Tom Sharkey -- 2 questions

mattdonnellon · Sep 13, 2010

Surf-Bat said: ↑

What constantly comes up when former opponents talk about Sharkey was his prodigious strength. I think it was either Corbett or Fitz who said that Tom was "As strong as Jeffries, but in a different way. It was a different kind of strength." The man had a cast-iron jaw and was one of the hardest punchers p4p of the era. With his charging and rushing style he was difficult to fend off unless you had a big punch ala Fitz.

I never have believed Corbett's story about having a bad ankle. He made the mistake of taking Sharkey too lightly in their first fight and it nearly cost him dearly. I cannot imagine a boxer as smart as Corbett being so foolish as to make the mistake of AGAIN taking the Sailor lightly and allowing himself to go into that ring anything less than 100%. That would be beyond stupid and Corbett was, by all accounts, not stupid. In my opinion Corbett didn't have the punch to keep Tom off of him at any time in his career. He could outbox him for awhile but eventually all of Sharkey's charging and rib battering is going to slow Corbett down. Sharkey lands with more and more regularity as the bout goes on until eventually Gentleman Jim gets stopped.

Re: Denver Ed Martin. A good fighter. At the time that bout could have possibly happened (sometime between 1902-04) Sharkey was already well past it and Denver Ed would have had a shot. But only a small one. Don't forget that Martin was known for his shakey chin, which isn't a good thing to have when you're fighting a whacker like Tom Sharkey, even a past prime one. Almost everyone who beat Martin knocked him out(including Sharkey's sparring partner). I don't see why Sharkey couldn't have. Prime for prime I see him knocking out Martin within 5 rounds.
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Whatever about a shaky chin, Martin had the worst body punch resistance of any elite Hw ever and that would be curtains v Sharkey IMO.

guilalah · Sep 13, 2010

Thanks for all the responses! I'd forgotten I'd started this thread, but I'm glad you all reminded me!

Regarding Corbett-Sharkey II -- if I remember correctly, in Jim's autobio. he said that early on Sharkey wrestled him down and that's when he (Corbett ) hurt his ankle; that's the story which I was wondering whether it had much credit among ESB posters.

Surf-Bat · Sep 13, 2010

guilalah said: ↑

Thanks for all the responses! I'd forgotten I'd started this thread, but I'm glad you all reminded me!

Regarding Corbett-Sharkey II -- if I remember correctly, in Jim's autobio. he said that early on Sharkey wrestled him down and that's when he (Corbett ) hurt his ankle; that's the story which I was wondering whether it had much credit among ESB posters.
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Corbett's autobio is a really nice read, but it does suffer from the same self-serving memory lapses and additions that mar most boxing memoirs of the time. As you probably already know, one thing that fighters never lack are excuses for all their losses. Not to sound smug or self righteous, but reading interviews with Tommy Loughran makes one think that Tommy NEVER lost a fight in his whole career. Just ask him.

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Tom Sharkey -- 2 questions

mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

guilalah Well-Known Member Full Member

Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

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Tom Sharkey -- 2 questions

mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

guilalah Well-Known Member Full Member

Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member