Chicago Boxing

Professor Mike Donovan, Battling Nelson�"The Durable Dane," and "Stockyards" Harold Smith� their stories are as colorful as their names. Chicago�s boxing history is as exciting and unpredictable as any prize fight within the ring. Some of the most memorable bouts�great, infamous or otherwise�took place in the city�s clubs, parks and arenas, and Chicago has seen its share of champions and top contenders over the years. The Gans-McGovern fight in 1900�the "Big Fix"�set the sport back 25 years in Chicago. The "Long Count" between Tunney and Dempsey, in 1927, may still be the most controversial bout of all time. Chicago Boxing is a story not only of great boxers, but of the fans who embraced them, the promoters who made them big, and even a few mob bosses who made good on their talent.