The Boxing Glove Book Review: By Peter Silkov
"Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man" By Jerry Fitch
"Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man" By Jerry Fitch
There is a misconception in some modern boxing fans minds that the value of a fighters ability can be weighed up simply by a quick check of the number of wins and losses upon his record. Many fighters today tread carefully around their most talented and dangerous rivals for fear of what a defeat might do to their record. Of course, there are still exceptions to the rule, for instance recently crowned World lightweight champion, Tevin Farmer, was 7-4-1 in his first 12 professional contests, yet has developed into a genuine world-class champion. Yet the fact that Farmer is such a rarity in today's era, serves to prove the point that for modern day boxing keeping that undefeated '0' is all important to most fighter's managers and promoters.
The examples of fighters learning their trade as much through defeats, as they do victories, have become rarer and rarer in the modern boxing landscape.
It was very different in the past when there were far more fighters, far fewer titles, and the best fighters invariably fought their toughest rivals on a regular basis. Indeed in those days, most fighters wanted to fight the toughest opposition available, as they knew that this was the only route for reaching the top of the sport.
The examples of fighters learning their trade as much through defeats, as they do victories, have become rarer and rarer in the modern boxing landscape.
It was very different in the past when there were far more fighters, far fewer titles, and the best fighters invariably fought their toughest rivals on a regular basis. Indeed in those days, most fighters wanted to fight the toughest opposition available, as they knew that this was the only route for reaching the top of the sport.
The name of Johnny Risko might not be familiar to many of today's fans, but back in what is often now referred to as boxing's 'golden age', 1920 to 1950, Risko was a great example of a fighter who fought regularly and almost exclusively against top-notch rivals. A look at Johnny Risko's final career tally of 68-46-6 (22koes) might provoke some to dismiss Risko as a mediocre also ran in the annals of boxing history. Like many fighters of his era, the bare numbers of Risko's boxing record fail to tell the story of his career, or his ability as a fighter.
However, for the intrepid boxing fan who likes his boxing history, Johnny Risko has now been brought back to life by boxing writer and historian, Jerry Fitch.
Jerry Fitch does a great job of telling the story of Johnny Risko's life and boxing career in his book "Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man."
Born Mesto Bohunico, on December 18, 1902, in what is now part of Slovakia, but was then the Austria-Hungarian empire, Johnny and his family immigrated to America in 1908 when he was just 6 years old.
After settling in Cleveland, Ohio, Johnny's parents opened a bakery, where Johnny himself would work. Johnny was soon finding that he had a talent with his hands beyond using them in the bakery when he started using them in the ring and regularly knocking out his opponents as an amateur. As an amateur boxer, Bohunico, with his new Americanized name, won 39 of 59 contests via a knockout and became something of a sensation in his adopted home town of Ohio.
However, for the intrepid boxing fan who likes his boxing history, Johnny Risko has now been brought back to life by boxing writer and historian, Jerry Fitch.
Jerry Fitch does a great job of telling the story of Johnny Risko's life and boxing career in his book "Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man."
Born Mesto Bohunico, on December 18, 1902, in what is now part of Slovakia, but was then the Austria-Hungarian empire, Johnny and his family immigrated to America in 1908 when he was just 6 years old.
After settling in Cleveland, Ohio, Johnny's parents opened a bakery, where Johnny himself would work. Johnny was soon finding that he had a talent with his hands beyond using them in the bakery when he started using them in the ring and regularly knocking out his opponents as an amateur. As an amateur boxer, Bohunico, with his new Americanized name, won 39 of 59 contests via a knockout and became something of a sensation in his adopted home town of Ohio.
Risko turned professional in 1922, not long after the overturning of a ban on professional boxing in Cleveland. In a career which lasted until 1940, Risko would fight the cream of the light-heavyweights and heavyweights of the '20s and '30s. Short and stocky, at 5' 11" and between 190 and 210 pounds, Risko was to gain notoriety for his toughness and heart inside the ring.
