Gene Tunney

Gene Tunney was an American world heavyweight champion (1926-1928) who retired undefeated after twice beating Jack Dempsey.

James Joseph "Gene" Tunney was born on 25 May 1897 in New York City, and served as a U.S. Marine during the First World War, earning the nickname "The Fighting Marine" that stuck with him throughout his boxing career. An avid reader of Shakespeare and lover of classical music, Tunney was an unusually cerebral figure for the brutal world of 1920s prizefighting. Tunney fought light heavyweight champion Harry Greb five times in one of the sport's great rivalries, winning three, losing once, and drawing once, though many ringside observers believed Greb deserved the decision in their disputed second meeting. Tunney also knocked out the formidable French champion Georges Carpentier. Tunney's defining achievement came against Jack Dempsey, the reigning heavyweight champion and one of the most feared punchers in history: on 23 September 1926, in Philadelphia, Tunney won a unanimous decision to claim the title in a result widely regarded as a stunning upset. Their rematch a year later, on 22 September 1927 at Chicago's Soldier Field in front of more than 120,000 spectators, became known as the "Long Count Fight" after Tunney was knocked down in the seventh round but the referee delayed the count when Dempsey failed to retreat to a neutral corner, allowing Tunney extra recovery time before he went on to win another unanimous decision. Tunney retired undefeated as heavyweight champion after defeating Tom Heeney in 1928, and was named the inaugural Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year that same year. He died on 7 November 1978, at age 81, remembered as one of the most tactically gifted heavyweight champions in boxing history.

Scientific boxer with superior footwork and defensive skills

One of boxing's greatest tacticians and only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated

• Inaugural The Ring Fighter of the Year 1928
• International Boxing Hall of Fame