Who refereed the World Title fight in 1896 between Tom Sharkey and Bob Fitzsimmons and pulled a gun during it
Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey The Fitzsimmons vs Sharkey Heavyweight Championship boxing match between Bob Fitzsimmons and Tom Sharkey was awarded by referee Wyatt Earp to Sharkey after Fitzsimmons knocked Sharkey to the mat. Earp ruled that Fitzsimmons had hit Sharkey when he was down, but very few witnessed the purported foul. The fans at the December 2, 1896 fight in San Francisco booed Earp's decision. It was the first heavyweight championship fight since James J. Corbett, the prior champion, had retired from boxing the year before. The fight may have been the most anticipated fight on American soil that year. The
Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey with 20 knockouts. He had already fought Corbett on June 24, 1896 in San Francisco, but the match was ruled a draw after four rounds due to police interference. Promoter Jim Coffroth promoted the match between Fitzsimmons and Sharkey as the World Heavyweight Championship. Although boxing was illegal, the fight between Fitzsimmons and Sharkey was very popular, and the title fight was attended by city and police officials who bet on the outcome like everyone else. Nationwide, the public believed Fitzsimmons would win. In the days prior to the fight, Fitzsimmons was favored 3/1, until a late surge of betting