1937 clash of the titans?
The New York Times archive reports on a proposed eating contest from 70 years ago:
Kin Fu Ki, 32-year-old Korean Buddhist priest, who is 7 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 303 pounds, plans a trip to the United States to challenge American giants to an eating contest.
Kin Fu Ki wanted to compete against 8 ft. 5 in. Robert Wadlow. The only other article about Kin Fu Ki says he eats five times as much rice as a Japanese soldier.