How good of a fighter was Tom Sharkey?

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/Article-TomSharkey.htm

i think it is an interesting article. He was known as a tough brawler with a good punch who was somewhat crude. Probably one of the better hws not to win a title. I would like to see some good quality footage of him but unfortunately that doesnt exist, the film from that era is so poor its hard to judge anything

 

Sharkey didn't beat Maher, they drew. The Fitz win was at best, fortutious. But he was good, very good as the Jeffries fights prove. To me they are the biggest hits against Jeff that he couldn't stop the much smaller and lighter Sharkey, as Fitz and Maher proved that while tough, he was not Ironman.

 

Very dirty fighter.

 

He probably dererved the Corbett win because from the contemporary acounts it seems that he had Corbett on the verge of a knockout and Corbetts seconds entered the ring causing the disqualification.

He probably didnt deserve the Fitzsimmons win since most observers thought the knockout of Sharkey was legit and the reff (Wyatt Erp) had bet heavily on Sharkey.

Will post articles.

 

The Corbett fight:

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Round by round acount of the Corbett fight (part missing):

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The conclusions of the investigation into the Corbett Sharkey fight:

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The first Fitzsimmons Sharkey fight:

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Sharkey was a striking individual with a jutting out cauliflower ear and a battleship tattoed on his chest.Thats what he was a battle ship ,but of the pocket variety,huge chest and arms ,big back, all compressed into a frame under 5 9in, he was uncompromisingly physical in the ring ,or to put it another way, DIRTY.He gave Jeffries the two hardest fights of his career,despite giving away loads of weight and height,Jeffries said "no braver man than Tom Sharkey ever entered the ring".One of the important faces of the old school .

 

So I have always been led to believe but this interview with Choynski provides a curious counterpoint to the traditional view:

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It would appear Choynsky was not an admirer of Fitz,this may have coloured his view of the Earp decision,imo.
I dont think Sharkey fouled in every fight ,I think he was a hot tempered individual ,rather than a cold calculating fouler ,like for instance Zivic or Pedroza.The Sailor seems to have fought Jeffries fair,and against such a big man he had every incentive to bend the rules.Just my take on it.

 

From all accounts one of the hardest men who ever entered the ring. His fight under the intense lighting of the Jeffries fight is the stuff of legends.

Very, VERY sorrid past from everything I've read as well. Shame he wasn't just a little bigger.