JO Sports Inc.
HISTORY: Georges Carpentier fought Jack Dempsey for the Heavyweight Title on July 2,1921 in front of over 80,000 people at Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey. Dempsey won the fight by stopping the smaller Carpentier in the 4th round. This was the first million dollar gate in boxing history. After signing Dempsey and Carpentier, promoter Tex Rickard borrowed $250,000 to build a 91,613-seat stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey. The stadium was built in nine weeks on a piece of land known as Boyle’s Thirty Acres. Octagonal, it covered seven acres. The final row of bleachers rose 34 feet from the ground and was 312 feet from the center of the ring. Tickets were priced from $5.50 to $50. After the fight sold out, Rickard said he should have doubled the prices. This was boxing's first million dollar gate, generating $1,789,238. Dempsey was guaranteed $300,000 and Carpentier $200,000. Each man received 25% of the motion picture rights. Rickard promoted the bout as "The Fight of the Century" (the third time he used that label). He also promoted the fight as "hero" vs. "villain." The hero in this case was not the American, Jack Dempsey, but the Frenchman, Georges Carpentier, who had distinguished himself as a pilot in World War I. Dempsey, on the other hand, was cast as the villain, as he had been labeled a "slacker" for avoiding the military draft-—even though he had been found not guilty of the offense in 1920. Dempsey trained in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Jack Renault and Larry Williams were his sparring partners. Carpentier's training camp was in Manhasset, Long Island. Joe Jeannette and Paul Journee were his sparring partners. This was the first fight to be broadcast to a mass audience over the radio. The ringside commentators were Major Andrew White and J.O. Smith. The ring was 20 feet square. The fighters wore eight-ounce gloves. Carpentier, the reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion, was outweighed by 16 pounds. Dempsey was a 2 to 1 favorite. The fight started at 3:16 in the afternoon. This was the first fight sanctioned by the new National Boxing Association. The NBA would change its name to the World Boxing Association in 1962. Three months before the fight, Carpentier predicted that the fight would last more than four rounds. In the second round, Carpentier broke his right thumb in two places and suffered a slight wrist strain. Dempsey floored Carpentier twice in the fourth round. Offered here is an extraordinary, rare, original 1921 poster of Jack Dempsey which advertises the showing of the fight film for this historic fight.
FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, paper, 1921, fight film poster which pictures Jack Dempsey in fight pose. Put out by Otis Lithograph Company. Professionally linen backed. Bold color and print. Clean with no stains. Not creased or torn. Minor restoration at the edges not affecting the text or images. 26 1/2" x 40" one sheet poster. Exceptionally rare, one of two we have ever offered.
