- Jack Sharkey
Infobox Boxer
name=Jack Sharkey
realname=Joseph Paul Zukauskas
nickname=Boston Gob
weight=Heavyweight
nationality=flagicon|USA American
birth_date=birth date|1902|10|26|mf=y
birth_place=Binghamton, New York
death_date=death date and age|1994|8|17|1902|10|6|mf=y
death_place=Beverly, Massachusetts
home=Boston, Massachusetts
style=Orthodox
total=55
wins=37
losses=13
draws=3
no contests=
KO=13|Jack Sharkey (
October 26 ,1902 , inBinghamton, New York –August 17 ,1994 , inBeverly, Massachusetts ) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. He was ofLithuania n descent.Born in an era when prizefighters, actors and others in the public spotlight adopted an "American-sounding" pseudonym, Joseph Paul Zukauskas (his birth surname is sometimes given as Cukoschay) took the family name of a popular retired Irish boxer and future Hall of Famer, "Sailor Tom" Sharkey (1873-1953).
In 1929, in a fight held in
Yankee Stadium , Jack Sharkey knocked out the former light-heavyweight champion,Tommy Loughran to win the United States heavyweight title. His victory earned him the opportunity to fight for the vacant world title against the German contender,Max Schmeling . In theirJune 12 ,1930 , championship fight, Sharkey was disqualified in the fourth round after delivering a punch that landed below Schmeling's belt. This is the only occasion in boxing history when the heavyweight championship was won by disqualification.In October 1931, Sharkey defeated Italian heavyweight,
Primo Carnera , and was then given another chance to fight for the title. OnJune 21 ,1932 at theMadison Square Garden Bowl inLong Island City, New York , Jack Sharkey defeated Max Schmeling in their rematch to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in a very controversial split decision.Sharkey lost his championship on
June 29 ,1933 in his second fight withPrimo Carnera .In 1994, Jack Sharkey was inducted into the
International Boxing Hall of Fame . He died onAugust 17 of that year due to respiratory arrest.See also
*
List of bare-knuckle boxers
*List of heavyweight boxing champions External links
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
