Jackie Sharkey or Jack Sharkey (born Giovanni Cervati) was an Italian-born American boxer who made a claim to the World Bantamweight Title on August 15, 1919, defeating reigning champion Pete Herman in a ten-round, non-title bout in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His claim to the title was not universally recognized. Jack Sharkey, also known as Little Jackie Sharkey, should not be confused with the heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey.
Early life and career Jackie Sharkey was born Giovanni Cervati in Bologna, Emilia Romagna, Italy on June 20, 1897, though he would live most of his life in New York City. In his early professional career between May 23, 1914, and February 21, 1916, fighting almost exclusively in the New York area, he won three and lost six bouts, with one draw.
On February 21, 1916, Sharkey lost to Jewish boxer Abe Friedman at the Olympia Boxing Club in New York in a ten-round newspaper decision. Friedman would become a competent bantamweight fringe contender during his career taking the USA New England Bantamweight Title in 1921.
On June 2, 1916, Sharkey lost to Young Zulu Kid in a fifth-round knockout at the Vanderbilt Athletic Club in Brooklyn, New York."Three New York Knockouts", The Kingston Daily Freeman, Kingston, New York, pg. 2, 3 June 1916 By that year, Zulu Kid had established himself as a serious world flyweight contender.
Draw with Johnny Coulon, February 1917 On February 5, 1917, Sharkey drew with former World Bantamweight champion Johnny Coulon in a ten-round newspaper decision at the Pioneer Sporting Club in New York. Local newspapers disagreed on the decision. Coulon held the World Bantamweight Championship from 1911 to 1913, though the title was not unified at the time.
On July 27, 1917, Sharkey first lost to Kid Williams in six rounds at Oriole Park in Baltimore, at least by the newspaper decision of the Baltimore Sun. He lost to Williams again on April 1, 1918, in a twelve-round points decision at the Lyric Theater in Baltimore. Williams held the World Bantamweight Title from June 1914 to January 1917.
Bouts with December 1920 World Bantamweight Champion Joe Lynch 1916–25 Sharkey first met Joe Lynch on September 26, 1916, in the star bout at the Pioneer Sporting Club in New York, losing in ten-round newspaper decisions of the New York Times and New York Tribune."Joe Lynch Outpoints Sharkey", The New York Times, New York, New York, pg. 12, 27 September 1916 They met on February 27, 1917, and Sharkey lost again by a ten-round decision of three New York newspapers at the Pioneer Sports Club in New York City. Sharkey was down in the fifth round, after which Lynch had little trouble penetrating his defenses. The bout was an elimination series for the bantamweight championship, and Lynch had some difficulty with Sharkey in the early rounds."Joe Lynch Outpoints Jack Sharkey", The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 8, 28 February 1917
Sharky and Joe Lynch drew in a fifteen-round points decision at New York's Madison Square Garden on September 28, 1920, although Lynch was down in several rounds from the blows of Sharkey.Lynch was down in the bout in "Joe Lynch Knocks Out Jack Sharkey", Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pennsylvania, pg. 18, 3 December 1920 Sharkey's ability to stay fifteen rounds with a top bantamweight contender put him squarely in the list of top contenders himself. On December 2, 1920, in a somewhat more historic bout, Lynch defeated Sharkey in a fifteenth-round knockout at Madison Square Garden. Sharkey had the better of the bout up until the sixth round, when Lynch became far more dominant. Lynch's win gave him the right to challenge Pete Herman for the Bantamweight Championship three weeks later."Joe Lynch Knocks Out Jack Sharkey", Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pennsylvania, pg. 18, 3 December 1920 On July 2, 1925, at the Polo Grounds in New York, home of the New York Giants, the two drew in four rounds to a large house in which Lynch was somewhat favored to win."Expect Italian Fund Bouts to Draw $80,000", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 2 July 1925
Seven bouts with top bantamweight contender Frankie Burns, 1916–18
Sharkey met Frankie Burns seven times during his career, but had little luck with the highly rated bantamweight contender. Beginning on November 27, 1916, Sharkey faced a ten-round loss by newspaper decision from Burns in New York, followed by a ten-round loss on February 9, 1917, at the Harlem Sports Club in New York by newspaper decision of the New York Sun. Sharkey sank to the mat in the sixth round and claimed a foul, though he recovered by the seventh. He fought the first two rounds "like a whirlwind" and looked to have an advantage, but lost his pace in subsequent rounds."Burns a Winner", El Paso Herald, El Paso, Texas, pg. 13, 16 February 1917 In the third, Sharkey was stunned by a left hook to his midriff that may have affected him for the remainder of the bout."Burns Outpointed Sharkey in Ten Rounds", Durham Morning Herald, Durham, North Carolina, pg. 5, 10 February 1917
On October 15, 1917, he lost to Burns in a newspaper decision ten rounder in Albany, New York. Burns was "too clever" for Sharkey and "won by use of constant left jabs and right handers to the body"."With the Scrappers", Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 17, 18 October 1917 Sharkey fell to a ten-round loss by newspaper decision in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 1918. In their February 21 Jersey City Town Hall bout, Burns was described as easily outpointing his opponent, and taking seven of the ten rounds, with only one to Sharkey before a substantial house of 4000.4000 attended in "With the Scrappers" Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 17, 28 May 1918"Sharkey Loses to Burns", The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 22 February 1918 On June 20, 1918, he drew with Burns in a six-round newspaper decision in Madison Square Garden, and he lost to Burns again at the Garden in their last bout on November 16 in a six-round newspaper decision of the New York Times. Burns was eight years older than Sharkey, but seemed a difficult opponent to defeat. On July 13, 1920, Sharkey lost to Burns in a twelve-round newspaper decision of the Philadelphia Record at the Outdoor Arena of the Armory in Jersey City, New Jersey."Burns Wins", The Courier News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, pg. 12, 14 July 1920 As a highly rated Bantamweight, Burns contended four times for the World Bantamweight Championship between 1912 and 1917.
