Did Jack Sharkey say that no black fighter could ever beat him?

It’s a racial slang/slur suggesting that Native Americans (which he called Indians) could put a curse on someone by looking at them.

You’ll find similar slurs against lots of ethnic groups by white people in American history.

 

What he may have said or may not , in the context of the 1920's aside , at least he got in the ring with Godfrey and Wills and even Louis as an old man ...

 

It was an acceptable thing to say back then to psyche himself and generate interest in a big fight. Even today fighters are given similar leeway to pump themselves up and promote a big fight. His context for the statement were the fighters he had met and defeated up to the time he made the statement. The statement has no relevance with regard to fighters who came along after Sharkey retired.