You're putting the mortgage on the outcome of this fight... and you really like your house. Come on, humor me.
-Tom Sharkey was above average height and weight for the 1800s. If Tua had been born to that generation he would be 5'4" at an impressive 160. I say the bare fisted Sharkey mauls his smaller foe and pushes him out of the ring, after the fight is declared a no contest, Sharkey punches the official and a riot breaks out. -In the 90s Sharkey would be 6'2" 230 lbs of muscle. He again mauls Tua, throws him out of the ring, riot...etc.
I'm sure under colonial rule in the late 1800s, Tua would only have the best health care and modern food. 22% of the population died from influenza in the early 1900s...:nut But a natural 230 lb Tua towers over the average colonial European, he is so strong he KOs Influenza, after which it seez demonz and makez rapez.
This is an interesting fight, despite what the modern boys think. Sharkey proved against Jeffries that he could take a punch from a big modern superheavy, not that that is the best term for Tua. Tua has never beat anyone as good as Sharkey, with his standout wins being Rahman and Maskaev. Tua does not have the clubbing power of JimJeffries, but is close to that level. He certainly doesnt seem to quite have the pin point jarring KO power of Fitzsimmons or Choynski. Although he is usually overweight and ponderously slow, Tua did show against Ibeauchi that when he is in shape, he does have a very high work rate. And Sharkey isnt really the type of defensive wizard like a Jack Johnson or even a Bob Fitzsimmons, that would run and hide from Tua, so we know it will be a brutal war. I tend to think that Sharkeys chin fails him late (despite thefact that it held up against jeffries). The interesting thing though, is that in say 3 fights, Tua isnt going to get the KO every time. So, this makes the fights where Tua doesnt get the KO extremely close, imo. I think that the fight (even where sharkey is KOd) will go to the fighter who can show the most in the later rounds. I go with Tua, based on the Ike fights, and despite the fact taht technically, Sharkey is the fitter fighter. I just think that Tua's better power will slow him down and earn him the win.
By anyone as "good as Tom Sharkey" do mean "good for his era" or head-to-head competitive with Maskaev and Rahman? Jeffries hits harder than Tua? Do you want to stand by that estimation?
Good for his era. I always presume all eras are the same standard when judging head to head (or at least very roughly the same standard). I think it is the only way to go. I do stand by Jeffries hitting harder than Tua. For a start, his power is underestimated by most because of his quite patient style. Second, he is naturally bigger than Tua for a start. Tua hits hard in a clubbing way, but so does Jeffries. I think Jeffries hits a little harder.
Well, they are about the same height! What rules are we going by? How many rounds is the match? What equipment are we using? Are we fighting in the heat of the day or indoors in air conditioning?
Alright, those who give Sharkey a chance to make it out of the second round alive... where is the analogous 180 lb. slugger/brawler today who would take any of the top-5 past round-10? Or, as is the case with so many of these ol'timey's, am I to suppose yet again he was a once in a millenium talent?
If Adamek trained back down to 180, he makes it out of the second round, if he decides to brawl/slug with Tua. Does he count?