Great Heavyweight Slugfest: Jack Sharkey vs. Jim Maloney IV

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by William Walker, Jan 28, 2021.


  1. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

    7,901
    9,151
    Apr 9, 2020
    Before I get into the analysis, I just had to say that I was impressed right off with the film and audio quality of this 20s fight. It was the best I've seen and heard thus far.

    1. Both came out winging it. There's really little to say about it. It was a good action round, but Maloney won the round with harder and more accurate punching. Maloney.
    2. Whereas Maloney was the aggressor in the previous round, Sharkey came out throwing bombs in this round. It was another fast-paced round. Maloney developed a cut on the upper side to the left of his left eye. Sharkey.
    3. Sharkey changed modes again in this round, initially boxing against Maloney, but then bobbing and weaving defensively. The two exchanged big punches in the latter stages of the round. Sharkey.
    4. Maloney's cut bled badly at the beginning of this round, and the pace slowed. Sharkey.
    5. The end came here. Sharkey launched a right hook and Maloney simultaneously lunged forward, so that Sharkey's hook landed on the back of the neck of Maloney, but it still got the job done. Maloney went down. He got up, but Sharkey was on top of him, and shortly after the first knockdown, Sharkey quite easily leveled Maloney with two big right-handed roundhouses, putting Maloney flat on his back.
    What happened afterward was weird. While taking his count, Maloney tried to get up, holding on to the ropes, and tried to make it to ring center as if he thought he could continue (even though he wasn't even standing), but collapsed on the referee and then face-first in the center of the ring. I've seen guys stagger around like this many times after being decked, but I've never seen a guy in that state who looked like he thought he could still fight. It was actually kind of humorous to watch.

    I have to give it to Sharkey here @70sFan865, Sharkey was a ball of fire here. Rather than barely beating a much smaller Mike McTigue, Sharkey outslugged a real heavy in Jim Maloney, and did it impressively. He fought a stormy 1st, and then took control after that, cutting Maloney, gradually chopping him down, and then stopping him with a bang in the 5th. The knockout was very impressive. Sharkey was really a very powerful fighter.

    Verdict: Great unexpected heavyweight battle. See it. It only goes 5. You've got the time.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
  2. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

    8,584
    11,099
    Oct 28, 2017
    I love this one. Some of Sharkey's head movement in this is crazy
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2021
    William Walker and 70sFan865 like this.
  3. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    8,547
    9,574
    May 30, 2019
    Thanks for mentioning me here, I don't have much free time now and I don't read this forum often recently, but I'm glad you keep doing your work.

    I agree that Sharkey looks much better here than against McTuige.
     
    William Walker likes this.
  4. Jason Thomas

    Jason Thomas Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,548
    5,277
    Feb 18, 2019
    This was an excellent fight. Both men look good compared to the earlier contenders we have been seeing.

    I had the fight even after four rounds. The first knockdown in the 5th was odd. Sharkey's punch didn't seem to land, but it could be the film is misleading. Mahoney jumps up immediately and doesn't seem hurt. Sharkey plows in though and hits him with a flurry ending with a good right and Mahoney goes down and as you say, does quite a stumbling dance unsuccessfully trying to beat the count.

    Sharkey generally hits his opponents a lot without sending them down. He doesn't look to me usually to be a big puncher. In this one though he puts Mahoney out impressively. Sharkey also shows a lot of torso movement at times. The main downside is he seems to have problems against a good jab.

    Mahoney would be stopped by both George Godfrey and Tom Heeney later in 1927. Godfrey was a big puncher. But Heeney was a mauler with few knockouts, so Mahoney might have had chin issues. For his career he was stopped 9 times in 72 fights.

    The film I watched is clear, but running too fast, making the boxers look quicker than they probably were in real life. The tip off is how unnaturally fast the ref circles about and swings his arms.
     
    William Walker likes this.