I'd like to see more from Tom, but he seemed to be excellent fighter. Short but powerful build, strong punch and tons of courage. A shame that we can't see his wars against Jeffries or his destruction of Corbett.
Ortiz has decent fundamentals. I think he’s got enough fire power and accuracy to keep Sharkey honest and take a decision.
Sharkey was a walk forward midget with almost no boxing skill (this according to his contemporaries). He supposedly slightly improved his game by Jeffries 2 but that is relative to the heavyweight goof-troopers of the day and even then the press was lukewarm on his improvement. I don't care if this was scheduled for 100 rounds. Sharkey is going to be gone before the 3rd gong strikes.
I've seen the same reports about Marciano for example and I'd never call him that way. Someone you described would never be top tier contender and would never go 40 rounds against Jeffries.
Or perhaps a counter narrative is true... Jeffries wasn't all that good and a wharfbrawler like Sharkey, the meager likes of whom hasn't the ring hasnt seen in 50 years, was able to make a name in those paltry years for the division.
Or maybe it’s all relative. Mayweather Sr and Teddy Atlas paint Wilder as a god awful boxer. But compared to the average competitor, he’s a good boxer.
Wilder has overwhelming physicality. Seriously, should we run this poll back with Tom versus Deontay?
Don’t miss the point. Contemporary negative critiques about world class fighters are often exaggerated.
Dear The Seamus, In my humble opinion, the heavyweight division of the 1890s was as good as the heavyweight division of the 1990s. The guys in the 1890s had more grit, determination and resolve. That is why Tom wins this.
Sure, we can assume that whole era sucked back then. I don't think it's reasonable though. Sharkey also troubled Fitzsimmons, almost knocking him out in first round. Now Fitzsimmons also wasn't that good?