Tunney believed a heavyweight boxer could beat a 460 pound silverback

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Melankomas, Apr 18, 2025.


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  1. Melankomas

    Melankomas Prime Jeffries would demolish a grizzly in 2 Full Member

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    'Man vs Gorilla'

    In 1938 former Heavyweight World Champion, Gene Tunney theorised that a Heavyweight boxer would have the means to defeat a 460lb male silver back circus gorilla, aptly named 'Gargantua.' Gargantua had a permanent sneering expression after his face was disfigured from an acid attack, and was made famous by the world-renowned Ringling Brothers Circus. Some even credited Gargantua for saving the circus from bankruptcy during The Great Depression.

    Tunney stated, 'The gorilla is a sluggish thinker. He only knows one attack. He goes after something and grabs it with his hands and then hugs it to his breast, crushing the life out of it when possible. It is my firm conviction that any fairly good heavyweight boxer could put the great Gargantua to sleep or to rout within two minutes. Gargantua is a big boy but a Dempsey left hook landing on his stomach might figuratively tear the poor animal in two. He didn't spend years doing bending and mat exercises. A man has 24 ribs. Your encyclopedia will tell you that a gorilla has but 13. Between the ribs, below the breastbone, there are nerve centres. If they are shocked the shock travels to the spine, temporarily causing paralysis. The ribs, and well developed muscles between the ribs, protect these nerve centres. Twenty-four ribs are much more protection than 13. Unfortunately, I am no longer in fighting shape. However, I would like to take up the offer for any one of a dozen third-rate heavyweights I know.”

    https://www.facebook.com/share/14e7RsHuX2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
     
    Melankomas, Apr 18, 2025
    Melankomas, Apr 18, 2025
    #1
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  2. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Tunney on the drink again.
     
    roughdiamond, Apr 18, 2025
    roughdiamond, Apr 18, 2025
    #2
    MixedMartialLaw, slash, Frankus and 9 others like this.
  3. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Irresistibly tempting Full Member

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    Sounds just like most of the forum when discussing any decent fighter's chances vs Marciano.
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Apr 18, 2025
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Apr 18, 2025
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  4. Pedro_El_Chef

    Pedro_El_Chef Active Member Full Member

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    About sixty years later, Battlin' Mike Tyson almost ran the experiment when he reportedly offered a zookeeper 10k to be allowed into the gorilla exhibit and teach a bullying ape some manners.
     
    Pedro_El_Chef, Apr 18, 2025
    Pedro_El_Chef, Apr 18, 2025
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  5. Pedro_El_Chef

    Pedro_El_Chef Active Member Full Member

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    What if the coughing baby put the atom bomb in a choke hold?
     
    Pedro_El_Chef, Apr 18, 2025
    Pedro_El_Chef, Apr 18, 2025
    #5
  6. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    For all Tunney's attempts to don an intellectual air about himself, he was just a dumb, tough kid from Hell's Kitchen who later took to drink (It's the curse of his people, according to Frank Sinatra).
     
    Seamus, Apr 18, 2025
    Seamus, Apr 18, 2025
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  7. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT banned Full Member

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    Gene sounds like Corbett barking BS at Jack Johnson from the safety of Jim Jeffries corner in Reno. No wonder Gene and Corbett got along so well.

    If you get the time, you should check out Tunney’s lesser known literary endeavour: A Man Must Drink. Forward by Ernest Hemingway.
     
    Pugguy, Apr 18, 2025
    Pugguy, Apr 18, 2025
    #7
  8. Shay Sonya

    Shay Sonya The REAL Wonder Woman! Full Member

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    :lol:
     
    Shay Sonya, Apr 18, 2025
    Shay Sonya, Apr 18, 2025
    #8
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  9. Charles White

    Charles White Chucker Full Member

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    Well he’s wrong lol
     
    Charles White, Apr 18, 2025
    Charles White, Apr 18, 2025
    #9
  10. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    :lol: :lol:
     
    dmt, Apr 18, 2025
    dmt, Apr 18, 2025
    #10
  11. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

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    BUT have we ever let a HW actually hit a gorilla and see what happens? I’m curious, I have an assumed answer and the only way to find out is messed up to say the least (chain it up etc) but could Dempsey actually fold a gorilla with a well placed body shot? Does Tyson rock it with a hook? Do we have footage of gorillas actually punching one another to chin check them? Do they have that anatomy?
     
    Journeyman92, Apr 18, 2025
    Journeyman92, Apr 18, 2025
    #11
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  12. Shay Sonya

    Shay Sonya The REAL Wonder Woman! Full Member

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    I can wrestle with a muzzled, declawed gorilla then? Or not? :beautiful:
     
    Shay Sonya, Apr 19, 2025
    Shay Sonya, Apr 19, 2025
    #12
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  13. SolomonDeedes

    SolomonDeedes Active Member Full Member

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    Tunney actually tried to put this to the test. He wanted to promote a Gargantua v Tony Galento bout in Philadelphia which, he imagined, would draw a $225,000 gate.

    Galento, sadly, wasn't keen. As he succinctly put it, "Let Tummy fight his own monkeys."

    https://freeimage.host/i/3E9lj9e
     
    SolomonDeedes, Apr 19, 2025
    SolomonDeedes, Apr 19, 2025
    #13
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  14. Scratch

    Scratch Active Member Full Member

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    Who acid attacks a gorilla?
     
    Scratch, Apr 19, 2025
    Scratch, Apr 19, 2025
    #14
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  15. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    I've read tidbits that Tunney had a drinking problem and he sure went to pot physically in his fifties compared to Dempsey looking bloated but are there any back up stories on his dinking ? Truly curious ?
     
    he grant, Apr 19, 2025
    he grant, Apr 19, 2025
    #15
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