July 4th has hosted some of the most iconic and culturally charged bouts in boxing history. Here are a few standout matches that made Independence Day a battleground in more ways than one:

The Fight of the Century – Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries (1910)

• Location: Reno, Nevada

• Significance: The first Black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson, defended his title against former undefeated champ Jim Jeffries.

• Outcome: Johnson dominated and stopped Jeffries in the 15th round.

• Legacy: One of the most bet-on cultural clashes of the day, still remembered for the impact it left for years to come.

The Mauling in Toledo – Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard (1919)

• Location: Toledo, Ohio

• Significance: Dempsey, a hungry challenger, faced the much larger reigning champ Willard.

• Outcome: Dempsey knocked Willard down seven times in the first round and won by stoppage after the third.

• Legacy: Considered one of the most brutal beatings in boxing history, it launched Dempsey into superstardom.

The Shelby Fiasco – Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons (1923)

• Location: Shelby, Montana

• Significance: A small town bankrolled a Dempsey title defense, hoping to boost its profile.

• Outcome: Dempsey won a 15-round decision, but the event bankrupted the city.

• Legacy: A cautionary tale of ambition and economic overreach in boxing promotion.

 Other Notables:

• 1911: Ad Wolgast KO’d Owen Moran

• 1912: Wolgast again, this time KO’ing Joe Rivers; Jack Johnson also KO’d Jim Flynn that same day

• 1916: Freddie Welsh DQ’d Ad Wolgast in a wild affair

These fights weren’t just sporting events—they were cultural flashpoints, economic gambles, and in some cases, national reckonings—just another cultural building block in the sport of boxing in the early 20th century.