That is right about RJJ, and I did forget Sugar Shane being involved in the Balco scandal as well. Like I initially said, among the top level fighters, the same standards apply that do to most top level athletes: it would be easier to find out the high level fighters/athletes who do not use steroids than it would to find out the ones who do.
"UWE - it's on record that Jack Johnson stated Fitz was the hardest puncher he faced."
Knowing Jack Johnson it's conceivable that he told different people different things. The following is copied from the Joe Choynski thread on the History Forum:
From the International Boxing Hall of Fame site:
During an interview in 1940, Hall of Famer Jack Johnson reminisced about the hardest punchers he faced.
"Jefferies No. 1? No, sir. Give me Joe Choynski anytime. I faced both and should know. Jefferies had a powerful wallop, but Choynski had a paralyzing punch. His left hand was a corker. He was the hardest puncher in the last 50 years, with Joe Walcott a close second. I think his left hook was even more effective than either Dempseys."
A review of Johnson's record shows that Choynski is the only man to knock out the former champ besides Jess Willard.
See the following for the full article:
http://www.ibhof.com/choynski.htm
More Johnson commentary, from Tracy Callis's boxing site:
Jack Johnson once said, "Jeffries had a solid wallop and Fitz[simmons] could knock your head off but that man Choynski could paralyze you even when he didn't catch you flush. In my opinion, he was the hardest hitter, pound for pound, of the last 50 years ... I think his left hook was much more effective than either Dempsey's or Louis's"
Thanks for the post, P4P.
Choynski (pronounced COY-en-ski) is the man Johnson credits for teaching him how to box properly. Here's a good little bio on one of the lost greats from the turn of the century:
"He convinced me that he was not only the cleverest boxer I had ever seen but also a terrific hitter. He fought so fast I could not use what skill I had to best advantage, and was taking a wonderful boxing lesson every minute ... He hit me so hard he broke my nose and wedged my lip between my teeth. He drove my head so far back I thought my neck stretched a foot ... During the remainder of the fight I knocked Choynski down three times but at the end of the battle [Referee] Graney called it a draw ... I had no regrets. I had taken a boxing lesson from a master and an artist ..."
- Jim Jeffries, on Joe Choynski
No problem UWE. You should cross post that Jeffries quote on the History Forum's Joe Choynski thread. I think they'd get a kick out of it too.