There's some question as to the validity of that knockout. Carl insisted on getting paid in advance, then dropped to the deck for the count in response to a single hook to the gut, the first blow Jack landed. Morris never lost like that before or since. Fulton had previously been knocked out by a single Al Palzer right hand in a match Fred was winning, and he'd later get starched in one by Miske. Fulton remained a deadly contender with a noted glass jaw after Dempsey. (He would defeat Langford for a second time before the year was out.) That Dempsey-Fulton was on the level seems clear. However, I don't place much more credence on Dempsey-Morris III than I do on Dempsey-Fireman Flynn I. Generally, I'm loathe to identify any such quick knockout as a peak performance, but Fulton was seen as a far greater menace to Willard's crown than Morris, who got dominated by Jess in 1913. 6)Miske III Billy was ailing, but he'd never been floored before, let alone knocked out. He'd only been defeated by Kid Norfolk over 12 rounds in 1917, and would compile a formidable record over the remaining 24 fights and three years of his career. He's a worthy member of the IBHOF. This, rather than Willard, may have been Dempsey's final peak performance. 7)Brennan II KO Bill was probably taken too lightly by Dempsey in this one, and Jack apparently violated the celibacy rule, resulting in a lackluster performance. However, this failure led to the most impressive display of late round power he ever produced, as he dropped the rock hard 197 pound Brennan for the count with body shots in 12. 8)Carpentier Long time European Heavyweight Champion, Carp was coming off an impressive knockout of Battling Levinski for the World LHW title. Advantage in speed wasn't sufficient to get the job done. 9)Gibbons Tommy was hot in 1923, Tunney wanted no part of him, and nobody had ever come close to stopping or flooring him. Jack had also been inactive for two years. As Unforgiven pointed out though, his legs and stamina were good in this one, and he proved he could do it over the championship distance against a seasoned veteran of 15 rounders. Jack is rightly criticized for inactivity, and not defending against Wills, but he deserves some credit for taking on Gibbons, a widely avoided IBHOF contender. 10)Firpo Dempsey started out this donnybrook by recklessly running into a lethal shot (not one of his better moments), then clinching his way to a quick recovery. Before getting shoved out of the ring, he decked Firpo several times, and none of them were of the flash variety. After he got shoved back in the ring, Firpo did have the advantage for the remainder of the opening round, but Jack was fighting back with surprising effectiveness. The second round was somewhat anticlimactic. Firpo didn't have the chin to stand up to Dempsey's power. A rematch would have been marketable, but there was no real question as to who would have had superiority. 11)Sharkey It's unfortunate that this one ended with controversy, as Dempsey's power and body attack was beginning to take a toll. Sharkey may have been at his peak, while Dempsey was well past it. Could Sharkey have been able to maintain and preserve his early lead through eight more scheduled rounds? (I don't think he had the chin to carry him through to the final bell.) After weathering an early storm, Dempsey was coming on. A much longer contest would have held him in good stead for the Tunney rematch.
1927-09-22 Gene Tunney, Chicago, IL KO (Left hook) 7 (10) 2:21 1927-06-21 Jack Sharkey, The Bronx, NYKO (Left hook) 7 (15) 0:45 1923-09-14 Luis Ángel Firpo Polo Grounds, NY KO (right) 2 (15) 0:57 1920-12-14 Bill Brennan MSG, NY KO (Body shots) 12 (15) 1:57 1919-07-04 Jess Willard Toledo, OH TKO (Corner Stop)3 (12) 3:00 Some of you may have issues with my #1 but I, for one, DON'T give Gene Tunny the benefit of a long count. On my film he's on his keester for 11+ seconds DURING the seventh round and OUT. He coulda wouda shoulda got up some people say. He didn't. You should turn the film off at that point, nothing that follows matters...
He is watching the ref, following the count of the ref... what else is he supposed to do, pull out a stopwatch? Tunney-haters!
I highly doubt a double uppercut knockout to the balls(with sharkey screaming in severe agony) after getting his ass kicked for 6 rounds, was a top 5 performance. Just my opinion.