Mickey Walker vs Jack Sharkey, the best result in the history of gloved boxing?

An all time performance from Mickey Walker for sure. He was going on quite a run through the heavyweights at that time. I always liked Sharkey but there is little doubt to me that he was a "well" connected fighter. Too many bad decisions went in his favor- this fight and especially the Schmeling rematch. He also lost the crown to Primo under debated circumstances and Larry Gains always stated he was approached to take a dive against Jack. Walker was denied his chance at an all time great accomplishment as it stands a natural welter beating many top hw's is reason enough he makes most top 10 p4p

 

A report on this fight from boxrec. Never saw the fight myself, but the report tends to lean towards Sharkey although giving kudos to Walker for fighting spirit.

"A game fighting heart, which was enough to offset his opponent's great physical superiority, enabled Mickey Walker, New Jersey, to earn a draw here Wednesday night with Jack Sharkey, Boston, in a 15 round fight for the American heavyweight championship. The Bostonian was much the better boxer and took little punishment. He left the ring unmarked while Walker's face was covered with the blood which streamed from a cut above his left eye, suffered in the 5th round. For once in his life Sharkey did not blow up. He has no alibi of an "off" night. He fought perhaps as well as anytime in his career, but he was unable to land a knockout punch. He staggered the comparatively diminutive Walker on several occasions, particularly in the 12th round, but Walker was too rugged and too game to go down. Sharkey's efforts were enough to win him the vote of Judge Kelley, but Referee Donovan gave the decision to Walker. And Judge Charles F. Mathison called the contest a draw." - United Press

*Unofficial UP scorecard: 7-3-5 Sharkey
*Both the UP and AP (round by round) reports describe that there were no knockdowns recorded during this contest, despite a mythical 12th round knockdown supposedly scored by Sharkey.

 

I've seen some of the fight and while you can't judge a verdict on snippets or part of the fight it does seem like an exciting action fight. Walker seems to land the harder shots believe it or not.

 

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVrRi5wZAqE[/url]

 

Have you a source for Gains being asked to take a dive against Sharkey ?If memory serves he did not mention it in his excellent autobiography," The Impossible Dream". Johnny Buckley ,Sharkey's manager had a somewhat unsavoury reputation so it is possible.

 

Great performance , but Fitzsimmons has a few like it imo.
Loughran v Carnera?

 

That was great. Thanks for that. I enjoyed the training footage as well.

 

I don't think a draw with Sharkey as inconsistent as he was can go down as 1 of histories best performances. It falls into the Duran versus Barkley type bracket for me.

It's Leonard-Hagler for me, although there's no definitive answer, Marquez-Pacquaio 4 deserves a mention

 

Sharkey supposedly fought like **** in this fight which allowed Walker to have success. The papers gave him no chance against Schmeling... and they were correct.