Did Choynski Have Deadly Fists ??

Joe Richmond · Post by **Joe Richmond** » 15 Jan 2005, 02:37

I'm wondering about a fighter who apparently was killed in the ring by the great heavyweight, Joe Choynski, he of the legendary 27-round battle with James J. Corbett in 1889. That fight was on a barge in San Francisco Bay. Here are the particulars as found in wire story with Chicago dateline, March 6, 1902: "Samuel Uphouser, known as the Brighton Slasher, is dying at his home , 817 West Twenty-Second Street, as the result of a knockout blow he received in a fight at Bricklayers Hall Saturday night. The police are searching for his opponent in the battle, but can only learn that he is known as "Young Choynski," and no one knows where he can be found."
Related to this item is the fact that the Hebrew Californian, Choynski, in several early fights was billed as "Young Choynski." Also, on March 7, 1902 he knocked out Billy Hanrahan at Louisville, Kentucky. A few weeks later Choynski himself was KO'd in Chicago by Kid Carter. Can anyone supply further info about the Uphouser fight?

The Scranton Assassin · Post by **The Scranton Assassin** » 15 Jan 2005, 23:03

Thats an interesting story and it's very possible that it's the same man. Every great heavyweight from that era who faught Joe Choynski said that he was the Hardest puncher they ever fought. Tom Sharkey, Jim Corbett, Jim Jeffries, and Jack Johnson all agreed that he was the hardest puncher ever. In the fight with Jeffries, Choynski hit him with a left hook that ripped his cheek open exposing his teeth and fought to a draw. He also knocked out Jack Johnson with a single left hook when he was already past his prime and before Johnson won the title.

robert.snell1 · Post by **robert.snell1** » 19 Jan 2005, 19:12

very interesting story and i think it may well be the same person. I think I may have some info about this and will get back to you about it.

Cap · Post by **Cap** » 23 Jan 2005, 14:23

The Scranton Assassin wrote:Thats an interesting story and it's very possible that it's the same man. Every great heavyweight from that era who faught Joe Choynski said that he was the Hardest puncher they ever fought. Tom Sharkey, Jim Corbett, Jim Jeffries, and Jack Johnson all agreed that he was the hardest puncher ever. In the fight with Jeffries, Choynski hit him with a left hook that ripped his cheek open exposing his teeth and fought to a draw. He also knocked out Jack Johnson with a single left hook when he was already past his prime and before Johnson won the title.

But did he manage to knock out any of the guys you mention? He had something like 25 KOs in 80 fights. Hardly Earnie Shavers. And look at the names of the guys he did knock out; many Hall of Famers there? He was a good puncher against middleweights and light heavyweights (he was never much more than a 175-pounder himself) but failed to put away very many real big guys. Keep in mind, that Sharkey, Jeffries, Corbett and company were, in later years, Joe's best friends.

Cap

klompton · Post by **klompton** » 25 Jan 2005, 14:25

How many hall of famers did Earnie Shavers knock out?

Cap · Post by **Cap** » 02 Feb 2005, 16:05

Uhhh....Ken Norton? Is he in there yet? The only name heavyweight Choynski kayo'd (and I'm going purely on memory here) was Big Joe McAuliffe out of Frisco, and McAuliffe was in decline by then. Choynski fought several top heavyweights, but failed to knock them out. It wasn't until, what, 1901 that he upset a young Jack Johnson. More a knock against the youngster's whiskers than a display of terrific punching power.

Cap

Sherlock · Post by **Sherlock** » 03 Feb 2005, 07:40

Cap wrote:Uhhh....Ken Norton? Is he in there yet? The only name heavyweight Choynski kayo'd (and I'm going purely on memory here) was Big Joe McAuliffe out of Frisco, and McAuliffe was in decline by then. Choynski fought several top heavyweights, but failed to knock them out. It wasn't until, what, 1901 that he upset a young Jack Johnson. More a knock against the youngster's whiskers than a display of terrific punching power.

Cap

Ken Norton fell against any above average puncher, including Gerry Cooney

.

And knockout percentage is a misleading way to judge punching power. Not every puncher KO's the majority of his opponents, many top punchers have low KO percentages but were still big punchers despite the low percent.

The Scranton Assassin · Post by **The Scranton Assassin** » 03 Feb 2005, 17:36

Well said. IF all of those fighters of the past agreed on his power then we should beleive them. We shouldn't listen to some guy 100 years later bitchin some bullshit about ko percentage. Shavers def. hit harder then Joe but no one from that old era hit as hard as joe.

Cap · Post by **Cap** » 06 Feb 2005, 20:36

The Scranton Assassin wrote:Well said. IF all of those fighters of the past agreed on his power then we should beleive them. We shouldn't listen to some guy 100 years later bitchin some bullshit about ko percentage. Shavers def. hit harder then Joe but no one from that old era hit as hard as joe.

OK smartguy. Name all the top contenders that Choynski knocked out or are you saying that terrific punchers don't have to be kayo artists too? Aside from remarks made many years later by his good buddies, what proof exists that Choynski was a big puncher?

As for nobody hitting harder than Joe, take a look at Peter Maher's record and Tom Sharkey's. Now those guys had power!

The Scranton Assassin · Post by **The Scranton Assassin** » 07 Feb 2005, 00:03

Cap wrote:
The Scranton Assassin wrote:Well said. IF all of those fighters of the past agreed on his power then we should beleive them. We shouldn't listen to some guy 100 years later bitchin some bullshit about ko percentage. Shavers def. hit harder then Joe but no one from that old era hit as hard as joe.

are you saying that terrific punchers don't have to be kayo artists too?

Thats exactly what I'm saying. Have you ever fought before or better yet have your even trained before. I doubt it because any one who would make a remark like that obviosly never did either. This will be the last post I will make in this catagory and I won't waste my time ansering back any more of your comments of your comments.

The Scranton Assassin · Post by **The Scranton Assassin** » 07 Feb 2005, 00:05

Cap wrote:
The Scranton Assassin wrote:Well said. IF all of those fighters of the past agreed on his power then we should beleive them. We shouldn't listen to some guy 100 years later bitchin some bullshit about ko percentage. Shavers def. hit harder then Joe but no one from that old era hit as hard as joe.

are you saying that terrific punchers don't have to be kayo artists too?

Thats exactly what I'm saying. Have you ever fought before or better yet have your even trained before. I doubt it because any one who would make a remark like that obviosly never did either. This will be the last post I will make in this catagory and I won't waste my time ansering back any more of your comments of your comments.