This Sunday, October 10, 2021 is Johnny Risko Day in Sheffield Lake. A special celebration of Risko’s life will take place at the Joyce E. Hanks Community Center from 3:00 to 5:00, with a special display of memorabilia.
In honor of the event, here’s an article that appeared in the Lorain Journal on January 14, 1953 at the time of Risko’s passing. It features a nice capsule summary of his career, and sheds the light on some of his local boxing opponents as well.
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Started Pro Ring Career Here in 1924
Big Fighting Heart of John Risko Stops; Collapses in Miami
The great heart that carried Risko through 187 professional and amateur prize fights in a long ring career, which commenced at Hotel Antlers auditorium here in 1924, stopped last night.
Risko, attending a meeting at Elks lodge in Miami, Fla., collapsed in the lodge rooms. He was given oxygen enroute to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Known as the “rubber man” in heavyweight ranks, Risko was born in Austria on Dec. 18, 1902.
Two Other top-ranking boxers from the Lorain area were Alvie Miller, featherweight who battled Johnny Kilbane for [sic] times, and is still active here, and Alex Hart, a native Lorainite, who worked his way up the welterweight ranks.
With a good record in 59 amateur bouts, Risko entered the professional ranks in 1924 and his initial bout was with Lorain’s Joe “Kayo” Martin, who is now a resident of Sheffield Lake Village.
Martin Broke Hand in Risko Bout
With the auditorium jammed to capacity, Risko and Martin stopped four rounds in the headline attraction, promoted by George Forester and arranged through Capt. Jack Kelly. Forester and Kelly, both prominent sportsmen and city firemen, have died in the past 15 years.
Martin suffered a fracture of the right hand in the first round, but stayed the distance with rugged Risko who belted with both hands from the opening moment of every round. The bout finished in a draw. Martin scaled 168 pounds, while Big John tipped 182, Martin, also in his first pro bout, received $35 for his four rounds of belting.
Martin, 47 years old now, is a resident of Sheffield Lake, 774 Howell Street. He is employed in the blooming mill at the Lorain works of the National Tube Company.
Relaxed at Resorts
Since retiring as a tavern operator about a year ago, Risko has been relaxing at resorts in Florida and also spending the summer months in Sheffield Lake. His two sisters and his father reside in Sheffield Lake, two miles east of Lorain. Risko owned and operated a night club in Cleveland at 25th Street and Clark Avenue for about three years.
The Risko property at Stop 84, Lake Road, in Sheffield Lake, was purchased about 25 years ago when the family moved from Lakewood. On the property, which extended well over an acre, the heavyweight boxer set up training facilities and frequently worked out there in preparation for his major bouts. His manager was Danny Dunn of Cleveland. Much of Risko’s road work was on the highways of Sheffield Lake Village.
Surviving in addition to his wife, are his father, John Sr.; two sisters, Mrs. Peter Cifranic and Mrs. Ziegmunt Forma, all of Sheffield Lake; a nephew and four nieces.
Risko and his wife had arrived only a week ago from Cleveland for a winter vacation at Miami Beach.
Ring Career Ended in 1940
The Cleveland “Rubber man” never was champion but he fought them all over the years from 1924 until Tony Musto knocked him out in three rounds at Miami Beach on Feb. 19, 1940. It was his last fight.
Risko engaged in 59 fights as an amateur in 1922 and 1923, then turned professional. He was five feet 11 inches and weighed 188 pounds in his fighting prime.
He had 128 professional fights and met such headliners as Gene Tunney, Jack Sharkey, Max Scheming, Max Baer, Tom Heeney, Tommy Loughran, Mickey Walker and many others.
The closest he ever got to the title was in a fight with Tom Heeney in Detroit, which Heeney won. The winner got a shot at Tunney and the heavyweight championship.
The body is scheduled to arrive at 8 p.m. today at the Cleveland airport.
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The photo of Johnny Risko from the 1953 Journal article that, according to the caption, shows him “at his tavern about 18 months ago at Clark Avenue and West 35th Street in Cleveland” is very likely much older.
A copy of it on eBay is labeled "Photo by Acme Newspictures, Inc.” and is dated 7-22-’38. A caption for the photo is supplied, which reads, “RISKO HAS A PROTEGE - MIAMI, FLA.---“HAVE A BEER ON THE HOUSE,’ SAYS JOHNNY RISKO, FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT PRIZE FIGHTER WHO IS SPENDING ALL THE TIME HE CAN AWAY FROM HIS BAR HERE, TO TRAIN A DARK HORSE BOXER, WHOSE IDENTITY HE IS NOT YET READY TO REVEAL. RISKO, WHO FOUGHT SOME 350 FIGHTS BEFORE RETIRING IN 1928 [sic], SAYS HIS PROTEGE IS 17 YEARS OLD AND WEIGHS 176 POUNDS. CREDIT LINE (ACME) 7/15/38
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