Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey prowls the ring as the referee counts out Georges Carpentier on July 2, 1921, in one of the first bouts named "Fight of the Century." The next day The Times front page banner headline declared, "Dempsey Knocks Out Carpentier in the Fourth Round; Challenger Breaks His Thumb Against Champions Jaw; Record Crowd of 90,000 Orderly and Well Handled."

The fight took place at Tex Rickard's stadium in Jersey City, N.J., but more than 10,000 spectators gathered in Times Square outside The New York Times building to receive updates. The crowds around The Times building could reportedly "both see and hear bulletins" of the bout through a combination of wireless telephone and voice amplifiers. "If the words are lost in the tumult and cheering there will be no doubt as to what happened," reported The Times, "as carefully written descriptions of the grounds will be posted blow by blow." When it was finally reported on the bulletin that Dempsey had prevailed, the vast crowd "threw their hats in the air, turned and shook hands with each other, patted each other on the back. Whatever feeling there might have been for Carpentier seemed to have been drowned by that growing road of triumph. The world loves a winner."

After the fight, Dempsey told The Times, "Carpentier is a good, game fellow, but I think I've got it on him. I won just as I thought I would." Dempsey would retain his title until 1926.