Jack Dempsey knocks Tunney to the ground. This ref starts to count immediately and somewhat fast. Gene gets up groggy and Jack attacks him, knocking him back down. He can't make it up in time. Jack Dempsey has regained the heavyweight title, the first man to do so... What then? Who's he fight, what's the result and how higher up does this place him historically?
Dempsey becomes first 2x heavyweight champ, regaining his championship against a great slick boxer in Tunney, which would cause Dempsey's stock to go up. Another champ on the resume for past prime Dempsey, another argument for his h2h supremacy and champion-like heart. I already rank dempsey 6th in greatness but he might have an argument for 4-5 with this win. The only problem is that Tunney didn't really cement a heavyweight legacy beyond beating shot Dempsey, and if he losses this one many would be skeptical of his abilities at heavyweight (despite being proven at LHW). So losing to shot Dempsey, then proceeding to not defend your title against the likes of Sharkey, Schmeling, Godfrey, etc. Would serverly damage Tunney's legacy (booting him out of the top 20 argument forever) and thereby making Dempsey's win a little less valuable. Of course this could be fixed if Tunney stayed around for a little while longer and did beat the names I listed
I think that for personal ambition, life planning, and just getting out with the girl and preventing his brains from getting scrambled,...all that...then Tunney did the right thing, because as Marvin Hagler said, "it's hard to get up at 5 in the morning for roadwork when you're wearing silk pajamas" (loosely paraphrased)...but...I sure wish, in retrospect, that Tunney had hung around and defended against both Schmeling and Sharkey at least....and I'll always believe that he'd beat both of them....soundly.
Especially the fine lines Pryor, Leonard, Dokes, Tyson and the rest of the late 80s Heavyweights and Hagler snorted.
Hopefully Tunney would match Sharkey at the back of it and beat him to confirm himself as Dempsey's best ever opponent. Then maybe a rubber.
If the scenario played out as i said, a rematch with Sharkey could actually be Dempsey next fight. Not sure if Dempsey could do Jack with the low blow again but you never know! A rubber match with Tunney? Can't see Gene giving Jack another chance to nail him, hed be ultra cautious imo. Which may or may not get him the win. But Dempsey was on his last legs so more likely Gene easily out score him again with no drama this time.
Dempsey did not hit Sharkey low to set up the KO blow. The three right uppercuts to the body just prior to the KO were accurately described by the ref and he adamantly and repeatedly stated none of these punches were low. He described these blows without the use of instant replays. Days after the bout the film was shown to sports writers at Yankee Stadium. Headlines after this viewing included many stating “Film of fight shows body blows were legal”. Years ago watching the 7th round knockdown many times over my conclusion was Tunney would have gotten up if the count was not delayed. Today I feel differently. Tunney was hit very hard with KO blows especially that hellacious left hook. He was down in an awkward position, against the ropes, on his “haunches”. I now visualize Tunney just missing rising on time had the count been undelayed. Had Dempsey won he could have retired as he actually did do. I don’t see a reason why he would continue. He had lost the title but then roared back knocking out the No 1 challenger and the champion in losing bouts both by KO in round 7. He was rich, world famous, first man to regain the championship.... he had no more mountains to climb.