When 90,000 boxing fans showed up to watch Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier fight

1921.

Novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, fresh off his debut novel the year before, pens a short story called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Virtually unknown Italian immigrant Rudolpho Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguella, known professionally as Rudolph Valentino, burst on movie screens with an electrifying performance in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Babe Ruth broke his own home-run record by bashing 59 long ones. Ruth drove in 171 runs and batted .378. Rogers Hornsby just missed hitting .400, finishing the season at .397.

Al Capone,22, moved to Chicago to work for Johnny Torrio.

The Roaring 20s were roaring.

In boxing, the brilliant Benny Leonard reigned as the lightweight champion, Harry Greb in the middleweight division, and the popular Georges Carpentier topped the light heavyweight division.

One man dominated the heavyweight division. Jack Dempsey had captured the crown in 1919 by knocking out Jess Willard in devastating fashion. His rise was impressive, as was the power he possessed in both fists. Dempsey had defended his title twice, knocking out Billy Miske and Bill Brennan. Breenan surprised many by lasting 12 rounds.

Many admired Dempsey’s scowling presence, but just as many did not. Dempsey’s lack of involvement in World War II damaged his popularity.

The facts didn’t matter, like financial responsibilities and acquittal of any wrongdoing; many fans could not forgive him. They called him a draft dodger and a slacker.

Dempsey was set to meet light heavyweight champion Carpentier on July 2, 1921.

Shrewd promoter Tex Richard promoted the fight as good versus evil. The public bought it – all Rickard had to do was construct a stadium that could hold a projected 80,000 to 90,000 boxing fans.

Rickard eventually found a deserted, swampy place in New Jersey. Garbage littered the acreage, but Rickard saw thousands and thousands of boxing fans and, more importantly, money. He borrowed a quarter of a million dollars to build the place – soon to be known as Boyle’s Thirty Acres.

Dempsey played the bad guy with hardly a comment – though it hurt him deeply. He would revisit his feelings over twenty years later when he joined the US Coast Guard during World War II.

Dempsey would make 300,00 for his fight with Carpentier. Carpentier would walk away with a cool 200,000.

For the first time, boxing fans could listen to the fight on the radio. Dempsey outweighed Carpentier by 16 pounds.

Also fighting that day were future champion Gene Tunney (35-0) and Miske.

The oddsmakers favored Dempsey by a solid 2-1.

Dempsey stalked in the opening heat – imposing his weight advantage. Carpentier moved away and boxed, looking to counter. Dempsey fired inside hooks – while Carpentier walked away and fired a right hand that landed.

Carpentier wobbled Dempsey in round two with the same right hand. Sadly, he broke his thumb in the process. Dempsey recovered and controlled round three.

Dempsey upped the pressure index in round four. He was ready to end it. Carpentier battled, but a heavy left-right dropped him on his side. He somehow beat the count but was down again permanently after Dempsey dug in two deep body shots.

The so-called Fight of the Century was over.