Editing Jack Dempsey (section)

=== Professional wrestling ===
After retiring from boxing, Dempsey became involved in the [[professional wrestling]] as a featured attraction and a frequent [[Referee (professional wrestling)|referee]] in those said featured attractions. The first match that Dempsey refereed was at a show in [[Dallas]] on January 9, 1931, between Jim O'Dowd and Billy Edwards. In the match, Dempsey retaliated from an attack from Edwards with a straight punch, which caused O'Dowd to win the match. Six years later, on October 18, 1937, he refereed an entire show at the Jaffa Mosque in [[Altoona, Pennsylvania]], where the main event was between [[Dusek family|Wally Dusek]] and Ray Steele.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jack Dempsey |url=https://www.legacyofwrestling.com/JackDempsey.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=www.legacyofwrestling.com}}</ref> In April 1947, he and Jack Sharkey co-refereed a two-out-of-three falls tag team match between Emil Dusek and Ernie Dusek of the [[Dusek family|Dusek Family]] against [[Yvon Robert]] and [[Larry Moquin]] in [[Montreal]]. Robert and Moquin, who were the faces, defeated the brothers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1947-04-23 |title=Boxing or wrestling merits may be solved |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette/111640931/ |access-date=2024-06-09 |newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]] |pages=14 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

He famously refereed a match on June 21, 1950, between [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers]] and the [[NWA World's Heavyweight Championship|NWA World's Heavyweight Champion]] [[Lou Thesz]]. Thesz won the bout after getting Rogers stuck between the top and middle ropes in a choke hold, which prompted Dempsey to do a 10 count to signal a stoppage.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Prell |first=Edward |date=1950-06-22 |title=Thesz Throws Rogers Twice to Keep Title Before 7,638 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/20848728/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |pages=63 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Later that year, in December, he refereed a bout between [[Primo Carnera]] and [[Chief Don Eagle]]. The match was noted for being the first time since 1937 that Dempsey had been physically involved against a wrestler when, after Carnera, who was playing the [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] in the match, drew the ire of Dempsey by way of illegal tactics during the match, Dempsey hit Carnera with two punches before Eagle pinned him.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1933-11-03 |title=DEMPSEY HAS OLD PUNCH.; As Referee, He Knocks Out Wrestler for Choking Opponent. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1933/11/03/archives/dempsey-has-old-punch-as-referee-he-knocks-out-wrestler-for-choking.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The last match he guest refereed was a June 28, 1958 match between [[Pat O'Connor (wrestler)|Pat O'Connor]] and [[Killer Kowalski]]. The 63 year old Dempsey took a shot to the back of the head, which prompted a scare for the promoter and ring-side crew, but did not have any major or life-threatening injuries as a result.<ref name=":0" />