Let's talk about Jack Sharkey

Well schooled with good skills, could box well, hit pretty hard and take punishment as he had great heart. Apparently he was a bit inconsistent though.

 

Inconsistency kills him... People look at his record and think he wasn't a top fighter but he was. He obviously had some personal demons but the guy was rough and tough and could fight.

 

His disqualification loss over Schmeling remains the only world heavyweight title fight to be decided by DQ. Also when he lost the title to Primo Carnera many believed it was fixed, although Sharkey himself denied this.

 

Sharkey is one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of the heavyweight division, right up there with Baer, Tyson Bowe etc.

On paper he had everything. He could box, punch , infight, outfight. Muldoon called him the best heavyweight in the world from the neck down and that is a good description. He had the skills but his brain could just malfunction.

Although Sharkey was inconsistent as others have observed his record dose deserve a closer look. In terms of depth of world class opposition faced he is among the elite strata of heavyweight champions. He often split series with the best contenders of his era but he fought them all and fought them regularly and wasnt afraid to take on the top black contenders of the period.

Carnera did knock him out legitimately. I just cant interpret the film any other way.

 

I'm not very impressed by Sharkey, myself. He did get a bit of a raw deal against Dempsey - whom he was ahead on the cards against - he got hit low followed by a legit punch, he went down reaching for his groin and perhaps was looking for a DQ win, or just really unable to continue. Either way, that was a fight he could've won.

Former well known fighters becoming referees happened more often in the past, for the better or the worse. Everyone knows Walcott screwing up in Ali - Liston II. Louis refereed a few fights, Quarry vs Frazier II being one of them. Marciano and Dempsey refereed several fights, also wrestling contests i believe. I can't recall many instances from the 80's on however.

 

I think the practice was banned in the 70s.

 

It was very common for old champions to become referees.
Dempsey-refereed many matches all over the country-is on film refereeing Ross-McLarnin. Kind of a hammy referee.
Sharkey-refereed Moore-Durelle
Max Schmeling-refereed in Europe and the US,
Baer--died shortly after refereeing a Zora Folley match on TV.
Braddock--referreed Moore-Valdes among others.
Louis-referreed many matches, including Frazier-Quarry II
Walcott-you know about him. Was poor ref. Just saw film of Patterson-McNeeley and Walcott let that one get out of hand also.
Benny Leonard--Died in ring refereeing bout.
Willie Pep--refereed quite a few bouts.
Tunney--refereed amateur bouts after WWII. His appearance in Madison Square Garden refereeing the Golden Gloves finals produced a frenzied standing ovation which startled newspapermen who had been writing for years how unpopular he was with the general public.

 

Sharkey was a solid pro but is one of the less ranked Champions. He did beat a lot of solid fighters and held his own with a lot of very good fighters. He was erratic and emotional. He made a mistake vs the Shark that was Dempsey to protect yourself at all times. To his Credit Dempsey saw an opportunity and one punch ended it. That was killer instinct. Sharkey would manage today as well as the John Ruiz, Ruslin Chageav, the Brewsters,Byrds,Golota's Etc...he may be able to wrestle one of those titles but would not keep it long

 

Shame...Holmes refereeing a bout would be hilarious.

"That's not how you throw a ****ing jab! Here, let me show you...there! Like that. Now throw it better or I'll DQ you."

 

It might be more interesting seeing Tyson referee a bout and biting one of the fighters who didn't break cleanly quickly enough.

 

Jack Dempsey threw a punch at Primo Carnera for ignoring his instructions in a bout that he was referreing.

Tony Gallento beat up a profesional wrestler for ignoring his instructions in the ring.

Earnest Heminway wrestled a fighter to the canvas after he repeatedly ignored his instructions.

 

He did "referee" one of those oiled up men dancing around contests (otherwise known as "wrestling"). Got a couple of millions for it, too.

 

Tyson v Holyfield 97?

 

Hahahaha!!!!