On April 6, 1918, Sharkey defeated Joe Tuber at the National Athletic Club in Philadelphia in a six-round newspaper decision of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The bout was described as sensational and Sharkey was considered to have been in his best form with a clear advantage."Jack Sharkey Proves Too Fast For Tuber", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 12, 9 April 1918
On March 24, 1919, Sharkey lost to Jackie "Kid" Wolfe in a ten-round newspaper decision of the Bridgeport Standard Telegram at the Grand Theater in Cleveland, Ohio.
On May 3, 1920, Sharkey lost to Jewish boxer Young Montreal, aka Morris Billingkoff, in a twelve-round points decision at Infantry Hall in Providence, Rhode Island. Young Montreal was a skilled opponent who was a contender for the World Bantamweight Championship for a ten-year period.Silver, Mike, Stars in the Ring, (2016), Lyons Press, Guilford, Connecticut, pps. 207-8
Championship fights
Sharkey first defeated Pete Herman in a six-round newspaper decision of two local newspapers at the National Athletic Club in Philadelphia on May 4, 1918. The victory over the reigning bantamweight champion was described as "a clean cut lacing", and several newspapers agreed Sharkey had the advantage in the bout. Due to a smaller house than expected, Sharkey was poorly compensated for his victory. Sharkey was described as the aggressor through most of the bout and able to stand punch for punch with the champion.Sharkey was the aggressor, "Pete Herman is Beaten", The Pittsburgh Sunday Post, pg. 17, 5 May 1918"Sharkey Defeats Bantam Champion", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 12, 7 May 1918 On September 2, 1918, Sharkey again fared well against Herman in a non-title six-round match at the Olympia Club in Philadelphia although it ended in a no-decision and more newspapers gave the advantage to Herman. Sharkey was described as the aggressor and always forcing the pace, though more newspapers felt Herman deserved to win having better timed and more effective punches.Sharkey fared will in "Jack Sharkey Wins", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 3 September 1918Herman had the advantage in "Pete Herman Wins Scrappy Bantam Go", Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, pg. 12, 3 September 1918 The fight was close and Sharkey made Herman extend himself."Pete Herman Wins", The Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg, Canada, pg. 12, 3 September 1918
Championship Sharkey briefly claimed the World Bantamweight Championship on August 15, 1919, in a ten-round newspaper decision against Herman in a no-decision bout in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, winning by a fairly close margin. Sharkey's claim was not recognized at the time, as he would have had to win by knockout or technical knockout to take the title, or to have won by the decision of a referee. The majority of newspaper reports gave Sharkey the edge.Sharkey had the edge in "Sharkey Given Decision", The Leavenworth Times, Leavenworth, Kansas, pg. 1, 16 August 1919The bout was close in "Jack Sharkey Gets Decision Over Champ Pete Herman", The Gazette Times, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 14, 16 August 1919 On September 15, 1919, Sharkey again had the edge over Herman in a World Bantamweight Championship match in Detroit, Michigan in a ten-round newspaper decision by the Detroit Free Press, though it was fairly close. According to one source, Sharkey was the aggressor, though Herman landed the more telling blows."Jack Sharkey Hands Out Hard Jolts to Pete Herman", Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, pg. 5, 16 September 1919 On September 11, 1920, Sharkey again defeated Herman in a non-title, fifteen-round newspaper decision of the Chicago Tribune in East Chicago, Indiana, though Herman held the World Bantamweight Championship at the time. Sharkey claimed fouls in the fifth and seventh rounds which were not allowed by the referee. Sharkey was the aggressor throughout which earned him the advantage according to several newspapers.Sharkey had an edge in the September, 1920 bout in "Jack Sharkey Wins Over Pete Herman, Bantamweight", The San Bernardino County Sun, San Bernardino, California, pg. 9, 12 September 1920 Sharkey's claim to the title was stripped on September 11, 1920.
Jimmy Wilde fight