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Jack Sharkey, born October 26, 1902 in Binghamton,
New York, United States – died August 17, 1994
in Beverly, Massachusetts, was a List of
Heavyweight Champions|heavyweight boxing champion.


Born in an era when prizefighters, actors and
others in the public spotlight adopted an
"American-sounding" pseudonym, Josef Paul
Zukauskas (his birth surname is sometimes given as
Cukoschay) took the family name of a popular
retired Ireland|Irish boxer and future Hall of
Famer, Thomas Sharkey|"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 Germany|German contender, Max
Schmeling. In their June 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 of 1931, Sharkey defeated the highly
regarded Italy|Italian heavyweight, Primo Carnera,
and was then given another chance to fight for the
title. On June 21, 1932 at the Madison Square
Garden Bowl in  Long Island City, New York, Jack
Sharkey defeated Max Schmeling in their rematch to
win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in a
very controversal split descision.

Sharkey lost his championship on June 29, 1933 in
his second fight with Primo Carnera.

In 1994, Jack Sharkey was inducted into the
International Boxing Hall of Fame. He died on
August 17 of that year due to respiratory arrest.

start box
succession box |
  before= Gene Tunney |
  title= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion |
  years= 1928–1930 |
  after= Max Schmeling

succession box |
  before= Max Schmeling |
  title= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion |
  years= 1932–1933 |
  after= Primo Carnera

end box