Jack Johnson vs Tom Sharkey

I see Jack being his usual lazy self smirking and playing to the crowd ,tying up the shorter Sharkey and smothering his shots,doing just enought o eke out a decision,they met in a sparring match ,years after they had retired,Johnson complacent and grinning soon realised that Sharkey meant business ,as he swung from the floor,Jack was quoted as saying "take it easy Tom this is just a little old exhibition,isnt it?"Sharkey ,s quoted opinion of Johnson was that he was the best Heavyweight he ever saw ," and I tell you that honestly ,because I hated the man".I would like to have seen Johnson,s face when Sharkey started swinging for the ko!

 

they both did "spar" some when they had both gotten much older. Sharkey couldn't land on Johnson and got upset. Not that you can tell much from that, but I think it rings true for how the fight would have gone. Sharkey would be applying the pressure at all times and Johnson would be countering, countering, countering.

 

Johnson survives a few hairy moments along the way, but takes it into the later rounds. Ultimately doing enough down the stretch to edge out a clear decision. Johnson's countering ability and defensive wizardary being the difference.

Johnson UD Sharkey.

 

Jack Johnson also worked as a sparring partner for Tom Sharkey early in his career and perportedly used to handel him easily.

 

Yes, but what are the dates? Sharkey was pretty much washed up by 1901. Jeffries badly damages Sharkey in their classic 25 round title fight, and IMO Sharkey was never quite the same after this match.

If the two meet pre 1901, I think Sharkey knocks Johnson out. Shakery was an attack-oriented swarmer with a great strength, great stamina, a top chin, and hard punching power.

Sharkey was aggressive and quick enough to track down and get the better of speedy boxers such as Choyski, McCoy, and Corbett, so I think he do the same to Johnson. A prime Johnson would have his hands full with a prime Sharkey and based on styles; Sharkey would have an excellent chance to upset.

 

This is some accurate and some not so accurate information. Sharkey did call Johnson great, but never the greatest.

If Jeffries did not sign to fight Johnson in 1909, Sharkey was ready to step in.

 

These are all valid points. Sharkey was probably better than Marvin Hart for example so an upset cant be ruled out.

If I have to put money down however it is going on Johnson.

 

Sharkey was much better than Hart. In fact I think he was better than Burns, and gasp, is even more proven than John L Sullivan was in the ring.

Here's a photo of Shareky in the ring vs Jeffries. Sharkey is the on the left. He was an iron man with an all time build.

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Mendoza ,Im not trying to build up Johnson,I know you are not a fan of his and rarely miss an opportunity to derogate him,The quote from Sharkey naming Johnson as the greatest is in two books of Johnson,and its common knowledge that Sharkey hated Johnson and was a close friend of Jeffries,so he would have no reason to inflate Jack,s rep,may I forestall you starting another long dissertation on the merits or rather the lack of them of Jack Johnson ,weve been over this before ,I just thought it was a mildly interesting bit of info.For myself ,I think prime for prime Johnson beats Sharkey comfortably,I think all the Black Dynamite crew would Jeannette,Mcvey and Langford,Fitz stopped him with a body shot,so Sharkey though fearless wasn,t indestructible.

 

He makes Jeffries look like a stick if that is actualy possible

 

Presumably none of us would care to bet on this.

I have seen contemporary newspaper articles that suggest that Sharkey was thought to be in a class beneath Gus Rhulin.

I have also seen some later on, that suuggest that Burns and Hart did not deserve to clean his shoes.

 

Janitor have a look at Sharkey,s record ,prior to his challenge for the title ,apart from a close fight with Jeffries what do you see as his biggest accompishments?