August 17, 1914 Young Hancock D6

Dempsey's professional debut; called a "draw" but Dempsey was clearly better.

April 26, 1915 Anamas Campbell KO3

Campbell was a big, tough, much-avoided black fighter of the day; this fight represented a major step up in competition for Jack.

February 1, 1916 Johnny Sudenberg KO2

In 1915, Dempsey engaged in two 10-round contests with Sudenberg that were ruled "draws" but which Dempsey clearly won. This time, he didn't leave it up to the judges.

February 21, 1916 Jack Downey K02

In 1915, Dempsey dropped a 4-round decision to Downey and fought him to a 4-round draw. Both fights were "hometown" verdicts and Dempsey got his revenge here.

June 24, 1916 Agile Andre Anderson ND-W10

Dempsey survived a couple knockdowns in the beginning to entirely dominate the fight thereafter. Anderson was a high-ranking white hope at the time.

July 14, 1916 John Lester Johnson ND-W10

Johnson was a tough, experienced black heavyweight of the day; a notch below Sam Langford, Joe Jeannette, Sam McVey, and Harry Wills, but nevertheless a formidable opponent. Johnson started fast, cracking several of Dempsey's ribs in the early going. Showing exceptional durability and heart, Dempsey came back strong and was in control at the end. Damon Runyon gave Jack the "newspaper decision".

February 16, 1917 Fireman Jim Flynn TKOby1/"Exhibition"

Dempsey was in dire financial straits at the time of this fight and, only a couple days before, had his right hand smashed by a bowling ball (he was picking up spare change working in a bowling alley). Despite that he could barely get his hand into his glove and could not make a fist, he took a fight with this dangerous contender, and went down 3 times in the first round from "punches" ringside observers felt were beyond suspicious. The fight finished with Dempsey on his feet when his brother Bernie tossed in the towel. The "dive", which Dempsey's wife Maxine Cates Dempsey spoke of often, was so obvious Dempsey never got another fight in Murray, Utah.

March 28, 1917 Willie Meehan L4

This was Dempsey's first "legitimate" loss, though it was very, very close. Meehan started fast and hung on for dear life to escape with a narrow verdict. Dempsey never regarded it as a defeat, however, telling people (indeed, testifying at his draft-evasion trial) that he won all his fights in 1917 except the Flynn "affair".

July 25, 1917 Willie Meehan W4

Dempsey completely dominated.

August 10, 1917 Willie Meehan D4

Dempsey completely dominated, despite the ridiculous verdict.

September 7, 1917 Willie Meehan D4

Dempsey completely dominated, despite the ridiculous verdict.

October 2, 1917 Gunboat Smith W4

Smith was a top contender, and this fight put Dempsey on the map. Dempsey always said Smith hit him harder in the 1st round of this fight than anyone else hit him before or since.

November 2, 1917 Carl Morris W4

Morris was another top contender. Dempsey had arrived.

February 4, 1918 Carl Morris W DQ 6

Really, a knockout victory. Morris fouled out after losing all hope.

February 14, 1918 Fireman Jim Flynn KO1

This time, Dempsey tried to win.

February 25, 1918 K.O. Bill Brennan KO6

Dempsey beat the talented Brennan, another rising young star, to a pulp.

May 3, 1918 Billy Miske ND-W10

Dempsey outworked this slick-boxing speedster in a terrific fight.

May 29, 1918 Arthur Pelkey KO1

The giant white hope was no match.

July 27, 1918 Fred Fulton KO1

This 18-second victory over Sam Langford's two-time conqueror established Dempsey as the number 1 contender for Jess Willard's crown.

September 13, 1918 Willie Meehan L4/Exhibition

Dempsey knocked Meehan down in the 2nd round and completely dominated this fight. Where the "L" verdict came from is something of a mystery, as contemporary accounts treated the fight as an exhibition. At some point long after the fact, the fight made it into Nat Fleischer's Ring Record Book as a "loss", which seems to be inaccurate. In any event, Dempsey was not by any means "out-fought".

November 6, 1918 Battling Levinsky KO3

The great and previously indestructible light-heavyweight champion was simply out of his league.

November 28, 1918 Billy Miske ND–W6

Dempsey again outboxed the master boxer.

December 16, 1918 Carl Morris KO1

Dempsey continued his mastery over Morris with this 14-second demolition.

December 30, 1918 Gunboat Smith KO2

Dempsey showed Smith just how far he'd progressed in the past 14 months.

July 4, 1919 Jess Willard TKO3

Dempsey won the heavyweight crown from a greatly under-rated champion with perhaps the most fearsome offensive explosion ever seen in the ring.

September 6, 1920 Billy Miske KO3

Miske had lost a step due to his Bright's Disease and was never competitive here (though he still had plenty left, as demonstrated by his spectacular post-fight record of 21-1-1, which saw him split two fights with Tommy Gibbons, draw with and twice defeat Capt. Bob Roper, and defeat Bill Brennan (twice), Fred Fulton and Charlie Weinert).

December 14, 1920 K.O. Bill Brennan KO12

Brennan outboxed a lethargic Dempsey early on, but was brutally dispatched once Dempsey got down to business.

July 2, 1921 Georges Carpentier KO4

Dempsey proved far too good for the great World Light-Heavyweight and European Heavyweight Champion in boxing's 1st million-dollar gate.

July 4, 1923 Tommy Gibbons W15

Dempsey won 12 of 15 rounds in outboxing the great boxer in what Damon Runyon called the fastest heavyweight fight ever fought.

September 14, 1923 Luis "Angel" Firpo KO2

In possibly the most dramatic sporting event of all-time, Dempsey crawled back into the ring after having been punched (and pushed) out of it by the monstrously powerful Firpo to defend his title with a stunning 2nd-round knockout. This fight was boxing's 2nd million-dollar gate.

September 23, 1926 Gene Tunney L10

Dempsey returned to the ring after a 3-year layoff and lost the title to perhaps the greatest pure boxer ever to grace the heavyweight division. This fight was boxing's 3rd million-dollar gate.

July 21, 1927 Jack Sharkey KO7

Dempsey earned his rematch with Tunney by coming from behind to defeat Harry Wills's conqueror, the multi-talented and vastly under-rated Sharkey. Sharkey won the first 5 rounds going away, but Dempsey started reaching him with a vicious body-attack in the 6th and 7th. In one of the most famous episodes in boxing history, Sharkey turned his head to complain of a purported "low blow" in the 7th, whereupon a Dempsey left hook ended the festivities. This fight was boxing's 4th million-dollar gate.

September 22, 1927 Gene Tunney L10