Titles: Never a world champion
      
Record: 52-14 (29 K.O's)
     
Born: November 8, 1868 in San Francisco, California (USA)  
    
Years active: 1888-1904 
    
Nickname: "Little Joe", "California Terror"

Choynski never won a world title but fought seven Hall of Famers, including 
Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Jeffries and Jack Johnson. Choynski shoule be given 
extra credit for being one of the first men to break the color barrier at 
the time and fight deserving black fighters. He beat George Godfrey by 
kayo, who at the time was calling himself "America's colored champion" and 
was said to have carried the beaten Godfrey back to his corner. As good as 
Choynski was good but could not beat his nemesis Corbett in 3 tries, any 
one of which would have made him the champion. In 1890 after his 3 defeats 
to Corbett he traveled to Australia where he lost to Joe Goddard. Still he 
fought on and defeated a upcoming prospect named Jim Jeffries who would 
become the future heavyweight champion who outweighed him by 50 pounds. 
How good was Choynski? Well he earned his spot on my Hall of Fame by 
knocking out another future heavyweight champion in Jack Johnson in 4 
rounds! Both were arrested for participating in a "mixed race" bout but 
were allowed to box in prison for the amusement of the jailers and inmates. 
This experience was said to have given Johnson his tremendous boxing and 
defensive skills.