Jack Sharkey: Lithuanian-American Heavyweight Champion
Jack Sharkey (October 26, 1902 – August 17, 1994) was a Lithuanian-American boxer who held the NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles from 1932 to 1933. He became the first heavyweight champion in history to both win and lose the championship against European fighters.
Early Life and Education
Born Joseph Paul Zukauskas in Binghamton, New York, Sharkey was the son of Lithuanian immigrants. He adopted his ring name from two idols—heavyweight contender Tom Sharkey and heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey—to gain acceptance in the Irish-dominated boxing world of Boston.
Career and Achievements
Sharkey’s professional boxing career began in earnest in the mid-1920s. In 1926, he won an important fight over black heavyweight contender Harry Wills. His breakthrough year came in 1927, when he defeated former light heavyweight champion Mike McTigue in twelve rounds and Boston rival Jim Maloney in five rounds. On July 21, 1927, Sharkey faced his idol Jack Dempsey in a bout where the winner would meet heavyweight champion Gene Tunney for the title. For six rounds Sharkey engaged in fierce infighting with Dempsey, who held a slight lead on the scorecards. In the seventh round, Dempsey landed a classic left hook that knocked Sharkey out after Sharkey turned his head to complain to the referee about an alleged low punch.
Throughout 1928 and early 1929, Sharkey continued fighting top contenders. He fought heavyweight contender Tom Heeney to a draw and defeated former light-heavyweight champion Jack Delaney. In 1929, he signed to fight Young Stribling in Miami in a promotion organized by Tex Rickard. When Rickard died unexpectedly, Jack Dempsey took over the promotion, transforming it into a major event that drew 40,000 fans and generated $405,000 at the box office—an amount unsurpassed in the South until the Clay vs. Liston fight in 1964.
Later that year, Sharkey knocked out former light-heavyweight champion Tommy Loughran in Yankee Stadium to win the United States heavyweight title. This victory earned him a shot at the vacant world title against German contender Max Schmeling on June 12, 1930. Sharkey was disqualified in the fourth round after delivering a punch below Schmeling’s belt—the first time in boxing history that the heavyweight championship was won on a foul since Joe Goss in 1876.
In October 1931, Sharkey defeated Italian heavyweight Primo Carnera and received another title opportunity. On June 21, 1932, at the Madison Square Garden Bowl in Long Island City, New York, Sharkey defeated Schmeling in a controversial split decision to win the championship. He lost the title on June 29, 1933, in his second fight with Primo Carnera. Later in life, Sharkey alleged that his second fights with both Schmeling and Carnera were fixed. After a year away and four mediocre fights, Sharkey fought Joe Louis on August 18, 1936, losing by knockout in the third round. This made him the only man to fight both Dempsey and Louis. Sharkey retired with a record of 38 wins, 14 losses, and 3 draws, with 13 knockouts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond his fighting career, Sharkey served as a referee in significant bouts. On December 10, 1958, at The Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Sharkey refereed Archie Moore’s world light-heavyweight title defense against Yvon Durelle, one of boxing’s first championship televised bouts. Moore came off the canvas three times in the first round and again in the fifth round before knocking out Durelle in the eleventh round. Sharkey also refereed the rematch on August 12, 1959, in which Moore knocked down Durelle four times in the third round before knocking him out. Both bouts were broadcast worldwide in black and white from Canada.
Awards and Honors
Sharkey held the NYSAC heavyweight title, the NBA (WBA) heavyweight title, and The Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1932 to 1933. His distinction as the first heavyweight champion to both win and lose the championship against European fighters—Schmeling and Carnera—remains historically significant, particularly as they were only the second and third Europeans to win the world heavyweight championship.
Additional Resources
Jack Sharkey’s boxing legacy extends beyond his championship reign to his role in the sport’s development during a transformative era. Detailed accounts of his career, including fight records and historical context, are available through boxing archives and biographical databases. The Cyber Boxing Zone and other boxing historical resources provide comprehensive records of his professional bouts and referee assignments.
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