Chicago Boxing (Il) (Images of Sports)

"Professor" Mike Donovan, Battling NelsonÂ?"The Durable Dane," and "Stockyards" Harold SmithÂ? their stories are as colorful as their names. ChicagoÂ?s boxing history is as exciting and unpredictable as any prize fight within the ring. Some of the most memorable boutsÂ?great, infamous or otherwiseÂ?took place in the cityÂ?s clubs, parks and arenas, and Chicago has seen its share of champions and top contenders over the years. The Gans-McGovern fight in 1900Â?the "Big Fix"Â?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.