Gene Tunney

“The Fighting Marine”

Boxing · Deceased

80-1-3 (1 NC)RECORD

48WINS BY KO / TKO

32WINS BY DECISION

85PRO FIGHTS

Profile

Full name	James Joseph Tunney
Nickname	The Fighting Marine
Date of birth	25 May 1897
Died	7 Nov 1978
Nationality	American
Birthplace	New York City, New York, USA
Based in	Not added yet
Weight classes	Light heavyweight, Heavyweight
Trainers	Not added yet
Height	183 cm (6′0″)
Reach	193 cm (76″)
Stance	Orthodox
Years active	1915–1928
Status	Deceased
Pro debut	3 Jul 1915
Last fight	Win vs Tom Heeney, 26 Jul 1928

Details on this page were compiled from public information on 8 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date).

Titles and honours

World heavyweight champion from 1926 to 1928
Won the title from Jack Dempsey in 1926 and defended it in the 1927 rematch
Defended the title against Tom Heeney in 1928, then retired as champion
American light heavyweight champion in 1922 and from 1923

Background

A former US Marine, he handed Harry Greb his first defeat in 1922 and went on to beat Jack Dempsey twice for the heavyweight title, retiring as champion in 1928.

Fight history

85 professional fights. Newest first.

Result	Opponent	Method	Round	Time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	Tom Heeney	TKO	11	2:52	26 Jul 1928	New York City, New York, USA	Retained world heavyweight title
Win	Jack Dempsey	Decision (unanimous)	10		22 Sep 1927	Chicago, Illinois, USA	Retained world heavyweight title
Win	Jack Dempsey	Decision (unanimous)	10		23 Sep 1926	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA	Won world heavyweight title
Win	Dan O'Dowd	KO	2	0:31	29 Dec 1925	Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA
Win	Johnny Risko	Decision (points)	12		18 Nov 1925	Cleveland, Ohio, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Bartley Madden	KO	3		25 Sep 1925	Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Win	Italian Jack Herman	KO	2		3 Jul 1925	Kansas City, Kansas, USA
Win	Tommy Gibbons	KO	12		5 Jun 1925	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Harry Greb	Decision (points)	10		27 Mar 1925	Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Jeff Smith	Decision (points)	15		8 Dec 1924	New Orleans, Louisiana, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Buddy McHale	TKO	2		10 Nov 1924	Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Win	Harry Foley	TKO	1	2:05	27 Oct 1924	Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Win	Ray Neuman	Decision (points)	10		27 Sep 1924	Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Draw	Harry Greb	Decision (points)	10		17 Sep 1924	Brooklyn, Ohio, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Joe Lohman	TKO	8		18 Aug 1924	Columbus, Ohio, USA
Win	Georges Carpentier	TKO	15	0:14	24 Jul 1924	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Erminio Spalla	TKO	7		26 Jun 1924	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Jimmy Delaney	Decision (points)	10		17 Mar 1924	Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Martin Burke	Decision (points)	15		15 Feb 1924	New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Win	Ray Thompson	KO	2		24 Jan 1924	West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Win	Harry Foley	Decision (points)	10		15 Jan 1924	Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Harry Greb	Decision (unanimous)	15		10 Dec 1923	New York City, New York, USA	Retained American light heavyweight title
Win	Dan O'Dowd	Decision (points)	12		31 Jul 1923	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Jimmy Delaney	Decision (points)	10		16 May 1923	Chicago, Illinois, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Jack Clifford	TKO	8		7 May 1923	Detroit, Michigan, USA
Win	Harry Greb	Decision (split)	15		23 Feb 1923	New York City, New York, USA	Won American light heavyweight title
Win	Chuck Wiggins	Decision (points)	12		3 Feb 1923	New York City, New York, USA
No contest	Jack Renault	No contest	4		29 Jan 1923	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Win	Charley Weinert	KO	4		29 Nov 1922	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Jack Hanlon	KO	1	1:22	3 Nov 1922	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Chuck Wiggins	Decision (points)	10		27 Oct 1922	Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Win	Tommy Loughran	Decision (points)	8		24 Aug 1922	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Charley Weinert	Decision (points)	12		17 Aug 1922	Newark, New Jersey, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Ray Thompson	KO	3		4 Aug 1922	Long Branch, New Jersey, USA
