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.