Let's talk about Johnny Risko

He only won 56% percent of his bouts. An "inconsistent performer" doesn't necessarily mean bad, it just means they aren't consistently good (and hence consistently bad).

50% would be the true even of inconsistency, and 56% ain't far from it.

 

I only leant about him a few weeks ago, but I'm glad I did. The guy's résumé is stacked.

 

I'm debating whether or not he's P4P worthy, the résumé is there and he fought and beat guys bigger than him, but at the same time he lost to guys smaller and beat guys smaller, and obviously has that ugly 56% win rate.

 

There's plenty on his Boxrec page?

 

By that era they get a little more accurate imo, it's when documents are incomplete before WW1 that are sketchy.

 

He was a rubber man, durable in his time who had good stamina for the later rounds and threw a higher than average amount of punches. Not close to a puncher or skilled boxer, he's best described as a professional journeyman with heart that fought often. He could upset better fighters if they weren't in shape of didn't work hard that night.

It's possible he was in some fixed fights ( without knowledge of being in ), as he won fights on points he shouldn't have.

 

He was inconsistent because he basically fought for a living!

He did not take fights that were logical in terms of progressing his career, he just fought whoever would get him a pay day, and the day after that fight, he looked for the next one!

Despite this poor business model, he came within spitting distance of the heavyweight title!

He was unlucky to draw Schmeling in the opening round of the elimination tournament!

 

I'm not going to rip on a warrior like Risko who worked from the age of 8 and fought 140 times, and later joined the Army at 40 years of age during a World War.

He was a warrior, a lifer, not some guy who dabbled in the gym and practiced his shoulder roll and check hook in the mirror.

 

Never saw him n action but yes. He fought as many quality opponents as just about anyone we can think of. Perhaps a possible explanation to having so many defeats was BECAUSE of constantly being overmatched as well as having such a busy schedule. In Risko’s time you took paydays when they were offered, even if that meant fighting before being fully healed.

 

This. My Grandfather's Barber Mr. Thesmond, who lived in Cleveland during the 20's and 30's went to a lot of Risko's fights and said he was an excellent fighter, but lacked powerful backers that could carefully match him to keep him good. He also said the same about guys like Babe Hunt and Al Gainer. People would be surprised how many of their best fighters wouldn't have near undefeated records (clean) if they just fought without careful matchmaking.

Image of Risko, Walker, Sharkey, Tunney, and Campolo
https://imgur.com/IG3QkQb

Image of Risko
https://imgur.com/WcaxvtI

Image of Risko with Campolo, Phil Scott, and Sharkey
https://imgur.com/Juc58EV

An Article talking about Risko fighting Sharkey.
https://imgur.com/DsY3FNi
https://imgur.com/PkuQuxv

An article talking about the bleak outlook of heavyweight boxing in the Late 20's.
https://imgur.com/Iz8Btit
https://imgur.com/IcALVhW