Dempsey KOs Carpentier

On July 2, 1921 in Jersey City, New Jersey, reigning World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Dempsey met light heavyweight boxing king Georges Carpentier.  Boxing fans flocked to event resulting in the first million dollar gate in boxing history.

The match would prove the old boxing adage, “A good big man always beats a good little man.”  Even though Georges Carpentier possessed masterful boxing skills, he gave away two inches and 15 pounds to the ferocious Dempsey.

Carpentier also came into the match with the reputation of a French war hero.  Dempsey did not fight in World War I, which made him sort of a villain in this match.  Dempsey wiped out the whispers of his critics, when he served in World War II.

Jack Dempsey was born on June 24, 1895 in Manassa, Colorado.  “The Manassa Mauler” stood 6’01” tall and weighed 187 pounds.  Dempsey destroyed the 6’06”, 245 pound Jess Willard to take the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in 1919.

 Georges Carpentier, “The Orchid Man”, was born on January 12, 1894 in Lievin, France.  After serving in World War I, Carpentier resumed his boxing career.  On October 20, 1920, Carpentier faced Battling Levinsky in Jersey City, New Jersey.  Levinsky held the recognized World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion.  Carpentier knocked out the elusive Levinsky in four rounds to become light heavyweight king.

Unfortunately, Carpentier stood 5’11” and weighed 178 pounds at the time of the fight.  While the weight disadvantage seems small, Carpentier started his career at 126 pounds.  Carpentier was a much smaller man than Dempsey.

Unlike his match with Levinsky in Jersey City, Dempsey would dispose of Carpentier in four rounds.  The men met at 3 pm on July 2, 1921.  After Carpentier’s corner observed Dempsey’s hands being wrapped in the ring, the seconds left and the match began at 3:18 p.m.

Carpentier circled and boxed, while Dempsey swung powerful punches.  Carpentier landed the first blow but Dempsey pounded Georges to the body.  Dempsey bloodied Carpentier’s nose to end the first round.

The second round mainly proved a repeat of the first round with Carpentier landing blows and clinching.  Dempsey hit Carpentier on any part of his body that Dempsey could land a blow.

In the third round, Carpentier broke his hand.  Whether the injury turned the tide or Dempsey’s powerful blow to his neck, Carpentier began to visibly slow down.  As the fourth round began, Dempsey struck a powerful right hand to the body and left to the head.  Carpentier dropped to the mat.

At the count of nine, Carpentier struggled to his feet.  Dempsey possessed a ferocious killer instinct.  A Dempsey left to Carpentier’s body, followed by a right hand to his head, dropped the Frenchman with an audible thud.  The referee counted ten as Carpentier did not move.

Big title fights tend to disappoint boxing fans but this fast action fight left most everyone but Carpentier and his team satisfied.  Dempsey and Carpentier became friends after the fight and never rematched.  With the decisiveness of Dempsey’s victory, a rematch would not make much sense.

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