The Jack Dempsey–Luis Firpo boxing match

Description

Salvatore "Lucky" Luciano, under the influence of his mentor Arnold Rothstein, expanded his criminal enterprises into narcotics. This decision led to his 1923 arrest by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, who caught him with drugs and recovered a stash from 164 Mulberry Street based on his information.

Fought, Sept 14, 1923

Jack Dempsey's boxing match against Luis Ángel Firpo took place where Dempsey knocked out Firpo in the second round. To restore his reputation after his narcotics arrest, Lucky Luciano strategically bought 200 premium seats to the Jack Dempsey–Luis Firpo boxing match in 1923, gifting them to influential gangsters and politicians. Arnold Rothstein further enhanced Luciano’s image with an expensive shopping spree at Wanamaker's Department Store. The plan succeeded, rehabilitating Luciano's standing. By 1925, he earned $4 million annually from gambling and bootlegging, with operations expanding beyond New York. By 1927, he adopted the alias Charles Lane and lived at the Barbizon-Plaza hotel.

Factoids

The Jack Dempsey–Luis Firpo fight in 1923 was a landmark event in sports history, being the first time a Latin American boxer contended for the world heavyweight title. Named the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year, the bout was dramatic and controversial. Firpo famously knocked Dempsey out of the ring, but no claim to victory was made during the ten seconds Dempsey was out. Gene Tunney later noted that a manager could have secured Firpo’s win under the rules.

Related People & Organizations