Who was really the better man, Schmeling or Sharkey?

History shows Schmeling to be the better man, but Sharkey had a comparable level of talent, and would probably have done as well if his head had been screwed on straight.

Even so Sharkeys resume has depth that is not initially obvious.

 

Better puncher Max.
Better boxer Jack.
Most consistant Max . Their standing? On a par imo.

 

Schmeling for sure

1-1 with Sharkey but got robbed in a horrendous decision

Knocked out Joe Louis. Sharkey lost to Joe Louis

Knocked out Mickey Walker. Sharkey drew with Walker

Knocked out Johnny Risko. Sharkey lost to Risko

 

I've always given Schmeling the higher ranking too. Extremely disciplined man. Sharkey too erratic and that Carnera loss.

 

There may as well had been men with ski masks and shotguns in the ring because Schmeling was robbed. He clearly won that fight.

 

Totally agree

And knocking out a prime Joe Louis, that performance is light years better than any win sharkey had

 

Was jack the better boxer? I thought max outpointed him very clearly in their title bout rematch (the first fight sharkey definitely outboxed him the first three rounds but a small sample size). Risko outboxed Sharkey, Schmeling systematically broke Risko down. Walker at times outboxed sharkey, while Schmeling handled Walker in every faucet. I can’t see Schmeling losing 7 rounds to Tom Heeney. And of course, Schmeling had the intelligence to figure out joe Louis, while sharkey got destroyed by him

And there is the carnera loss...an embarrassment to a circuis clown who couldn’t take a punch or hit hard

 

Yea Max was meticulous... his autobiography is a pretty good book too.

 

I think max looks really good on film. Love his style. Reminds me of Charlie Burley’s with lesser defense, but a bigger right hand punch

 

Schmeling does have a very unique style. In some fights his stance looks completely different. He adjusts it to fit who his opponent is. Just a smart meticulous fighter. I like Schmeling alot. Guys like Schmeling who stay so disciplined and in condition through there whole career are hard not to like for me adleast.

 

I do think that it is misleading to compare their results vs common opposition.

Sharkey fought a lot more often, and sometimes under unfavourable circumstances.

Schmeling would not step into the ring unless he was in a position to bring his A game.

 

Sharkey had some good performances, but his bad performances were bad....

Sharkey fought to a draw with a 5’7 middleweight. Name me a 5’7 middleweight whom fought to a draw with future heavyweight champions? It didn’t happen. It’s not a good result for Sharkey. Schmeling bounced Walker up and down like a yo yo like any great heavyweight should do.

Factor in the loss to circuis freak Primo Carnera, sharkey lost his title to one of the worst champions of all time. Carnera couldn’t hit or take a punch.

Sharkey in title eliminators went only 0-1-1 to non world beaters. He failed to defeat Heeney or Risko in very important fights, two guys who any heavyweight great could easily handle.

Sharkey career record was only 37-13. Not that good. Schmelings overall career easily trumps sharkey in quality and consistency

I think sharkey was a very good fighter at his best. Very fast hands, high IQ, very good at feinting, good combination puncher, a skilled boxer...but he was way too inconsistent to rank over Schmeling.

Sharkey career might have gone differently had Dempsey not gone low you could argue sharkey would have outpointed him and gotten a title shot vs Tunney. That would have told us a lot.

 

But can u blame Schmeling for that?

 

Are you insinuating Schmeling may have avoided people?

Schmeling beat the following RING top 10 fighters

Louis
Sharkey
Walker
Risko
Uzcuden
Neusal
Stribling
Hamas
Thomas

He knocked out all of these men except for Sharkey and Uzcuden