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On July 4, 1923, in Shelby, Montana, Tommy
Gibbons fought Jack Dempsey in a World Heavyweight
Championship. . The challenger Gibbons was given $7,500 advance
payment, and the use of a house for free as he prepared for
training. The townspeople constructed a fenced training area, where
Gibbons would charge a daily admission.
News sources reported,
"In the convoluted state of affairs that was the promotion of the World
Heavyweight Championship bout in Shelby, Montana, the promoter's held out
one faint hope of recovery, the sale of fight film rights. Having
contracted with the International News Service, for a fee of $5,000, to
provide films of the fight, the promoters hoped that this venture could
save the failed promotion. But in this, as in all other aspects of the
promotion, the citizens of Shelby were to be left empty handed.
The group turned over the film to a man named Harry Grossman,
recommended by Doc Kearns, to handle the sale of distribution rights.
Grossman was advanced $1,000, by the group, and given the print of the
film. Grossman and the money were never heard from again. The film ended
up in distribution, but the promoters never received any renumeration from
it's showing."
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