It’s a pity that in the 30s of the last century there were no TV broadcasts and no records of fights were kept. If all this happened, then we would have received real proof of life after death, or confirmed the maxim that boxers often have hallucinations.
It’s good that now all the blows are recorded, the fights can be watched in replay countless times. And even place a bet at a bookmaker without leaving your home using the application at https://uz-bet.club/mostbet.
But in the first half of the 20th century, none of this was available. What happened there?
The rapid development of a young athlete’s career
In 1931-1932, Ernie Schaaf confidently walked to the heavyweight championship belt. Prior to that, he managed to earn the title of champion of the US Navy.
In order to become the best boxer in the world, he had to fight only 2 fights: with the Italian Carnera and, in case of victory, with the current champion Jackie Sharkey.
Last Fight
The duel with Primo Carnera was scheduled for the beginning of 1933. Schaaf was the favorite of the bookmakers, bettors were willing to bet on him. This was due to the previous series of victories, as well as the fact that technically he was much better than his opponent.
But Primo isn’t that simple either. It is impossible to call him a professional boxer, because he began to take his lessons only at the age of 20+. Prior to that, he was engaged in fisticuffs in the circus, as he had a gigantic height and a weight of about 120 kg.
It was against this “machine” that Ernie came out. He was much lower and lighter than his counterpart, but all the same, everyone believed in his victory.
But the meeting went according to a completely different scenario. Schaaf behaved strangely, was lethargic and slow. As a result, he was knocked out in the 13th round, then hospitalized right from the ring. And after 4 days he died.
An amazing continuation of the story
Carnera was horrified that he had killed a man. That’s exactly what he decided. True, the autopsy showed a completely different picture. In fact, Ernie was already half dead when he entered the ring:
- he had inflammation of the brain;
- residual manifestations of transferred spinal meningitis;
- brain injury received in the previous fight.
And then there’s a new fight that he really wanted to win. But against the background of the general condition of the body, one of the blows of the enemy led to a brain hemorrhage and subsequent death.
Coming from the underworld
Sharkey and Shaar were good friends. And during the meeting between Jackie and Karnera, the current champion Sharkey suddenly loses, although he was the real favorite of the betting companies. He explained such a failure by the appearance in the ring of the ghost of his deceased friend. And Primo simply took advantage of the champion’s numbness at the manifestation of the unknown.
Here one can only guess why the departed soul came to this battle. Perhaps something threatened a friend and she had to intervene to save him.
