Joe Walcott TKO 7 Joe Choynski

That depends.

If you believe the stories coming out from the time in regards to Choynski entering the fight with a broken rib that was said to have been injured while slipping on some ice, as well him supposedly suffering from a cold (both reported by a couple of doctors, Smith & Muir, who said they saw Choynski just before the fight), and believe that Choynski tried to back out of the fight because of his condition(s) but wasn't allowed to by the managers of the Athletic Club, then it does take quite a bit of luster out of Walcott's victory over him.

 

"Feb. 25, 1900.
To the Editor of the World:
This man Choynski went into the ring with a broken rib. He should never have done what he did. He is a patient of mine, and was under my treatment for his broken rib, and also for an attack of influenza.
JOSEPH MUIR, M.D.
No. 41 West Thirty-sixth st."

-as printed in the New York Evening World on Feb 26th, 1900


"He came to me last Monday direct from the train that brought him to the city. He was suffering from a bad cold. He said his head was stopped up and complained of aching pains all over his body. His rib was broken too. He told me had stepped on a piece of ice in Chicago and in falling had fractured it. He said he couldn't sleep and had to remain awake since he left Chicago, twenty-four hours before.

I gave him something to relieve him and the next day he came to my office and said he felt a little better. He had had a much-needed rest. I treated him daily up to Friday and advised him not to fight. He said he couldn't get out of it, and that after he'd get started he would be all right."

-another quote of Dr. Muir's while being interview by Evening World reporter and printed in their Feb, 27th, 1900 edition

 

No doubt Joe had a lot of mileage at the time but he had a career fighting heavyweights and Walcott was a 5'!" welter ... it was a huge upsey as Joe W. crushed him ... makes me think , again, about the color line and how many great fighters got screwed ... even a semi- shot was Choynsky had enough left to land a huge one and flatten Jack Johnson two years later ...

 

I think it is one of the greatest wins I mean only a year later Choynski knocked out Jack Johnson. And the fact that Walcott was only 5'1" and was giving up like 20lbs makes it all the more greater.

 

Give and take on the counter-arguments.

It may be so that Choynski was not too hot that day, but Walcott reportedly found it 'easy' to reach his jaw and it was almost a 1st round KO.

 

'Not too hot' is a mild understatement, considering the man had a broken rib and was suffering from influenza.

 

While that may be true, isn't it interesting that for every loss there are five excuses?

 

It's entirely possible that this was only an excuse by Choynski, Evan, as we certainly know that excuses are made in abundance by fighters who have lost. But this one by Choynski seems to have carried a little more weight and more press than what is the norm for these type of things, as it was played up in the papers and in detail for days after the fight.

It's also worth noting that in addition to Choynski and the doctor's comments, there were the fight observers who stated things such as "he (Choynski) didn't look well when he entered the ring and it was very evident that he couldn't fight" (reporter for Evening World, Feb 27th, 1900), and things of that nature. Also there were reports that Choynski was favouring and covering up his rib area right from the beginning of the fight, and some gave reason that that was why Walcott found his jaw so eaily in the first round with a punch that put him down.

Another thing worth noting is that the controversy surrounding if Choynski was fit or not didn't go away so quickly, as, for an example, it was ten years later (Feb 27th, 1910) when the Washington Post ran an article stating that "Choynski had a broken rib when he fought Walcott", "Schemers kept fact quiet and bet thousands on the colored demon", "one of the most barefaced robberies ever pergetrated on the New York public", and "one of the long series of betting frame-ups that disgusted sports and antisports alike".

Some excuses can be dismissed quite easily and usually are, but this one by Choynski which has backing from others, I can't be so quick to dismiss it.

 

Sam, extremely well said ..

I actually did not know about the conditions mentioned. I was not really singling this particular fight out. To me it was a huge upset that Choynski could be destroyed like that by Walcott. I just figured it was a case of under prepared, caught early, underestimating an opponent, ect ... things happen ..

My point is that as I have been reading posts here, on this very fun and active message board, I have read many people justifying their favorites losses on something or other rather than saying they lost ... I know this is the sport but it is interesting ...

(By the way, do we know each other from another Board?)

 

As the same sources pointed out, Choynski might as well have been somewhat clueless as to how fight so short an opponent, his punches were sometimes flying over Walcott's head and landing to the top of the head where they couldn't do much damage. He just wasn't used to it, unlike, say, Valuev who's opponents were on average about a foot shorter than he, so that he got used to it.

 

Choynski may have been in very poor condition, but we must consider Walcott's job on him. Reasons for loses, whatever they may be, become characteristically enhanced to reinforce the reasons for the victims loss to aid the counter argument.

Those who are close to a fighter, or hear a story are prone to exaggerate to defend. Maybe that was not the case and Choynski was an open wound at the clang of the first bell for Walcott to pour the salt in.

However, as injured and ailing fighters go, for the 5,1 Welterweight to get in there and nearly end things in the first round speaks volumes .

 

While never being more than a welterweight Walcott actualy held all the best 175 pounders of his era on even terms.

He demolished Joe Choynski and offered him a rematch. He splt a series with George Gardiner and drew twice with Philadelphia Jack O'Brien.

 

great reads