Chrysanthemum Joe Choynski Appreciation thread

this is just a thread to post Some Joe Choynski articles, and hopefully raise the profile of probably the most underated (pound for pound) fighter going around.

Here is some articles by choynski about the early days.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40754785?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40755173?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40755597?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

 

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40755597?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

the 6ft 3 Maine Giant sounds like a reasonable win for an inexperienced fighter.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40755713?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

And the Irish Giant - Mike McCarney sounds a win that is not a bad result on a pound for pound level.


And if Billy Wilson was considered to have a punch for John L Sullivan, is that the equivalent of a modern Heavyweight Contender? NOte that Choynski lists him at 6 2 which is a deal bigger than CBZ has.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40756155?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40756371?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

Joe certainly wasnt afraid of the big guys. He followed his KO loss in a brutallyly close fight with World Class Joe goddard with an appointment with the 6 ft 5 in Owen Sullivan.

 

It surprises me that Mick Dooley is described as such a clever fighter by Choynski. I always considered him as more of tough journeyman than a clever fighter.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40756874?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


I have read this Larry Foley story before, in John Ls articles i think.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40757256?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

It is interesting that choynski did a bit of a John L style KO tour and seemed to do similarly well.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40757436?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40757795?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

Here is Choynski's version of his fight with Fitz.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40758335?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

 

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40758568?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

Choynski Maher fights really do seem like a massive feud. And Jim Hall was obviously a much better fighter than he is remembered today.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40759121?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

this one has a little bit on his draw with Jeffries. When you think about Choynski, he his performances against Corbett , Fitz, Jeffries and Johnson are probably 4 pound for pound performances as good as anyone had put up, certainly if you go by Choynskis descriptions.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40759320?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40759579?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

And it really seems taht Sharkey was a rough and tumble fighter. It sounds like he was more an old time variation of John Ruiz, than a marciano clone as is often stated (hope this doesnt throw things off topic).

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40759918?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40760336?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


the Kid MC Coy fight certainly sounds like the a roberry.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40760459?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

 

It was certainly rough and rugged in those days. You can call some of it unskilled, but wrestling could from time to time certainly play a larger roll back then than it does today it seems.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40761393?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

the win over Bill Hanrahan is another underated win. Just looking solely at the results of figthers, it is interesting that Wild Bill Hanrahan had knocked out Marvin Hart, who obviously beat Johnson and went on to win a world title. And give that Choynski himself had already knocked out Johnson and beat Hart, it is interesting to stop and think where choynski should be rated at the time. Certainly it seems that by now, in 1902 he deserved a much higher rating than Jack Johnson. Given that Jeffries is to retire in two years, it makes (or at least it should) it quite obvious why johnson wasnt considered a real challenge for Jeffries crown. In fact, it certainly seems that he should rate quite fairly behind choynski at this point. In fact, Choynski must have been in the mix for a shot. Despite his previous losses, He had drawn and arguably beaten Jeffries and Johnson and Goddard. Plus if his version is to believed, he virtually KOd Fitzsimmons and McCoy. And his fight with Hart seems to be fast paced and very close. Actually it is a very underated win. Like the Johnson fight, it is an aged veteran from the last decade taking it to a champion of the next decade. this Hart win takes us to 1903. In fact, you would have to reckon that it is not until Kid Carter Knocks him out, that he would be taken down as probably the most deserving challegner to Jeffries. In fact, it seems that Choynski probably has a better claim than Hart, Johnson or Munroe, during this period. I wonder why he is not spoken of as being ducked by jeffries.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40762298?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40762589?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40762823?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40763196?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc


This one covers Creedon, Ryan and Odonnell fights. All underated wins today.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/40761618?searchTerm=choynski &searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc

 

I agree that he looks pretty good given his age. It is pretty amazing when you think about it. It is almost like Lennox Lewis coming out of retirement to fight the Klitchskos and using Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield as his main sparring partners.