Why did Tunney retire after just two heavyweight title defenses?

Gene Tunney retired in 1928 claiming that the public lacked interest in seeing him fight any of the contenders at that time. He said several years would pass until such a contender emerged. The following year the top 10 contenders included: #1 Jack Sharkey, #2 Max Schmeling and #9 Primo Carnera.

Was Tunney correct or just blowing smoke? Wouldn't the public pay to see Tunney fight ANYONE?

 

He just wanted to focus on his flourishing olive oil business.

 

All of them would have been pretty good fights, I would love to see the two cerebral warriors fight, Max and Tunney. It would be interesting.

 

Married into a very wealthy family. That had to have heavily influenced his decision

 

Tunney married Polly Lauder in 1928. She was heiress to a portion of the Andrew Carnegie/U.S. Steel fortune. No doubt she wanted him to retire.

 

Ya guys you dont hear this story often especially when comes to boxing but Packey McFarland had pretty much the same story as the reason he retired at age 25. He was already well off as he managed his money well , but truth be told his fiancé was the boss and her Dad was the richest man in Joliet. After his sudden death, Packey was running the family's businesses, Banks, real estate, breweries, insurance companies... you name it. All this before he even hits his Prime in the sport ... anyway cheers guys

 

Come on.

Anyone going to turn down an opportunity to marry into the Carnegie steel fortune in order to get hit in the nose by guys like Schmeling?

This is a no brainer question.

 

The truth is he wanted to give the other guys a chance.

 

If you forget your knowledge of the future Tunneys excuse holds up.

Heeney was picked for Tunneys last title fight as the result of a convuluted tournament with a bunch of draws. There was no one Tunney needed to fight at this time. Sharkey, Schmeling and Carnera were on the scene but no one would have guessed they'd be ATGs. Sharkey in particular looked like his career was on a downards trajectory.

 

Unironically Tunney kills everyone at 175lbs today pay homage to the king.

 

I like Tunney but he never saw anything like Bivol before. This old version of Beterbiev, maybe. Prime, nah.

 

Tommy Loughran, Gibbons and even Weinart are "something" like Bivol. The former 2 are much greater than Bivol.

 

They're all boxers I guess

 

Strong disagree he’d beat Bivol like an egg batter, remind us he’s an overpaid amateur… just my 0.2$

 

you are a Bivol hater just because he doesn't sit down on his punches