I'm trying to dig up the source on Carnera. It was two wise guys who admitted to the fights being fixed as part of a plea. I can't remember right now & don't have a ton of time. The unfortunate thing was that for all his talent and seeming ability, Sharkey still lost a quarter of his fights. That tells me something very crucial was missing. And yes, I know that Sander's record wasn't full of A-list elite fighters at the top of their career. I just know that the guy was not a popular match-up for other heavies at the time. I was much more "in the scene" back in those days, traveling to fights, actually getting an occasional piece published. Sanders, a powerful, fast lefty, was not an envious assignment.
I remember that story. Can you remember an about date on it off the top of your head? Hopefully we can do better than two gangsters trying to get off with god knows what in the long run though.
Sugar said that no one ever saw the punch Carnera knocked Sharkey out with. Nat Fleischer certainly did, he described it as a "terrific uppercut on the jaw".
I believe Sharkey fought the highest percentage of ranked contenders of any heavyweight champion ever. Correct me if I'm wrong. From 1926 to 1932 he lost 3 fights, a controversial KO loss to Jack Dempsey, a disputed SD to Johnny Risko and a controversial DQ to Max Schmeling. He defeated Harry Wills, Max Schmeling, Primo Carnera, Tommy Loughran, George Godfrey, Young Stribling, Jim Maloney, Mike McTigue, Jack Delaney and Johnny Risko during that time frame.
You have to ask which fights were Carnera's legacy defining fights. The second Sharkey fight obviously and his title defences. His wins over Levinsky, Lasky and Schaffe established him as a title challenger. I submit that these fights were on the level.
klitschko bullies and dominates Louis en route to a brutal ko inside of 10. Too big, strong and heavy hitting for the fragile chinned bomber.
Hard to believe anyone could call themselves a boxing fan and at the same time call Louis "fragile chinned" Maybe that applies to Frazier, Liston, Holmes and Foreman as well, they've all been down.
The Sharkey Louis fought was a shell. Shareky's best stuff was in the 20's, not the 30's. Shakrey was an off and on fighter. He did not have a great chin, and at times he looks unsure of himself in the ring. Other times he looks great and stings together combinations. I have seen the reverse angle of the Carnera KO over Sharkey. It looks legit to me.
I agree with you! Every heavyweight champ from John Sullivan to Wladimir Klitschko has been down. They all had fragile chins??? :nut
THAT IS THREE GUYS WHO ARENT REALLY THOUGHT OF AS HEAVYWEIGHTS.Cooper weighed 247 for the Sanders fight or , to put it another way about 40lbs over his best weight Cooper lost to all the rated men he fought.Cole ditto. Czyz best weight was under 180lbs he scaled 220lbs for that fight so 40 lbs overweight, he like wise never beat a rated heavy ,in fact he only fought about 3.
going back to carnera in the book champ in the corner ray arcel is quoted as saying that carnera's heart was never in the fight game. arcel also says that carnera was no mug ,they taught him to move around surprisingly fast and he had a really classy left jab.and apparently he was never happy in the ring or in the gym
I don't think that Carnera particularly enjoyed boxing and there might have been some issues in the killer instinct department. His work ethic was verry strong and he was always meticulous in his preparations for a fight. The final verdict of history must be that he was an overachiever who made the best of what he had.
Anybod who calls Louis "glass jawed" or "fragile chinned dosn't know what they are talking about. The truth is that you would be hard put to find a fighter in any weight class whose chin had been more thoroughly proven.