Underrated! Arcel said he was a beautiful boxer, the best pure boxing heavyweight he’d ever seen. I really liked what I heard in this interview, brief as it was, seems like he’d have been a nice guy to talk to.
Cool! Never heard this one before. Jack lived to the grand age of 91 which is a great testament to the clean living he was talking about in this interview.
Guy sounds fantastic. Living the life in retirement. I know he was an avid fly fisherman, too, thus the mention of the lakes and rivers he had access to. Also, good to hear humility, something that left the heavy ranks later.
Idk why but it’s weird how normal Sharkey sounds. I know it shouldn’t be weird but I guess I just didn’t expect him to sound like my neighbour lol
With the surname “Zukauskas“ you’d hope for exotic. I have a horrible foreign sounding last name myself but I sound like your neighbour too sadly.
Ray Arcel brought him up to Larry Holmes and said he was approaching his skills or so I have written down in my notes about Sharkey. Humility is refreshing, I’m getting sick of all the bodybuilding poses at the weigh ins, WWE laser shows and everyone trying there best to be a thug or a clown… really walking out with Eminem? it’s no longer amusing it’s the standard we need a Joe Louis to reset the balance, boxing has no mass appeal because it has no hero - UFC exploded with McGregor outside the realms of niche interest I think with all the latent energy in boxing there must be the right combination of person for the world In its ranks we are due for a John L, Ali, Dempsey or Tyson.
Thanks for sharing. I’ve seen/heard Sharkey in other IV’s, a very chill and sharp guy. I hadn’t read or heard Dempsey afford that accolade to The Boston Gob. Jack was polite and understood the rule that there’s “a time and a place”…..when addressing his fight with Dempsey more pointedly upon direct questioning, Jack made no bones re Dempsey’s punch being a blatant low blow - but even then, he didn’t whinge - he simply stated it as a matter of fact. I’ve also noticed that, in contrast to many other old guarders, Jack was more attuned to the qualities of the new fighters coming through - including Ali and Frazier - he didn’t dismiss them out of hand, repeating cliches like: They would’ve be beaten by himself or the contemporaries of his day - at least, I haven’t read or heard same. With his natural persona, he might’ve cut it in some movie appearances - but I’m not aware of him doing any films….maybe. Jack is a Boxing Legend at multiple levels. Still not sure about the second Carnera fight though - even though Jack swore til his death that it was on the up and up.
There has to be the right combination of a person. Humility is refreshing but I acknowledge that Dempsey, John L, Tyson and Ali weren’t overly that “sort” Wlad didn’t have the style or the charisma for the flag ship role.
