Jack Sharkey vs. Eddie Machen

I`m not sure now and have to think later more about the possible outcome, but maybe Machen wins.

 

Well, you know it`s written on boxrec. But okay, he has beaten Nino Valdez (2x). Bob Baker and Tommy Jackson were rather past prime, but not over the hill. Futhermore Mike DeJohn (2x), Brian London, Doug Jones, Wayne Bethea and Roger Rischer. He had a draw with Zora Folley (1st meeting) and Cleveland Williams and gave Sonny Liston a good fight. He won against a young Jerry Quarry (but was himself past prime) and fought 10 rounds with a young Frazier. I think he was a slick and good boxer, he was also a good mover and had probably a better punch than Jack Sharkey. I`d be a tough opponent for Sharkey.
Sharkey won against Loughran, Stribling and Carnera (I don`t count the controversial win against Schmeling, but still good fight by him, also against old Dempsey) Is that so much better?
Machen fought also in a more modern era. Maybe Sharkey win at his very best (cause he was quite inconsistent), but it`s pretty even.

 

Wills was way past prime, 37 and at the end of his career. Sharkey won and lost against Risko, Renault was a close win and I have to admit that Godfrey was a good win. Though it was on points and I know nothing more about it. Also Godfreys record was 30-10-1, when he fought Sharkey. I think he was not so special. He was a good black fighter at that time. At Machens era, it was completely normal to fight against black boxers.
Eddie Machen had beaten also some other good opponents, like Howard King, Johnny Summerlin, Alex Miteff, Alonzo Johnson...
However, I never said that Sharkey has not beaten good boxers.

 

Well, when Sharkey fought Wills 1926, he was almost 25 and Wills was nevertheless 37 and at the end of his career. Afterwards, he lost also against Paolino Uzcudun via KO 4. Prior to the fight with Sharkey, he was quite inactive. Form 1923 to 1925, he fought just twice a year and he had a break for one year before the Sharkey fight. Wills heyday was probably between 1915 - 1920.
I read in Tunneys autobiography a bit about Wills. Tunney (otherwise a great sportman) didn`t particularly value Wills. He stated that Wills was just a showman and had an unfair, dirty style. If I remember correctly (I read it before some years) he praised also Sharkey`s and Uzcudun`s wins. I think it`s not a great achievement to wait till a boxer is old and then praising wins from young, hungry, promising boxers over him.
I mean in general, it`s not Sharkeys fault. It could just glorify history.
Okay, but nobody knows, how good Wills still was during this fight 1926. Though, I`m pretty sure, that he was way past prime.