Originally nicknamed 'The Baker Boy' Risko was soon being called 'The Cleveland Rubber Man' due to the impression he made of having punches simply bounce off him. Risko was an aggressive infighter, who relied very much upon his left-hand after an injury to his right shoulder early in his professional career rendered him almost a one-armed fighter. Indeed, when you learn about Risko's early career injury, that robbed him of the knockout punch in his right hand, the fact that he went on to achieve what he did in his career becomes even more impressive. Shorn of his powerful right-hand punch, Risko became a relentlessly aggressive infighter, who relied upon his work rate and toughness to outwork and outlast his opponents.
The list of Risko's opponents is impressive indeed, including, Young Stribling, Mike Mctigue, Gene Tunney, Jack Renault, Jack Sharkey, Jack Delaney, Tommy Loughran, Jimmy Slattery, Lou Scozza, Paulino Uzcudun, George Godfrey, Tuff Griffiths, Mickey Walker, Max Baer, King Levinsky, Bob Olin, Max Schmeling, and John Henry Lewis. Looking at the names on Risko's record, it becomes hardly surprising that he experienced a number of reverses. Yet, he also scored his fair share of impressive victories and was world rated amongst the top heavyweights for several years.
Originally nicknamed 'The Baker Boy' Risko was soon being called 'The Cleveland Rubber Man' due to the impression he made of having punches simply bounce off him. Risko was an aggressive infighter, who relied very much upon his left-hand after an injury to his right shoulder early in his professional career rendered him almost a one-armed fighter. Indeed, when you learn about Risko's early career injury, that robbed him of the knockout punch in his right hand, the fact that he went on to achieve what he did in his career becomes even more impressive. Shorn of his powerful right-hand punch, Risko became a relentlessly aggressive infighter, who relied upon his work rate and toughness to outwork and outlast his opponents.
The list of Risko's opponents is impressive indeed, including, Young Stribling, Mike Mctigue, Gene Tunney, Jack Renault, Jack Sharkey, Jack Delaney, Tommy Loughran, Jimmy Slattery, Lou Scozza, Paulino Uzcudun, George Godfrey, Tuff Griffiths, Mickey Walker, Max Baer, King Levinsky, Bob Olin, Max Schmeling, and John Henry Lewis. Looking at the names on Risko's record, it becomes hardly surprising that he experienced a number of reverses. Yet, he also scored his fair share of impressive victories and was world rated amongst the top heavyweights for several years.
Jerry Fitch has done a meticulous job in bringing Johnny Risko's life and career alive. This book is nicely equipped with quotes from newspaper articles of the time, as well as a number of round-by-round commentaries upon some of Risko's most important fights. These commentaries, which have been taken from the newspaper archives of "The Cleveland Plain Dealer", give the reader the impression that he is going back in time and witnessing the fight himself. It is a unique way to appreciate Risko as a fighter and indeed appreciate his opponents.
'The Cleveland Rubber Man' never fought for a world title, yet this shortfall says more about the intensity of competition in his era rather than any shortcomings in his ability.
"Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man" doesn't just shed light upon the life and career of Risko himself, it also gives the reader a nice insight into the era in which he fought and his many outstanding opponents. There are also a good helping of classic photos throughout the book, and Risko's boxing record is provided in the back of this biography.
Jerry Fitch has devoted himself to highlighting the boxing history of Cleveland Ohio, and after a previous book on Jimmy Bivins, he has highlighted yet another fighter whose life and boxing career deserves to be told and remembered.
If you would like to purchase this book it is available on Amazon:
'The Cleveland Rubber Man' never fought for a world title, yet this shortfall says more about the intensity of competition in his era rather than any shortcomings in his ability.
"Johnny Risko: The Cleveland Rubber Man" doesn't just shed light upon the life and career of Risko himself, it also gives the reader a nice insight into the era in which he fought and his many outstanding opponents. There are also a good helping of classic photos throughout the book, and Risko's boxing record is provided in the back of this biography.
Jerry Fitch has devoted himself to highlighting the boxing history of Cleveland Ohio, and after a previous book on Jimmy Bivins, he has highlighted yet another fighter whose life and boxing career deserves to be told and remembered.
If you would like to purchase this book it is available on Amazon:
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