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Dempsey-Sharkey. The myth that developed from that fight till today is that Dempsey hit him low and when Sharkey complained of low blows, dropping his hands in the process, Dempsey knocked him out with a single left hook. Thus the supposed low blows taint this spectacular ko.
Truth is you can see two of the three body blows watch the film and they are not low. The three right uppercuts to the body were fired in rapid trip hammer like fashion. There is no evidence watching the film that the third and final body blow was anything different than the first two.
Secondly if you really investigate the post fight reporting the ref stated adamantly that he saw all three right uppercuts to the pit of Sharkeys stomach and they were not low.
The fight doctor examined Sharkey after the bout and found no evidence that any low blows landed.
You do have eye witnesses such as Benny Leonard who stated he saw three flagrant fouls very low to Sharkeys groin. Just watching the film you can see that this was untrue. Leonard however was writing a regular column for the newspapers regarding this fight providing commentary regarding both fighters training etc. The day of the fight he picked Sharkey to win by a WIDE margin easily perhaps by ko. In those days an expert opinion meant ALLOT and huge bets were won or lost via these expert opinions. The claims of a foul by Sharkey gave each writer, and in this case regarding Leonard a recent former and very popular champion, a way to save face.
Truth is you can see two of the three body blows watch the film and they are not low. The three right uppercuts to the body were fired in rapid trip hammer like fashion. There is no evidence watching the film that the third and final body blow was anything different than the first two.
Secondly if you really investigate the post fight reporting the ref stated adamantly that he saw all three right uppercuts to the pit of Sharkeys stomach and they were not low.
The fight doctor examined Sharkey after the bout and found no evidence that any low blows landed.
You do have eye witnesses such as Benny Leonard who stated he saw three flagrant fouls very low to Sharkeys groin. Just watching the film you can see that this was untrue. Leonard however was writing a regular column for the newspapers regarding this fight providing commentary regarding both fighters training etc. The day of the fight he picked Sharkey to win by a WIDE margin easily perhaps by ko. In those days an expert opinion meant ALLOT and huge bets were won or lost via these expert opinions. The claims of a foul by Sharkey gave each writer, and in this case regarding Leonard a recent former and very popular champion, a way to save face.
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