John L Sullivan Vs "Sailor" Tom Sharkey

Had they fought in 1896, Sharkey stops Sullivan. There is some good detail in the " Fighters I met " on Sharkey. If memory serves Sullivan felt he was the next champion.

 

I think at their peak Sharkey was made for Sullivan, who I believe hit harder, took a punch better and was at least as fast with as good stamina.

 

Good information here

 

You have to think that in 1896, Sharkey would have been too much for the ageing Sullivan, even if he was able to show a few flashes of his former brilliance in an exhibition.

Now if you matched them in their respective primes, then Sharkey would be in for a brutalization!

 

What was Sullivan's diet? How did he get so fat even tho no longer drinking? He's got a swollen gunt in all his latter photos.

 

He seems to have given up drinking in 1905.

 

"Sharkey was so slow a watch might have been put on his blows"

Lol great commentary .

 

He had made declarations of sobriety well before that but maybe it took awhile to stick.

 

I think that he tried to give up multiple times, but 1905 seems to have been when he was finally successful.

He said that the bottle was his toughest opponent, but he finally licked it!

 

He must have had an incredible constitution. People who drink as much he seems to have done usually die in pretty short order.

 

If you took Adam's latest biography, and removed everything except his drunken antics, it would be like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

At first it is the kind of stuff that you get with a lot of champions, but the cracks are showing.

By the early 1890s he is getting so off his face, that he is firing his revolver at performers at the theater!

 

Why, because Sullivan had trouble finishing guys, Sharkey would have eaten for lunch in the 1880's?

Sharkey's chin and competition level are well above Sullivan's. And he beat better fighters.

 

I dont think i agree. If Sullivan is in shape, sharkey comes straight at him with no defence. Reflexes or not, John l lands at some stage most likely he knocks sharkey out like fitz did.

Out of shape, obviously sharkey wins the fight. But not 100% certain. The McCormick fight years later shows that John L (who wasnt in the best shape ) still had thepower. Sharkey hit harder, was better and took a much better punch than mcCormick. but by the same token he was also a lot easier to hie.