Did Jack Sharkey say that a black fighter could never beat him?

Sharkey did beat Wills ( Older ) and Godfrey. who were to of the best known heavyweight in the 1920's. If not for the foul blows, he could have beaten Dempsey too.

If memory serves Sharkey was terrible vs Louis, and was on the slide 3 years before. I heard Sharkey who lived to age 91 ( 1994 death ) was one of the older timers still connected to the historians. Skill wise, he was very good. His power and durability however were below average, and he was a rule bender.

 

me too.

 

Not so sure about Godfrey. It was a super close decision in Boston.

 

You never know with Godfrey. Sharkey wasn't a color line guy. As we know he took the name Jack from Dempsey, and Sharkey from Tom.

 

They were traitors. There were plenty of boxers and baseball players in those days that kept their Italian names....boxing and baseball being the biggest sports by far....so there was absolutely no excuse to use an Anglo or Irish name in place of their own glorious name.

 

What’s the line from The Great White Hype? “You’re Irish. You’re almost white.” From an Englishman, of course.

 

Does anyone remember Irish Leroy Haley ? He was black !

 

Coming from Boston, it served Jack well to use an Irish name.

 

In Fat City too. When Jeff Bridges is introduced as Irish Ernie Monger he says " I'm not Irish, to which his trainer replies " Don't worry kid. It just so they know you're white ".

 

He said there was also the naval connection as both he and Tom Sharkey had been Sailors.

 

Ah yes, of course.

 

Sam McVey was certainly not scotch-Irish either!

 

I happen to have always been a bit intrigued with Sharkey even though he seemed to be a bit of a bizarre guy .. very hot and sometimes a bit cold .. one thing many don't know that realize is that he peaked in the late 1920's .. by 1930 he was on the downside .. he was on of those guys that had many tough fights, was thrown in from the get go and really ducked no one .. the man could fight for sure and I say at his best he was a top fifteen cruiserweight for sure ..