Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-14
JACK SHARKEY'S.
ELIMINATION IS.
ASSURED THING.

NEW, YORK, March 13 OFF it
accomplished nothing else the victory
of Johnny Risko, the big rough and
tumble man, over Jack Sharkey, has
settled two hotly disputed points to
the satisfaction of most of the eagle
eyed experts:
ID That Sharkey no longer can
take it," lending color to the long
persistent view that the Boston sailor
can be put down as another victim
of Jack Dempsey's vicious body push
ing; and CD that if there has been
any under-cover scheme to boost
Sharkey into a heavyweight cham
pionship match with Gene Tunney it
has fallen completely to pieces.
Few fistic points have been more
vigorously defeated than these two
over the past year. There were those
who insisted Sharkey should have
been given the decision over Dempsey
on foul while others wSgged a
knowing head and proclaimed that
the Boston sailor was "cinch" to
meet Tunney, eliminations to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
Both groups of wise ones" now
seem, like Sharkey, to have taken
it on the chin. At the moment Moth
ing appears more conclusive than
that Sharkey is thoroughly and indis-
putably eliminated. He has had two
big chances to re-establish himself as
contender and muffed both.
The impression, however, could not
be downed prior to last nights brawl
that Sharkey was the fair-haired boy,
backed by interests certain of push
ing him into match with Tunney.
The idea has persisted since last
summer that Sharkey, after losing
to Dempsey on a knockout, was as
sured he would get the "big shot"
in 1928. Under cover negotiations
earlier this winter supported this view.
There was Jimmy Johnston and his
supposedly influential ten per cent
interest in the Boston sailor. Con-
tracts, in fact, were signed with a
view to a title match between Shar-
key and Tunney but they can now
be torn up and tossed into the waste
basket, if the verdict Of a few refer
ees, judges, and newspaper experts
is accepted 1T probably will be.
Lacking though they may be in
some of the colorful requisites of a
championship challenger, Johnny Ris-
ko and Tom Heeney now stand un-
queStionably at the top OF the elimi-
nation heap. Unless Jack Dempsey
yields to Tex Richards persuasion
and changes his mind about come
back, RiSko and Heeney demand first
consideration.
These two pluggerS of the elimina-
ton group have outlasted more col
orful but also more erratic rivals.
Heeney holds decision over Risko
but Johnny has beaten Paolino, the
latter defeated Honest Tonl," as
we'll as Sharkey, who held the New
Zealander TO a draw. There isn't
much to choose between them, both
are the shock absorbing type, ever
laStingly aggressive and difficult to
beat
Neither stands out as real threat
to Tunneys crown. On the other
hand it would be extremely difficult
for Gentleman Gene to put either
Tom or Johnny on the floor. But
Tunney mastered the method of hand
ling the rough and tumble boys by
fighting the late Harry Greb some
thing like five times.
There have been something like !
18 fights within the past year in !
the heavyweight scramble. Only five |
ended in knocEcuts. Most of the |
others failed to produce even knock
down. 1t has been chiefly a merry
go-round as Tex Rickard has tried |
all possible combinations in an eff /
fort to produce an outstanding con-
tender or two.