andrewr62 (August 21, 2008 at 12:08 am)

Sharkey's record shows he beat Choynski in their first meeting. Choynski per agreement had to KO Sharkey to win. Sharkey went the distance but according to Tracy Callis was beating all over the ring. Fitzsimmons KO'd Sharkey but ref Wyatt Earp who had bet on Sharkey said Fitz fouled Sharkey which resulted in a near riot. Corbett in his autobiography details how he took Sharkey apart but you should take that with a grain of salt.

skimmer1844 (July 25, 2008 at 1:22 pm)

ive read the blow by blow account of this fight apparently it was under lights aswell. this was a superman fight they dont make em like that no more.

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 4:16 am)

Ray Robinson lost to Maxim based on the heat within 14 rounds and the heat was not as bad with the cmaera etc. in Coney Island in 1899 as this fight and was so much tougher. I believe Sharkey like Langford , McVey , Jennette and Peter Jackson are over looked as they were not champions but are in the top 20 of all time and would beat most champions and certainly the ones today and in the last 25 years.

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 4:12 am)

Sharkey was the 2nd best fighter in the world for 2 years and would have been longer except he gave a great fight with Jefferies when anyone else would have been KO'd. Many noxing observers and Jefferies himself had said how tough the fight in Coney Island was and I really doubt any other fighetr would last against Jefferies for 25 rounds that day except Jefferies.

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 4:02 am)

I respect your opinion but if you look at Sharkey's career logically , he is an all-time great but happned to fight with the best fighter ever. If Jefferies had not been around and he did not have those two wars , I am convinced he would have fought longer and more competitvely and been champion. No fighter would have been champion from 1900 to 1905 with Jefferies there.

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 3:57 am)

I agree that he was eliminated as a contender as his last 7 fights were 1-5-1 as he got beat bad by Ruhlin (2x) and Frzitmons but again he took a serious 25 round pounding and never recovered. Similiar to Ali and Frazier in the Thrilla in Manilla but alot tougher based on broken bones and 10 extra rounds in alot of heat. I agree he padded his recorded in his first 20 to 30 fights but he also fought top 5 contenders and beat them very well.

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 3:52 am)

Name a fighter who fought better competition than Sharkey for his first 20 or 30 ... if you are not biased and manipulate the facts , it would be very few fighters. Sharkey never lost to Chonski but KO'd him once , decision him once and had one draw and he beat Corbett pretty bad before the 2nd Jefferies fight. He KO'd Ruhlin in one round before his last fight with Jefferies and never lost to Maher ???

dorsi68 (July 10, 2008 at 3:48 am)

??? Sharkey lost 2 fights in his first 30+ fights against Jefferies and he fought very good fighters. Where in his first 20 fights did he lose to the men you mentioned ??? Your wrong and are manipulating facts and making things up. After Sharkey took a beating in probbaly the toughest fight ever , he was never the same and almost no one would be.

jhs1958 (July 9, 2008 at 10:21 pm)

We disagree.

andrewr62 (July 9, 2008 at 10:17 pm)

Sharkey was tough but not an all time great in my book. First 20 fights were against 2nd and 3rd raters and the big names that he did face got the best of him the first time around including Choynski, Peter Maher and Fitzsimmons before his two losses to Jeffries. Not much on skill but big in heart. Was eliminated as a serious contender later in career with Ko losses to Gus Ruhlin and Fitzsimmons.