Win	Fay Keiser	Decision (points)	12		7 Jul 1922	Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Loss	Harry Greb	Decision (unanimous)	15		23 May 1922	New York City, New York, USA	Lost American light heavyweight title
Win	Jack Burke	TKO	9		10 Apr 1922	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Win	Fay Keiser	Decision (points)	10		3 Mar 1922	Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Whitey Wenzel	TKO	4		14 Feb 1922	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Win	Jack Clifford	TKO	6	2:50	11 Feb 1922	Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Win	Battling Levinsky	Decision (points)	12		13 Jan 1922	New York City, New York, USA	Won vacant American light heavyweight title
Win	Eddie O'Hare	KO	6		22 Dec 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Wolf Larsen	TKO	7	1:35	25 Oct 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Jack Burke	TKO	3		14 Oct 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Herbert Crossley	Decision (points)	7		26 Sep 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Eddie Josephs	Decision (points)	12		18 Aug 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Martin Burke	Decision (points)	10		4 Aug 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Soldier Jones	TKO	7		2 Jul 1921	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Johnny Ambrose	KO	1	2:45	28 Jun 1921	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Leo Hauck	Decision (points)	10		7 Dec 1920	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Leo Hauck	Decision (points)	6		25 Nov 1920	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Paul Samson Koerner	Decision (points)	10		25 Oct 1920	Paterson, New Jersey, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Sergeant Ray Smith	TKO	2		22 Oct 1920	Camden, New Jersey, USA
Win	Ole Anderson	TKO	3	0:40	28 Jun 1920	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Jeff Madden	TKO	2		7 Jun 1920	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Jack Clifford	KO	3		9 Apr 1920	Johnson City, New York, USA
Win	K.O. Sullivan	KO	1	2:15	5 Apr 1920	Newark, New Jersey, USA
Win	Ed Kinley	KO	5		4 Mar 1920	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Al Roberts	KO	8	1:06	2 Feb 1920	Newark, New Jersey, USA
Win	Jim Monahan	KO	1	2:50	26 Jan 1920	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Bud Nelson	KO	1		20 Jan 1920	Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
Win	Whitey Allen	KO	2		1 Jan 1920	Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
Win	Bob Pearce	KO	2		29 Dec 1919	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Dan O'Dowd	Decision (points)	8		16 Dec 1919	Bayonne, New Jersey, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Ted Jamison	Decision (points)	10		26 Apr 1919	Paris, France	Won American Expeditionary Forces light heavyweight title
Win	K.O. Sullivan	Decision (points)	10		14 Apr 1919	Paris, France
Win	Dare Lewis	KO	3		28 Mar 1919	Tours, France	Won S.O.S. light heavyweight title
Win	Bob Martin	Decision (points)	4		27 Jan 1919	Paris, France
Win	Victor Marchand	KO	2		9 Jan 1919	Paris, France
Draw	Tommy Gavigan	Decision (points)	10		20 Dec 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, France
Win	Howard Morrow	KO	6		10 Dec 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, France
Win	Johnny Newton	KO	6		20 Nov 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, France
Win	Hank Werhl	KO	6		1 Nov 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, France
Win	Young Guerini	KO	1		8 Jul 1918	Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Win	Hugh Weir	KO	2		15 Jan 1918	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Joe Borrell	KO	2		28 Dec 1917	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Sailor Wolfe	KO	2		29 Dec 1916	New York City, New York, USA
Win	George Leahy	Decision (points)	6		22 Dec 1916	New York City, New York, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Young Sharkey	KO	6		15 Dec 1916	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Young Guerini	TKO	8		8 Dec 1916	New York City, New York, USA
Draw	KO Jaffe	Decision (points)	10		21 Jul 1916	New York City, New York, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	Billy Rowe	Decision (points)	6		1 Dec 1915	New York City, New York, USA	Newspaper decision
Win	George Leahy	KO	2		28 Aug 1915	Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Win	Battling Genrimo	KO	3		6 Aug 1915	New York City, New York, USA
Win	Bobby Dawson	TKO	8		3 Jul 1915	New York City, New York, USA