Awesome 1927 panoramic photo of Jack Dempsey's "Soper's Ranch" training camp where he prepared for his rematch against challenger Gene Tunney the controversial "Long Count" fight which would cost Dempsey the World Heavyweight Championship title and lead to his retirement a year later. Clarence "Pop" Soper ran the camp for 30 years until his death in 1957. Soper's boxing camp was a landmark during its heyday. More than 550 boxers trained there sometimes as many as 30 at once.

It was Jack Dempsey who really started it all. The famous fighter by then a 7-time heavyweight champion took to "Pop" Soper's ranch in the rugged mountainous Matilija Canyon to train in 1925. For exercise he would jog the four miles back down the canyon to Ojai or clear boulders by hand to help Soper build what would become the camp. Locals remember seeing the boxer running along the highway pushing a wheelbarrow full of rocks. Dempsey apparently swore by the mineral water bringing 50 bottles of Matilija water to the Tunney rematch in 1927.

The panorama shows the secluded nature of the ranch set back deep in the hills. A boxing ring can be seen in the crystal clear image with a pair of boxers getting ready to spar. Caption at lower right corner reads "'Soper's Ranch' Ojai California - Jack Dempsey's Training Camp. - June 19 1927. - B.Tsensee.Photo - Ventura Calif. #16". Visible image of panorama surface gives no indication of any creasing. Framed to a size of 11 1/4" by 38 1/4". Great piece of boxing history.