who incidentally is in Baer’s corner for this fight.

The crafty and slick Tunney still has a few tricks under his sleeve, and for the first six rounds, soundly outboxes the wild and dangerous Baer. However, Tunney hits a wall in the middle rounds and his younger foe begins to land his huge right hand, staggering Tunney in the 10th and by the 12th round. The champion is battered badly and is not defending himself well. Baer steps up his assault and drops the brave but aging champion in the 13th. Tunney’s 36 year old legs betray him and while conscious, he cannot beat the count. Result: Baer KO13.

After his match with Baer, Tunney seriously contemplates retirement. He lost to man he felt he could have beaten easily at his best. His legs were not what they once were, and cannot deftly slip the punches of his opponents and make them pay with hard counters with the same regularity as before. Tunney has had an absolutely incredible career, highlighted by five fights with Harry Greb, and two matches with Dempsey, Schmeling, and Tommy Loughran. In all, he fought four Heavyweight champions, defeating all (whether the first time or in a rematch) but Baer. After being inactive for the remainder of 1933, Tunney officially retires on July 4, 1934. Besides being Independence Day, this date has significance because it is the pro debut of one Joseph Louis Barrow, better known as Joe Louis. This signifies a kind of passing of the torch, from one true great to another, ushering in a new era. Gene Tunney finishes his mythical career with a record of 71-3 with 51 wins coming by way of knockout.

I truly believe had Tunney continued fighting beyond 1928 that his career arc very much could have played out like the above scenario. Granted, Tunney didn’t face a Muhammad Ali or a Lennox Lewis in this hypothetical span of time, but he had plenty of solid competition available. He also could have became more popular due to the length of his reign. As tantalizing as it can be to think about, Joe Louis and Gene Tunney never would have crossed paths. Tunney was seventeen years Louis’ senior. But wouldn’t that make a great What If?

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