Sailor Tom Sharkey vs Lennox Lewis

He could have fought them, the question is, did he need to?

Martin is the only man on the list who I would describe as a strong contender, and he was coming into his own when Sharkey was on the slide.

I think that Martin was much more interested in a fight with Fitzsimmons.

As for the rest of them, he was probably better off fighting guys like Ruhlin, Corbett and Choynski.

 

In fairness, I don't think that there were any particularly outstanding black contenders, until Sharkey was well on the slide.

Even somebody like Martin wouldn't have been very well aligned in the timeline. - Janitor

Janitor is correct.

Sharkey fought excellent competition, Fitz, Jeffries, Maher, Goddard ( when he had something left ) Choysnki, McCoy, and Ruhlin.

Most of the above names were better than the all the fighters you listed.

Choynski for example a fighter Sharkey defeated Childs, and drew with Armstrong.

The funny part to me, is you sometimes blast Jeffries for not taking mix matches, yet he defeated to of the best men on your list and has reported KO's over Martin and Childs.

 

No the question is why didn't he fight a black fighter after being ko'd by the only one he faced ?
It's okay, we have the answer from his own mouth!

ps Sharkey had exhibitions with Johnson,[who made him look a fool,] and Armstrong,he just wouldn't fight a black man.

 

I would say Maher who was 106-5-2, Ruhlin who was 6'2", 200 pounds with a 78 1/2" Reach, or Choynski who as we known made quick work of Jack Johnson qualify as his best KO wins. Corbett, if his seconds didn't intervene could be on the list as well.

I'd have to check the weights of fighters like Russell, and McCormick as they likely weighed as much or more than Ruhlin.

If your asking for top ranked fighter over 240 pounds, they did not exist back then nor were they anything but rarely ranked until the mid 1990's.

The question here is not size and weight ,but the quality of Lewis chin for the upset. Sharkey was listed as one of Ring Magazine's top 100 punchers at spot #64, this is ahead heavyweights like Buddy Bear and Razzor Ruddock, one spot behind Harry Willis, and close enough to Jerry Cooney. So there's your historical back drop on power hitters. Sharkey hit hard enough for the upset. He was a gunner type, compared to say Rocky Marciano.

Remember Lewis was iced early in fights where he was hardly hit before the Ko punch landed. Its not like he suffered an attrition like beating.

 

Goddard was what 10 days off 36? Sharkey lost to Jeffries twice and lost to Fitz twice being kod in both fights but Fitz was robbed in their first fight. Corbett hadn't fought in 2 years when he faced Sharkey and was in no kind of shape. Maher and Sharkey were thrown out and their last fight ruled a no contest because neither was trying,their first fight was a draw.For **** sake show me Sharkey's wins !
He should have been thrown out for fouling against Choynski.
You're talking **** as usual!

 

He didnt beat Maher! The police stopped their first fight and it was ruled a draw.Both of them were thrown out after 3 rds in their second fight because neither was trying and it was ruled a no contest!

 

I understand that he wouldn't fight a black opponent, my argument is that he didn't particularly need to.

He happened to have the luxury of making that call if he wanted to.

 

Jeffries would fight Blacks when he was a contender he just didn't have the balls to defend his title against them.

 

Well let's give him a big pat on the back for that then!

 

Them explain to me why he fought Hank Griffin in 1901 as champion. You know, he defeat Jack Johnson in 1901. Had Griffin somehow won by KO, he's the new lineal champion. Fact.

Balls? Jeffries offered Johnson a private fight on the spot, Johnson refused. He also retuned out of the ring for 6 years, old rusty and having to shed a lot of fat to meet Johnson past his prime with a ton of pressure on him to win.

As mentioned Jeffries did consider Johnson as an option post Munroe in 1904. There was an article on it here.

Had Johnson Ko'd Marvin Hart instead of playing defense the entire second half of the fight, there is no saying what Jeffries would have done if there was a Reno like purse to meet Johnson in 1905.

So your information on this topic once again is factually incorrect. Jeffries did fight a top black man as champion and he didn't lack balls in 1910. He went out on his shield old and tired, with no fouls.

Your agenda prevents learning.

 

Lol .It could actually end in a ring fatality in this match up .If we go by the old rules of getting knocked down and been hit as soon as rise , then Sharkey would be murdered .!

 

All right, correction on Maher. Other points still stand.

The question here is not size and weight ,but the quality of Lewis chin for the upset. Sharkey was listed as one of Ring Magazine's top 100 punchers at spot #64, this is ahead heavyweights like Buddy Bear and Razzor Ruddock, one spot behind Harry Willis, and close enough to Jerry Cooney. So there's your historical back drop on power hitters. Sharkey hit hard enough for the upset. He was a gunner type, compared to say Rocky Marciano.

 

Agreed but Sharkey seems like the sort of guy that would be hell in a street brawl .. in the ring he'd be giving up way too much height, weight, reach and likely talent to Lennox ..

 

The Griffin fight was a 4 round exhibition in which Jeffries had contracted to stop Griffin inside the distance or pay a forfeit of $100 .Griffin ran when he could and dropped to the floor when he couldn't and thereby survived the 4rds and claimed his $100.
I repeat Jeffries was terrified of risking his title against a black challenger and he made no bones about it."When there are no white challengers left to fight ,I shall retire,I will never take a chance on losing my title to a black man".Jim Jeffries 1904 .
Now what part of that do you not understand?

 

In my opinion Lewis wins by first round kayo.

Sharkey was an unskilled street brawler who would be absolutely destroyed by a skilled monster like Lewis in a fight held under modern rules.

Some of the nostalgic revisionism is right out of hand in my humble as is a lack of understanding by certain posters as to the conditions faced by Black American fighters ( let alone the average black person ) in the Sullivan to Clay era.

The period from Sullivan to Joe Louis winning the title was disgraceful.