Did You Know Montana Hosted A World Championship Boxing Match?

Before we get into the time a world championship boxing match was held in Montana, I have to get on my soapbox about the elderly Mike Tyson VS the guy I don't care about fight.

Tyson VS Paul is on Netflix tonight and I really, really, REALLY hate the idea of this fight. It's a total cash grab between a guy who used to be an iconic prizefighter and an iNtErnEt iNfLuEnCeR. I don't want to watch. I will not watch. It's dumb. DUMB I TELL YOU.

Anyways, my guy K.C. from 96.3 The Blaze mentioned the time Montana played host to a world championship boxing match way back in the day.

Jack Dempsey defends the world heavyweight championship against Tommy Gibbons on July 4, 1923, in Shelby, Montana

It sounds like an awesome event for smalltown Montana to host, but in the end, it may have done more damage than good.

Yahoo! Sports published an article explaining how the fight found its way to Shelby and why it went south in a hurry. In short, an oil boom in central Montana reigned in a wave of people. In a publicity stunt, the mayor of Shelby doubled the bid to receive the Jack Dempsey VS Tommy Gibbons fight. The mayor didn't expect his bid to be expected but guess what? It was and he had to come up with the money quickly.

READ MORE: Top 10 Golf Courses To Play In Montana

In short, it put immense financial strain on the town. In a wildly bizarre twist, Mayor Johnson crashed in a plane while he was out fundraising trying to meet the minimum amount. It's a strange story.

The fight was a disaster for Shelby. The Chicago Tribune reported several Shelby banks went bankrupt and the town was reeling for years. Reportedly, more people watched the match for free than those who paid for their entry.

ESPN Classic has footage up on YouTube of the full fight. Dempsey defeated Gibbons. It's embedded below.

Even after the financial disaster, I bet Dempsey VS Gibbons was a better fight than Paul and Tyson will be tonight.