Jack Sharkey was better than you think?

One of the more talented pre Louis champions.

 

Jack’s a far cry from ATG status, but he was a handful and could give most top heavyweights a good go (save perhaps some terrible style matchups for him like Foreman, Tyson, Wlad, Lennox) — but you can say that about all but the very best (and even some of them).

Sharkey was a very good heavyweight. Just not a great one.

 

I’ve always spoken up for Sharkey here, you just never knew what you were going to get with him. I’ve called him a “manic depressive” fighter because of the high highs and the low lows.

 

People really hold the Carnera loss against him he bent straight into an uppercut, it happens and thinking it’s a fix with that on camera is hilarious to me.

 

Just another guy who swings from being underrated to overrated every couple years. He was a pro gladiator who obviously had skills and some physical ability, and a good deal of heart. He was as his record states. A guy worth discussing and remembering.

 

Erratic is word often associated with Sharkey in terms of ring performances - but then the perception him being emotionally unstable is just as often ladled on top to explain the erratic performances.

I haven’t read any bios on him for a deeper dive but in all IVs I’ve read or seen, he came across as a very even handed, smart and astute guy. Not at all unstable in any way.

He certainly valued and knew how to invest and protect his money and perhaps more than most he came to boxing for the money. I don’t know how much he was actually invested in actual glory or legacy.

Perhaps he was simply an intelligent, skilful fighter who found reason not to always put himself out balls to the wall.

When he was switched on for it, he was very, very good and he’s one of those fighters that presents as quite the revelation when you take the time to examine his fights and performances therein more closely.

 

Beat Wills, too, didn't he?

 

Battered him.. but he was an ageing fighter.. Sharkey also beat another good black HW George Godfrey who went on to win the coloured HW title

 

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Great knockout.

 

& that was a near prime Loughran too who hadn't suffered a loss for nearly 5 years.. he would go on to beat Levinsky, Sharkey (2nd fight), Baer, Uzcudun, Godoy etc.. & had just beaten Walker & Braddock.. Tommy is a legit ATG.. more of a natural LHW rather than a HW but still.. great win for Sharkey.

 

This HL really demonstrates his brilliant boxing ability .. i loved his leaping left hood & upper body movement.. Carnera performance was one of my favourites..

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Jack really knew how to catch them moving back.

 

I think Sharkey in Loughran I, Scott and Schmeling I was at a much higher level than he was the rest of his career. Like a "if he beat Joe Louis I wouldn't be shocked" level.

I consider the Carnera loss to be a fluke him getting caught doesn't change how I think of him at all. More see him as the guy who loses close fights at the top level to legends. Getting knocked out by a top fighter he'd have probably otherwise handidly outpointed isn't really a problem for me.