In a poll of ring side reporters 22 had it for Schmeling, 7 for Sharkey, and 1 had it a draw. That would put it more in the territory of a robbery than a controversial decision in my book, as it clearly did not reflect the expectations of how a fight would be scored at the time.
I haven't watched the fight in a while, but I remember thinking that Schmeling had the upper hand in a tactical chess match thanks to his jab & cleaner punching. Ironic that the 1st fight between them was looking like 1 of Sharkey's best career performances until its sudden & controversial ending, yet Sharkey came away w/ the win in a rematch where he looked visibly older/slower/pudgier, & Schmeling fought a much smarter fight than the 1st time. This content is protected
